Illinois Family Spotlight

Welcome back to Spotlight for part two of excerpted remarks from Alex Newman ’s presentation at the 2021 IFI Worldview Conference! This week Newman details the the history of America’s progression from home-based, faith-based education to government school indoctrination. He also discusses the failures of the Whole Word Method and Common Core, and explains why the current push for a global educati...

As the school year begins for almost two million public school students in Illinois, this edition of Spotlight is both timely and eye-opening. This week we are featuring remarks from Alex Newman ’s, keynote presentation at our 2021 Worldview Conference. Newman addresses government school curricula that prioritize social justice and LGBTQ+ issues, climate change “facts,” gender pseudoscience, and t...

We have a very special edition of Spotlight this week, full of information and enthusiasm! While attending the 2021 National Religious Broadcasters Christian Media Convention, Pastor Ceasar LeFlore conducted an interview with Yvette Hampton , writer, producer, and host of the upcoming documentary, Schoolhouse Rocked: The Homeschool Revolution . LeFlore and Hampton discuss the importance of removin...

On this episode of Spotlight, Illinois Family Action presents the second half of Executive Director David Smith’s conversation with Illinois State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey and his wife Cindy . Sen. Bailey gives us a glimpse into life on a large family farm and shares interesting information about the wealth of vital natural resources that can be found in the southern half...

This week, Illinois Family Spotlight focuses on current issues regarding religious freedom and the U.S. judicial system. To start the podcast, Monte Larrick interviews well-known Colorado baker and cake artist, Jack Phillips and general counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, Kristen Waggoner . Phillips describes the persecution and targeting he has endured at the hands of the LGBT faction in his...

Written and Produced by Jenna Smith This episode of Spotlight features two guests that Illinois Family staff is proud to call our friends and allies: State Senator  and  candidate for Illinois Governor  Darren Bailey  and his amazing wife  Cindy . If you’ve been following Illinois politics, you have doubtless heard of Senator Bailey as he has been on the front lines challenging the legalities of C...

While attending the National Religious Broadcasters Convention near Dallas, Monte Larrick had the opportunity to speak with Kelly Shackelford , President and CEO of First Liberty Institute, the largest legal firm in the U.S. solely focused on protecting religious freedom for all Americans. Their conversation begins with a discussion of the dangers of the Equality Act, or as Newt Gingrich calls it...

In this Father’s Day sermon, Dave reviews Matthew 9:18 -26, specifically the story of Jairus and his sick daughter. The faith of this father is recorded not only in Matthew chapter nine, but it is also found in Mark chapter five, and Luke chapter eight. In verse 18, Matthew tells us that Jairus came to Jesus for help: “While He was saying these things to them, behold, a synagogue official ca...

In this installment of Spotlight, David Smith is joined by Jennifer Burns, founder of the Classical Consortium Academy . The two converse about the benefits of a classical upbringing, involvement of parents, and the art of teaching children HIS-story, math, science, and all the other essentials, with a Godly foundation. They also discuss winsomeness and confronting ideas contrary to Scripture with...

On this edition of Spotlight, the Reverend C.L. Bryant urges Americans to “push back and stand up against the tyranny that is encroaching upon our civil liberties.” Speaking with Monte Larrick, he stresses that individual freedom and our right to self-governance are in jeopardy. Rev. Bryant recounts his experience growing up in Shreveport, LA in the midst of the civil rights movement and contrasts...

Kirk Smith , executive director of Illinois Christian Home Educators (ICHE) , wonders what will be the straw that finally breaks the camel’s back – the backs of Christian parents, even the backs of moral, non-Christian parents – when it comes to deciding to leave the cesspool of government schools? Will it be the recently passed legislation that requires availability of feminine hygiene products i...

Back for a last hurrah, this week’s podcast features the last installment of the “catastrophe cubed” interview. Featuring Kenna and Eliana Hartian and Jenna Smith, the offspring of IFA’s executive director David Smith and board member Richard Hartian, this treble of rollicking females conclude their guest appearance with a discussion about effective Christianity, the many b...

