By Angela Wittman Illinois home educators are rallying in opposition to SB 3259 which calls for amending the Illinois School Code compulsory school age from 17 to 18 years . Organizations calling for citizens to take action and call their state legislators include ICHE (Illinois Christian Home Educators) and HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association). Disagreement concerning SB 3259 stems from the belief that parents are in the best position to know what is best for their 17 year-old children, whether it be higher education or perhaps an apprenticeship to prepare them for employment. It may not be in the best interest of a young adult at 18 years of age to be forced to remain in school. Home educated children often advance at a faster pace than students in government schools and as a consequence are ready for higher learning or career preparation such as a trade or technical school at an earlier age. HSLDA states on their Academic Statistics on Homeschooling page under Independe
Current and archived commentary by Angela Somers Wittman