Written by Tracy Smodilla, Project Director

Since its inception in January, the Parents Matter Coalition (“PMC”) has been on a mission to raise awareness, educate the community, and teach Illinoisans how to advocate for their families and push back on the legislators and bureaucrats who think they know better how to parent our children.

We are so grateful for the thousands of volunteers from around Illinois, who have committed to the Parents Matter Coalition’s inaugural project, the “Right to Parent” Ballot Initiative. It is sounding the alarm for years of egregious legislation in our state that has served only to widen the schism in the parent-child relationship and chip away at parental rights.

A poll by ParentsRightsFoundation.org indicates that more than 90 percent of all voters agree that parents rights matter when making healthcare decisions for their minor child.

The effort to collect 500,000 signatures by April 15^th  from registered Illinois voters to place an Advisory Question of Public Policy on the November 2024 General Election Ballot is in full swing. And the response has been overwhelmingly positive! The question asks:

“Shall the written consent from a minor’s parent or guardian be required before any entity, person, clinic or school can provide a minor (under the age of 18 years) any non-emergency medical procedure, medication, pharmaceutical, or any gender modification procedure, gender identification, gender-affirming counseling or gender therapy?”

However, many of those initially engaged to volunteer, or solicited for their signatures, were unaware of the all-out assault on parents rights and laws that have violated the bond they share with their children. Some of these are:

• The Repeal of the Parental Notification Act for Abortion (2021), allowing minors to seek and receive abortion services without a parent even being notified;

• The Youth Mental Healthcare Act which forbids parents from finding help for their confused children;

• Mental Health Screenings for 7-12 grade students beginning in the 2024/25 school year;

• Guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education and the ACLU, directing school districts and individuals on how to confidentially direct children as young as 12 years old to resources for abortion, treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, pharmaceuticals, counseling and gender-affirming services… All without the knowledge or consent of a parent or guardian.

With the onslaught of more anti-family bills being introduced this year, it is critical that we continue to raise awareness of these dangerous policies and successfully secure the “Right to Parent” question on the ballot. As we work to restore and reclaim parental rights, we urgently need more volunteers to help us keep the momentum going for next few weeks if we’re to meet our goal.

Our prayer is that everyone reading this message will unite with the Parents Matter Coalition and commit to collecting 10, 20 or 30 signatures between now and April 15^th. We pray they will  compel their networks to join us in building a wall of protective parental right’s between the government and our children.

Please visit parentmattercoalition.org for more information and to download a petition. Your completed and notarized petition should be postmarked no later than April 15^th and mailed to:

Parents Matter Coalition
P.O. Box 1503
Wheaton, IL 60187

As Christians, we can learn from God’s servant, Nehemiah who knew of the work that needed to be done. We, too, should know that victory can be had, in spite of enemies, if we become more educated on the matter of anti-family legislation and have the minds to work. (Nehemiah 4:6). Let’s encourage and challenge one another to finish the task at hand. Let’s keep hammering!