Home Schooler Legislation...

[VolunteerGeneral]

The point I was making was that the argument that “I pay taxes to support athletics, therefore I should get to play” is not entirely accurate.  If you want to go the route that “I pay taxes to support public schools, therefore I am entitled to participate” is another argument that can be debated by both sides of the issue.  I am not going to get into that argument.  However, there are many things I pay taxes for that I don’t get the benefit from.

 

Should home-schooled children or even the general public get to eat at the school cafeteria in order to get a low-cost balanced meal each day?  My tax money was used to build and maintain that cafeteria building, supplement the cost of food and pay the workers.  Should home-schooled children get to go to the public school library and check out books and use the facilities?  I don't have that option although I pay taxes to support the library.

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But can you give a good reason why these kids shouldn`t be offered the opportunity to play for their zoned school?

[CoachD33]

But can you give a good reason why these kids shouldn`t be offered the opportunity to play for their zoned school?

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Other than they're not attending it?

[enall]

But can you give a good reason why these kids shouldn`t be offered the opportunity to play for their zoned school?

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This issue is not at all about athletes, but rather the bigger issue of "Can home schooled children participate in public school activities because they pay taxes". So, can a home schooled child check out books and do research at a public school library, can they eat in the cafeteria, can they play on the high school sports team, can their parents join the PTA, can they play in the band, can they attend an English class because the school happens to have the best English teacher in the state, can they participate in the Pre-K program, can they participate in the before and after school program, can they go on school sponsored trips?

 

As a long time member of the Roane County school board, I have an interest in this home school participation because of the extra burden it would put on our schools. As it is now our public schools have too much administrative rules already on them - which results in less time on task for our teachers -- we put No Child Left Behind, Pre-K, anti-smoking, anit-drugs, bus safety, ethnic education, Jump Start, alternative education, English as a second language, Title IX, special education, free lunch, etc. etc. all on our teachers and staff - almost all of which have nothing to do with academics.

 

If we open the doors for home-schooled children (where only 10% of home schooled parents surveyed wanted to be required to register with the local school board, although they are required by law to do so) to participate in these activities then you open a whole new door for law suits and other problems.

 

What if a coach cuts all the home-schooled kids? Think there would be litigation from that? What if a home schooled child doesn't make the cheerleading squad? What about libility insurance? What about enforcement of attendance and behavior guidelines?

 

Would you, as a tax payer, mind your taxes being increased because your public schools allowed home-schoolers to participate in activities? Almost all school systems would have to create at least one slot for a person for administration activities related to this activity, plus increase in legal costs would also put a burden on the school system's budget.

 

If we open the public schools to allow home-schoolers (who pay taxes) to participate in activities, then why not allow anyone who pays taxes to also use the facilities? What is the difference?

 

This issue is not about the TSSAA, local school boards or the state of Tennessee, but rather the law as it applies to home-schooled children and their rights.

[ksgovols]

I don't know how it is in Roane County, but in Cheatham County my son paid $200 up front and was responsible for another $100 in fundraising to play middle school baseball..........and we still counted on gate to pay the umpires. His basketball fees will be in the same neighborhood. The football fees are the cheapest for some strange reason, but my point is that many of the costs of participating in extra curricular activities is already passed along to the parents instead of the school system or taxpayers. The semantics of paying for fees et al to play could be worked out. Heck, the private schools who have no taxpayer contributions are participating with the public schools that do. Adding a handful of home schoolers to the mix is no different. If you want to exclude the home schoolers, then tighten up the requirements between public and private divisions and open zoned publics and temporarily permanent housing. Apartment rent for a couple of years of eligibility and the extra $$ for parents to commute to work is still cheaper than some private school tuition I guess. I just think the playing field should be level all across the boards............and it's not.

[VolunteerGeneral]

enall...sounds like you make a lot about nothing. Tell me who`s hurt if a homeschooled kid checks out a book from his/her zoned school? I mean are you that bent on this issue that you wouldn`t allow a kid to check out a book? That`s silly. It would be so easy for a school district to allow homeschooled kids to enjoy some outside priveledges of sports, clubs..etc.

It`s not as drastic as you want to make it out to be. Simply charge a fee.

[Indian]

enall...sounds like you make a lot about nothing. Tell me who`s hurt if a homeschooled kid checks out a book from his/her zoned school? I mean are you that bent on this issue that you wouldn`t allow a kid to check out a book? That`s silly. It would be so easy for a school district to allow homeschooled kids to enjoy some outside priveledges of sports, clubs..etc.

It`s not as drastic as you want to make it out to be. Simply charge a fee.

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They choose not to be part of the school. Why get the privileges such as sports, band, drama or checking out a book?

[ksgovols]

They choose not to be part of the school. Why get the privileges such as sports, band, drama or checking out a book?

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Kids at private schools choose not to go to a public school either. If home schooled kids either a. don't have the funds for a private school or b. can't work out the commute to the private school of their choice, what's the difference? If you don't want to go to a public school for whatever reason, then you must go to a private school to participate in extra curricular activities?

[fromthetop2]

should we also allow home schoolers to take part in the lunch program, or federally funded breakfast programs, or see the school nurse, or work with the guidance counselor, or after-school tutoring from a faculty member?

 

Everyone makes choices. Certain choices will by their nature eliminate options.

If I choose to buy a Corvette, I am giving up the ability to go to Home Depot and load a truck bed full of lumber with my vehicle choice. I know this upfront and should not be frustrated-and demand that Home Depot make the lumber fit my trunk!

 

If I can't accept the consequences of my choice, I need to choose differently.

[Baldcoach]

I find this debate fascinating. And good points are made on both sides.

 

Question: How many kids are we talking about?

 

Question 2: If the public schools don't want these kids on their athletic teams would the private schools be allowed to let them play? If not, why not?

[ksgovols]

I find this debate fascinating.  And good points are made on both sides. 

 

Question:  How many kids are we talking about?

 

Question 2:  If the public schools don't want these kids on their athletic teams would the private schools be allowed to let them play?  If not, why not?

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The TSSAA is lobbying against homeschoolers participating in athletic programs, period. I think the reason alot of these kids are homeschooled is to have a faith based education without the cost of tuition. There are also some that abuse the system and stay at home because it's easier on Mom and Dad than taking them to school. If home schooling is a legal option accepted in all states, then regulate it, test the home schoolers for competence to move on to the next grade level and let the tax payers that teach their kids at home have access to the same benefits as any other tax payer's children.

 

It's more like driving up to Home Depot in a Toyota truck and not being allowed to load your truck because it's not a Ford or Chevy.

[silverpie]

I would argue that home-school kids should have access in one of two ways. Either let them play for their zoned school, or let homeschool groups put together teams and be counted as schools (which could then compete on their own or under a co-op arrangement, the same as any other school--and by the way, it has always been my opinion that co-ops should be counted at the total enrollment of both schools for classification).

[cbg]

USA TODAY has a big article in the sports sections today about home schooled athletes. It claims that we have 1.1 million home schooled children in the USA as of now. The numbers are rising but that is really a small % of student/athletes that we are talking about. What is the "hidden agenda" of the public school people? Do the private school people care if the home schooled students play for the public school that they are zoned to?