Will County Gazette

Nick Giannasi, the supervisor at Unbroken Family Counseling and former director of Youth Ministries at Community United Methodist Church in Plainfield, is voicing strong opposition to the proposed Illinois Homeschool Act (HB2827) which aims to impose new oversight and regulations on homeschooling families. 

Giannasi, an advocate for parental rights and education freedom, described the bill as another infringement on parents' ability to make decisions for their children.

“Teachers unions have been slowly chipping away at parents' rights in education since 2020 and this is another step in that direction," Giannasi told the Will County Gazette. "This is also a violation of basic rights.”

The Illinois Homeschool Act mandates that homeschooled students submit a "Homeschool Declaration Form" to avoid truancy penalties, and if they wish to engage with public schools, certain health documentation must be provided. 

Critics, including Kirk Smith of Illinois Christian Home Educators, argue that the bill adds unnecessary bureaucratic barriers and infringes on parental rights, requiring state permission for homeschooling.

Giannasi, who has long advocated for the constitutional rights of parents in education, pointed out that the Illinois Supreme Court ruled in 1950 that parents have a constitutional right to direct their children's education, solidifying homeschooling as a legal option.

“The Illinois Supreme Court ruled in 1950 that parents have a constitutional right to direct the education of their children, establishing homeschooling as a legal option,” Giannasi said. “This infringes on that right by giving oversight to the state instead of parents.”

The proposed bill comes amid growing concerns about the state's role in education, with over 41,000 Illinois residents filing witness slips opposing HB2827. 

Critics argue that it will create unnecessary hurdles for homeschooling families, undermining the freedom to choose an educational path outside of the public school system.

Giannasi’s opposition to the bill is rooted in what he sees as a broader trend of government encroachment on personal freedoms. He is among many in the state urging lawmakers to defeat the measure, calling for the proposed legislation “to die and go back to hell.”

In December 2024, Giannasi made headlines after being removed from the Plainfield trustee ballot. The Plainfield Electoral Board upheld an objection that his nomination papers were "improperly unbound," a decision that has fueled concerns about bureaucratic interference in the democratic process.