Dupage Policy Journal

Awake Illinois’ founder and president Shannon Adcock is cheering GOP gubernatorial candidate state Sen. Darren Bailey’s (R-Xenia) support of the group’s Parents Bill of Rights. 

“After two years of failed pandemic policies, an abysmal state schools report card, classroom activism/socialism replacing academics, and worrisome mental health stats of our youth, a sleeping giant has awakened and we go by ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad,’” Adcock said in a press release.

Adcock announced the parental rights campaign in an April 20 meeting of the Illinois State Board of Education. In that meeting, she urged ISBE director Carmen Ayala and the board members to resign. Awake Illinois is a non-profit social welfare organization. 

"Carmen Ayala should resign, as should every member on the board who did not fight for children and lawful due process the last two years who all waged war on our children," Adcock said, according to Prairie State Wire. "They should all be gone, every one of them. Other than that, they're doing great." 

Awake Illinois’ Parents Bill of Rights lays out fundamental principles by which it expects children to be treated in the state’s schools. All candidates seeking elected office are invited to pledge support. Names of the supporters will be listed on the Awake Illinois Parents Bill of Rights website as they are received, the group’s press release said.

"Ideally, my utopian vision, senator, is that after the upcoming election with new and improved leadership, all of the people who have signed this pledge would come together and finally be a symbolic form of progress, positive progress for our kids in the state of Illinois," Adcock told Bailey on a Facebook livestream. "We are very grateful for your leadership."

Bailey was the first gubernatorial candidate to pledge support for Awake Illinois’ Parents Bill of Rights. He was joined by his wife Cindy on the endorsement during the livestream of Adcock's organization announcing the senator's support.