Dupage Policy Journal

Shannon Adcock, founder of Awake Illinois, has expressed concerns over House Bill 2827, which she described as an "attack on homeschool." According to Adcock, the bill is currently being amended for continued committee hearings. She made these remarks in a March 13 post on X.

"Democrats are dismantling liberty in Illinois piece by piece," said Adcock. "Attack on homeschool and private school bill #hb2827 is being now being amended for continued committee hearings. Give them an inch, it's over for homeschool in IL."

House Bill 2827 requires the Illinois State Board of Education to develop a homeschool declaration form. This form would require administrators to submit information to the school district where the student would otherwise attend. The bill also proposes penalties for students whose homeschool administrators fail to notify the district of their status and mandates that homeschool students provide proof of immunization and health exams or a signed exemption certificate. Filed by Representative Terra Costa Howard on February 5, the bill was assigned to the House Education Policy Committee on March 4.

Screenshot of Shannon Adcock's March 13 post on X | X

In a video attached to her post, Adcock discussed what she perceives as the dangers of House Bill 2827. She noted that it was not brought up in the Education Policy Committee on March 12, which she described as "great news." Adcock said that Democrats are likely to submit an amendment that appears to dilute the original bill but warned that if it passes, it could mean "the death of homeschool liberty in Illinois." Additionally, she cautioned that Democrats are eroding liberty in Illinois incrementally.

Adcock is the founder and president of Awake Illinois, a nonprofit organization established in May 2021 focused on advocating for parental rights, educational transparency, and civic engagement. Born and raised in Illinois, she graduated from the University of Illinois in 2002 and resides in Naperville with her husband and three children. Her activism began with efforts to reopen public schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. She initially ran for a position on the Indian Prairie School District 204 Board of Education in 2020 but later withdrew to concentrate on statewide advocacy efforts. Her experiences led her to establish Awake Illinois and subsequently Awake Americans, another nonprofit aimed at empowering citizens through advocacy.