I all for home schooling if you can do it. I don’t see though why homeschoolkers should be provided programs (special classes, extracurricular activity, etc.) by the public schools? Seems like they want it both ways.
I’m all also? LOL.
While I personally think you should keep home and school as far apart as possible, some homeschoolers see the government school as the only source for certain activities like band or sports. Since they live in the district and are paying the taxes, they think it’s reasonable that they participate.
I wouldn’t care as much about homeschoolers being forbidden from participating in sports, but special needs therapies are another matter. The government requires that special needs children be offered services. It has chosen to offer them through the schools as that is most convenient for most children. However, the notion that these are services the schools offer their students, is incorrect. The schools are merely the delivery service for federally mandated services.
Not only do homeschoolers in NY pay school taxes (like everyone else), but they’re also heavily regulated by the state. They’re required to report to their school districts, submit records, take tests, and so on.
If the public schools are going to deny them special services now, they at least should let them homeschool in peace without interfering. In my state, for example, there are no regulations. Even though we pay hefty school taxes, we don’t argue for public school services because we don’t want to invite the public schools to intrude on homeschooling. But, in NY, the public schools already intrude. IMHO, that’s the crux of the issue.