Shannon Adcock Launches Bid For District 204 Board

NAPERVILLE, IL — Shannon Adcock has launched another bid for a seat on the Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204 Board of Education. Adcock, who founded the conservative group Awake Illinois, announced her campaign via Facebook Monday and plans to host an open house petition event at Quigley's on Oct. 5.

Adcock's political conservatism and Awake Illinois's political platform have made news several times since the nonprofit organization was founded in 2021.

In late April, residents circulated a petition to discourage Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico from appointing Adcock to the city's Special Events and Cultural Amenities Commission. The parent who started the petition, Asafonie Obed-Horton, said Adcock had previously sent her a racist email when she ran for the District 204 board in 2021.

The petition contended, "Several members of the LGBTQIA and BIPOC communities have already voiced the fear of their families' safety and wellbeing if Shannon were to be appointed to ANY position of any capacity in the city of Naperville. "

Adcock previously ran in the same April 2021 race as Obed-Horton, seeking a seat on the District 204 board of education. She earned 4,252 votes, being edged out by Supna Jain, Allison Fosdick and incumbents Laurie Donahue and Susan Taylor-Demming.

Most recently, Adcock's Awake Illinois was in the news for its opposition to a Drag Bingo Event planned for children in grades 7 through 12 at Downers Grove Public Library. Awake Illinois posted a petition urging the library to cancel the event and encouraged residents to contact library board members and speak out against the Drag Queen Bingo "in the interest of social welfare."

The event was ultimately canceled by the library following a series of threats that library officials described as "severe."

Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau, who is running for Congress, joined Awake Illinois in criticizing the drag bingo event. A month earlier, the mayor faced criticism for accepting an award from Awake Illinois. Pekau's acceptance of the award drew criticism from Equality Illinois, a group that advocates for LGBTQ rights.

Chicago mayoral hopeful Paul Vallas has also criticized the group, shortly after speaking at one of their events. Vallas appeared at an Awake Illinois panel discussion in June, just days after the group took to social media to label Gov. J.B. Pritzker a "groomer" after he spoke in favor of a law that would put sexual education standards in place in Illinois schools.

Vallas then spoke out against Awake Illinois, saying, "Had I been aware of the hateful rhetoric espoused by a prominent member of the group, I would have not accepted the invitation. I will be more vigilant about vetting invitations in the future."

On its website, Awake Illinois encourages parents to opt out of "comprehensive perverse sex ed" and urges the repeal of the Safe-T Act.

Adcock's campaign announcement writes that she started Awake Illinois "to give parents and community members a platform to advocate on issues affecting education, legislation, and parental rights."

She added that she "look[s] forward to the prospect of representing the best interests of students, families, and taxpayers."

The District 204 race is slated for April 4, 2023.