Home-field advantage:Should homeschool kids be able to participate in public-school activities?

World Magazine ^ | dec 6, 2003 | By Lynn Vincent

[quietolong]

>>>> If this were a kid in a public high school who insisted on playing sports for another high school with a better football-wrestling-baseball-etc team, should he then be permitted to participate just because the parents' property taxes go to the other school? <<<<

In WI. We have this... It's called School Choice. But you Tax dollars stay at your home districts school.

[bigcat00]

The reason private school kids can't participate in public school sports is probably the same reason public school kids usually can't go "team shopping" - administrators don't want to have a situation in which one school can recruit all the best athletes. I've heard complaints (don't know if they are true or not) about private schools trying to recruit football players from public schools. I assume the high tuition is a deterent to such recruitment in that case; it wouldn't be for a public school.

The same rationale does not exist for barring homeschoolers, though, as long as they are required to participate only in their own district. That is the case in my state, Idaho. If you homeschool, your kids can only participate in extra-curricular activities in your own district. We pay taxes in this district like everyone else. The regs. of the state school athleteic association also prohibit private schools from allowing homeschool kids tdo participate in sports if they are not full time students, so they can't be recruited by private schools.

In our case, and I assume most others, there is no alternative for homeschool kids of high school and jr. high age to participate in a sport like football EXCEPT public schools. We pay for it like everyone else. Why should we be kept from receiving the benefit that everyone else - including a lot of people who don't pay taxes - receives?

[bigcat00]

GOPrincess is right. Everyone picks and chooses anyway. Not everygbody takes AP English or auto shop. In a high school of any size, students have a lot of choices, called "electives" for a reason.

We used to live in another state, and the school district in which we resided hired a person to help coordinate group activities for home schoolers. The coordinator was also a home schooler. They let us use school facilities and resources for group classes, plays, etc. It helped the school district (they got money every time a homeschooler set foot on school property) and the homeschoolers, and helped both sides understand each other. I'm not sure why anyone would disapprove of such an arrangement.

[lodwick]

If property taxes are being paid, directly or indirectly to the not-so-independent school district, then absolutely the kids should be able to utilize any, all, or none of the programs available from the district.

[Mean Daddy]

Regarding property taxes and the like. I live on the end of a dead end road and am always the last to have road work, plowing etc. done. I understand why as we are not a well traveled road, but I go through the same thing every winter where I have to call the county to get them to plow my road.

Have to inform them that even though we are on a road that isn't used much outside of the people on it, I still pay full taxes. I don't get a break for living on a road that isn't used much.

[tutstar]

bttt

[tutstar]

Why shouldn't he? LOL

It is my understanding that if you are going to 'opt-in' to a Govt school program you have to participate in the school that you would attend if you were in PS, or any private or Christian school of choice. That could be different from state to state.

[tutstar]

I'm not sure how minor the scholarship issue is. I know a homeschool family with 5 children, so far the oldest 4 have received scholarships....football, academic, and music.

[tutstar]

LOL

and where did you get this information from?

The student is not subject to GPA requirements, the burden of carrying elective classes which requires more time and academic commitment, nor is he subject to school district rules

Texas has the least restrictions on homeschoolers of any state. Most states require the same standards of homeschool students for high school graduation. Besides, in general, homeschoolers score a lot higher than the gov't school kids so me thinks you have a weak argument.

[tutstar]

Why shouldn't he?

[tutstar]

In FL that is different. You can get services for special needs if you homeschool.

[tutstar]

There are lots of kids in Gov't school who still need a hired tutor to get a good grade. Why should parents of GS kids have to hire a tutor when they're already paying taxes?

[tutstar]

There are lots of kids in Gov't school who still need a hired tutor to get a good grade. Why should parents of GS kids have to hire a tutor when they're already paying taxes?

[ladylib]

That's an idea. Have town teams open to anyone -- homeschoolers, private school kids, and public school kids.

[ladylib]

They do in my state. It took a court case, but it was ruled that the state has to provide the same services to homeschoolers (and private schools) whether the public schools liked it or not, and believe me, they do not like the ruling.

Public schools are under no obligation to permit homeschoolers to participate in classes or sports, however.

[BOOTSTICK]

Absolutely no!, why represent a school on a sports team, when the athelete does'nt even attend the school????, whats the point of teams representing their schools? If a home schoolers wants to use the facilities fine, but to be allowed on a school team, when not even attending the schools is nonsense!

[Conservateacher]

"I'm not sure how minor the scholarship issue is. I know a homeschool family with 5 children, so far the oldest 4 have received scholarships....football, academic, and music."

I was talking about athletic scholarships and they are minor in the sense that they don't happen that often as a percentage of college students. Especially full ride scholarships. That you know some doesn't change this fact.
Besides, what difference does it make if a home schooled student gets a scholarship? Are they less a student athlete then someone in a school?

The idea of excluding them from the school community is one I hear from liberal teachers at my building. What?? They are ed that someone other than them is teaching the kid and that the poor kid isn't socialized. Then an opportunity to "socialize" the student comes about (sports) and they scream like all get out. Libs want it their way or the highway.

[SauronOfMordor]

I would say no- the parents and the child made a decision not to participate in the academic curriculum of the school, why then should he be allowed to participate in the athletic curriculum, and receive the advantages of demonstrating his athletic abilities for of college scouts (which I am certain is a huge factor)?

In my area of Pennsylvania, organized sports at the elementary/middle-chool level are based at the community level, rather than the school level. IE, if you want to play soccer, girl's softball, or boys little league, you join the community team. In the teams are kids from public, private, and home schools. Part of the reason for this arrangement may be the large number of people sending their kids to Catholic schools in my area.

There is no compelling reason to have neighborhood kid sports be attached to public schools

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I don't understand why anyone would want their kid to participate in after school activities. Good for you. I don't understand that thinking either. the after school programs are as bad and unfairly run as the schools themselves. People have been brainwashed into believing that children need other children their own age to be properly "socialized." That thinking is bunk. Children hanging around mature adults will mature. We homeschooled our children. Their friends were people form 10 yrs younger then them to 20 years older. They had fun and enjoyed all. They could converse with adults and with younger children. Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Sorry:(

Since it;s not a long post I am not going to repost it.

Becky