McLean County Times

Dennis Tipsword, a representative for Illinois' 105th House District, expressed concerns over the "Homeschool Act," describing it as an example of Democrats' overreaching legislation. He made this statement on Facebook on February 12.

"Democrats in Illinois continue to push overreaching legislation and expansion of government, and the latest example is the 'Homeschool Act' that will impact thousands of Illinois families who have lawfully chosen to homeschool their children," said Tipsword, State Representative, according to Facebook. "I am opposed to this legislation."

According to a Facebook post by Tipsword, he referenced a House Republican Caucus blog post about House Bill 2827, which was filed by Representative Terra Howard. The blog post highlights the increasing trend of homeschooling in the United States and mentions that more families are opting to educate their children at home. It further states that HB2827 would require public school parents to create an educational portfolio for their school districts and provide private information to the State Board of Education. The blog also argues that the right to homeschool was established in a 1950 Illinois Supreme Court case, People v. Levisen.

Screenshot of State Representative Dennis Tipsword's Feb. 12 Facebook post | State Representative Dennis Tipsword's Facebook page

In this case, Greene County Court had convicted the parents of a seven-year-old girl for violating compulsory school attendance laws. They appealed directly to the state Supreme Court. According to the decision, the family were Seventh-day Adventists who believed that children should not be educated in competition with others as it fosters a pugnacious character and that the mother is the best teacher. The conviction of Marjorie Levisen and others was reversed on January 18, 1950.

House Bill 2827 proposes that the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) create a Homeschool Declaration form for homeschool administrators to complete, confirming student enrollment in a homeschool program. As per the bill’s synopsis, this form would be submitted to the principal of the public school or district where the child would otherwise attend. If not submitted, the child would be considered truant. Additionally, homeschooled children would need to provide proof of vaccination, health examinations, or a signed certificate of religious exemption before participating in public school activities such as sports or extracurriculars.

Tipsword was elected to represent Illinois' 105th House District in 2022 and took office in January 2023. According to his official biography, he is a lifelong resident of Illinois, former small business owner, long-time member of the Woodford County Central Committee, and volunteer youth sports coach.