Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Home schoolers jammed the Capitol Wednesday to protest a bill to regulate the practice. The sponsor, State Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn), said Illinois is in a minority of states which do not regulate home schooling at all.

A benefit of the bill, she says, is to protect children. “I was home schooled by parents who prioritized hiding abuse over safety for their children,” said Ayla McDonald during the committee hearing, “who did not allow my siblings and (me) the option of attending school or of undergoing testing that we wanted; and who tried to prevent me from graduating after thirteen years of home schooling.”

Former teacher and current home schooling parent Aziza Butler says, bunk. “There is no credible study that suggests that home school children are at any higher risk of abuse than their public school peers,” she said. “This bill will not decrease cases of abuse. None of the regulations proposed in teh bill would do anything to prevent instances of abuse.”

The bill, which passed committee after a lengthy hearing, would require parents to file paperwork with school districts and also be at least a high school (or equivalent) graduate.