Producer’s note: I apologize for not apprising listeners that last week’s podcast (#253) would be one segment and not two. This podcast will have the same format, likewise the third part next week. David Smith, Rich Hartian and their daughters recorded this series of podcasts all at one time, thus the questionable ending last week. Any homeschooler who’s had any homeschooling exp...

Written by Benjamin Smith If you are reading this, the chances are pretty good that you know a homeschool family or two–or may be homeschooled yourself. Christian homeschooling in Illinois is a thing mostly because Illinois is surprisingly a rather free state for parents to train their children at home. In the IFA Spotlight this week to reflect on their homeschool experience are two home-high scho...

Those who love the darkness don’t want to come into the light. They flee like so many cockroaches to the shadows. As the Scriptures say, men loved the darkness rather than light, for fear their deeds would be exposed. Newly minted Illinois state senator (and former state representative) Darren Bailey is not one of those swamp roaches. His career in Springfield has been in exposing the utter...

On this edition of Spotlight, Laurie Higgins joins Jim Schneider , host of VCY America’s CrossTalk program, for a lively discussion of the ubiquitous indoctrination agenda in our nation’s government schools. Laurie’s experience as an educator and, for the past thirteen years, IFI’s cultural affairs writer has given her valuable insight on the small, subtle, incremental steps that have led public s...

Ever wonder why most secularists seem perpetually angry? Consider the possibility that they are trying to be justified by works–dry bones trying to walk around all by themselves. This phenomena is especially evident in Critical Race Theory (CRT), where people are either prompted to feel like they are the chosen “race,” or are told that they are inherently evil and can only be sav...

For better or worse, the Illinois General Assembly is back in session and a plethora of controversial, radical, and just plain ridiculous bills are scheduled for consideration. Monte Larrick and David Smith are joined by Jenna Smith, David’s oldest daughter, as they discuss the compelling reasons to retain the Parental Notice of Abortion Act. Jenna shares her perspective as an older teen and artic...

Gambling isn’t a niche issue. It may be low in a hierarchy of important issues, but this sin easily destroys lives, families and communities. Like all sin, gambling promises unprecedented reward in exchange nothing but ends up taking everything. Ken Darnell joins this episode of spotlight to discuss gambling–specifically, how it denies the sovereignty of God and is contrary to the Word...

America was founded on the principles of the Scriptures, which contain the prescription for the family unit. Joining Monte Larrick to discuss the absolute necessity of a strong biblical family (one man, one woman–in covenant till death–with many children) for healthy civilization is Dr. Allan C. Carlson, the founder of the World Congress of Families. Monte and Allan discuss the role th...

This past Saturday, Dave Smith was invited to join the Black & Right radio program on AM 560 The Answer . John Anthony and Rev. Ceasar LeFlore discuss the importance of getting children out of government indoctrination centers and the responsibilities of Christian parents and grandparents. Government schools are not simply failing to educate students, they are corrupting them morally, spiritua...

It’s a fact – all laws discriminate. While discrimination based on ethnicity or skin color is never acceptable, discrimination based on behavior is appropriate. Speaking at IFI’s 2017 Worldview Conference, Dr. Frank Turek highlights the lies and hypocrisy surrounding the establishment of protected classes of individuals, public bathroom policies, and transgenderism. The second half of this podcast...

Legislation has consequences. Good legislation can bring about beneficial improvements and protections, but unwise legislation can have harmful, devastating effects on the people who must abide by it. With that dichotomy in mind, this edition of Spotlight takes an in-depth look at the ramifications of repealing Illinois’ Parental Notice of Abortion Act by considering its impact on the unborn child...

March Madness is in full swing. By this time next week, the NCAA will have crowned the national champion for the 2020-2021 college basketball season. Also, by this time next week, tens of thousands of people will have lost a staggering amount of money due to legalized, online sports betting in our and other states across the nation – and, if Illinois residents had legally been able to bet on colle...

Parents for the Protection of Girls–a grassroots movement to uphold and defend parental notice–recently hosted an online forum in defense of Illinois’s parental notice of abortion act. This spotlight features that especially timely news session with: Mary Hallan FioRito , a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center . She served as a moderator for this forum. John Jones, a wor...