Illinois Family Institute to make Presentation at State Theater

At 7:00 p.m. on May 2nd at The State Theater, there will be a presentation regarding why parents should consider homeschooling or faith based schools for your children. The presentation will be given by Tom Burrows, who is a Field Director for the Illinois Family Institute. Prior to the start of his career at the Illinois Family Institute, Burrows worked 43 years in the corporate world. He was first approached for the position a couple of months back at a Christian conference. During the conference, retreaters had the opportunity to listen to various guest speakers, one of them being the Illinois Family Institute. 

“They were speaking on a number of things that concern me, which is education. Their topic was public school exit,” said Burrows. “I was so compelled by what I learned. The performance of Illinois schools as measured by tests is poor on a good day, and then the curriculum is more and more becoming what I would say as a Godly world view. It’s becoming pretty disturbing.”

After attending the conference, he offered his hand in help for the institution. He was then offered the job as the field director. His duties include talking to families and pastors about public school exits. 

“I try to compel them into leaving public schools for a faith based education,” said Burrows. “That’s my agenda. Illinois Family Institute is a pro marriage, pro family, pro life organization.’ 

Throughout the presentation, he will discuss results and the reasons for the performance of the schools. 

“We’re talking proficiency levels of 50 percentile or lower. The highest one is science at 49 percent proficiency. English and math are in the thirties across Illinois. It’s just not working. There’s a lot of sexulization, in my opinion, going on. Governor Pritzker passed a law to make comprehensive sexualizaiton a must in all public and charter schools. It follows the national standards. It’s unbelievable the content that’s being taught in kindergarten and first grade. It got so much push back that it’s been amended. It’s now optional, you don’t have to teach that program,” said Burrows. 

When talking to pastors, Burrows aims to provide scholarships to private schools, or if they are unable to provide the scholarship, a homeschool co-op would be set up so that families can use the space in a nearby vacant building. 

“We’re working on all kinds of things. I felt compelled. I’m just uncomfortable with education in America and Illinois specifically, so that’s my agenda,” said Burrows. 

The presentation will also feature a movie titled Schoolhouse Rocked. It is a true story based on a family that hit the road for one year in an effort to see the country and homeschool their children.The family then produced the movie. 

“It’s so uplifting and so positive about homeschooling. There’s so many resources to help you. The results of homeschooled children are extremely high. It seems to be building a lot of leaders, and a lot of entrepreneurs. We’re coming to Nashville with the movie and with the producers for interested families,” said Burrows. 

Burrows stresses he is not faulting the teachers or administration of the Illinois schools, but the curriculum they are required to teach.

“The system is broken,” he said.