Subject:  Tennessee Home Schoolers Don't give up on the sports bill |
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Michael
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Date Posted: 09:16:12 08/31/06 Thu
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"Monday, 04/04/05
Home-schooled students want part in public school activities
By CLAUDETTE RILEY
Staff Writer
Families who don't want their children attending public schools do want them to be able to play on public school sports teams.
The Tennessee Home Education Association is backing legislation that would allow students who are taught at home — and those in small private schools — to play high school sports and participate in such extracurricular activities as art, drama and music in public schools.
''It's about equal access,'' said Mike Bell, a THEA lobbyist who teaches his kids at home. ''This is about giving all Tennessee children equal access to publicly funded facilities and activities.''
It's not that simple, say members of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, which regulates athletics for about 5,500 high school and middle school teams and nearly 110,000 students. Members of the association, which includes about 400 public schools statewide, repeatedly have rejected making any changes to its rules and don't support allowing home-school and private school students to participate.
How it would work.
''We're opposed to it,'' said Ronnie Carter, executive director of TSSAA. ''Our schools feel that the students representing them'' in sports ''should be enrolled and regularly attending.''
If approved by the General Assembly, the legislation would pry open the tightly regulated world of high school sports and change the makeup of teams statewide. Although the proposal also would give students who aren't in public schools access to their extracurricular activities, the main debate appears to be about athletics and students who are taught at home.
The change, pitched by Republican lawmakers Sen. Jim Bryson of Franklin and Rep. Beth Harwell of Nashville, would expand participation for students who aren't in public schools as long as those extras aren't already offered at their school, they pay any applicable activity fees and adhere to academic and behavior rules set by the schools.
''These are good children,'' said Harwell, who has accepted a handful of other lawmakers signing on to her legislation. ''They just want an opportunity to participate.''
She points out the proposal only would allow students to participate in sports and extras at the public school that they're already zoned to attend.
A similar proposal failed a few years ago in Tennessee, but a growing number of states across the country are adopting laws that open public-school sports to students who don't attend those schools.
Supporters argue that home-school families pay taxes to support public schools but don't get to take advantage of the activities they offer. They say that while some parts of the state offer home-school sports and clubs, those students often don't get to play tougher teams or get the public exposure that leads to college scholarships and other opportunities. Plus, they say public schools could benefit from putting together teams from a larger pool of talented players.
''We're not asking for their money. We're not asking for their support,'' said Steve Bates, a Mt. Juliet father whose four children were schooled at home. ''We're just asking if our children can play with their children.''
Opponents point out that families voluntarily choose to take their children out of public schools and away from those opportunities. They argue that opening up public schools' sports teams and other activities to students who don't attend those schools creates some headaches and will make eligibility requirements — such as minimum academic and behavior rules — tougher to verify.
The TSSAA requires students to make regular progress toward graduation, but many high schools also require students to make a certain grade point average, attend a certain number of days a year and not do anything to get them suspended or expelled from school.
''We have some tough academic rules,'' Carter said. ''Tracking that is an issue.''
Tracking is also an issue for home-school families who don't want public schools or others checking up on their progress and telling them what to do. In fact, support for the measure is mixed among families who teach their children at home.
''The concern in the home-school community is that they'll have to submit to some oversight,'' said Kay Brooks, founder of a home-school information clearinghouse and network in Tennessee. ''That's the big Mack truck hole — what are the eligibility requirements.''
Devin Moon, a home-school student from Murfreesboro, doesn't like the idea of playing by public- school rules.
''When we give the government this much power over home-schoolers, it's going to be used against us,'' said Devin, 16, who participates in home-school speech and debate leagues. ''Strings are going to be attached.''
He suggested that the home-school community spend its time improving the number and quality of the teams and activities it offers for students.
But some say it's not that easy. While these teams exist and they're growing, they aren't everywhere, and they don't come close to offering the same competition, experiences and exposure as the public schools.
''In a lot of these smaller communities … home-schoolers have to travel long distances to get together with other home-schoolers,'' Brooks said, adding that she has mixed feelings about the proposal. ''It's been very frustrating. I really empathize with parents who want their children to participate and they can't.''
Karen Summey, athletic and tournament director for the Nashville Central Christian Warrior basketball teams, said about 45 home-school families participated this year in the varsity and junior varsity boys and girls teams.
She and others would like home-school teams to be able to play public school teams but doesn't want students to leave her league for the public schools.
''The better teams you play, the better you become. It would be better competition,'' she said.
But she understands why some students would be interested.
''If they play in public schools for sports, they get recognized. They have a better chance of getting scholarships,'' she said. ''People just don't come to our tournaments.''
According to the Home School Legal Defense Association, a nonprofit advocacy group that tracks laws in all states and takes a neutral position on this legislation, 14 states force public schools to allow home-school students access to classes and sports. A handful of others have opted not to take a position or leave the option up to individual schools and systems.
The HSLDA encourages home schools to form their own teams and leagues but says that in states where they've been allowed to participate in the public- school arena, there have been few snags.
''We haven't heard of any problems in any of these states,'' said Ian Slatter, spokesman for the group. ''It's very different to bring about that blend where the educational processes are different.''
But he points out that the option is fairly new and the number of home-school students who actually participate in public-school sports, classes and activities seems relatively low.
''There really aren't too many home-school students participating,'' said Slatter, who didn't have a number. ''Every year it will get bigger and bigger.''
What's next
Legislation to allow home-schooled and private-school students to participate in public schools' sports and extracurricular activities has been sent to the Senate Education Committee and the K-12 Subcommittee of the House Education Committee, but neither was scheduled to meet as of Thursday.
The bills are Senate Bill 1356 and House Bill 297. Track them online at www.legislature.state.tn. us.
Make your voice heard
• Sen. Jim Bryson, R-Franklin
Mail: 310 War Memorial Building, Nashville, TN 37243-0023
Phone: 741-2495
E-mail: sen.jim.bryson@legislature.state.tn.us
• Rep. Beth Harwell, R-Nashville
Mail: 107 War Memorial Building, Nashville, TN 37243-0156
Phone: 741-0709
E-mail: rep.beth. harwell@legislature.state. tn.us
Talk to us
How would these bills affect you? Tell us at criley@tennessean.com."
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