Posted by Howard Richman on November 11 2005 at 10:27:17:
In Reply to: Re: HSLDA´s non-involvement mentioned in AP story... posted by Amy on November 11 2005 at 08:36:49:
Amy,
The Allentown Morning Call article about the signing ceremony cites Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) spokesman Ian Slatter saying that his organization opposed the part of the bill which required that homeschooled students meet the same standards as public school students in order to participate in extra-curriculars because it could open the door to a school district mandating that students participating in extra-curriculars take public school tests and the HSLDA doesn´t want homeschoolers to "have to change their method of teaching or curriculum to play on the team."
The Senate Education Committee bent over backwards to meet homeschoolers´ concerns when writing the final language of this bill. None of the wide range of homeschool leaders consulted objected to this language to which HSLDA objects:
Beginning January 1, 2006, the school district of residence shall permit a child who is enrolled in a home education program to participate in any activity that is subject to the provisions of Section 511 including, but not limited to, clubs, musical ensembles, athletics and theatrical productions provided that the child:Furthermore, we already know the sort of provisions that will be written into the school district policies. Half of Pennsylvania´s school districts already have those policies in place and none, so far as I know, requires that homeschoolers take the public school tests as a condition for playing. HSLDA´s fears here seem to lack any basis in reality. Furthermore, even if HSLDA is correct and some districts do create a policy that has a testing requirement. That testing requirement would only apply to those who choose to play and who would not have been allowed to do so without this bill.
- meets the eligibility criteria, or their equivalent, for participation in the activity that apply to students enrolled in the school district;
- meets the try-out criteria, or their equivalent, for participation in the activity that apply to students enrolled in the school district; and
- complies with all policies, rules and regulations, or their equivalent, of the governing organization of the activity.
Why would HSLDA suddenly find this language objectionable? Why would they make it sound that this bill is a step backward when the only possible drawback would only apply to those choosing to take advantage of the provisions opened by this bill?
Perhaps HSLDA´s other objection quoted in the article gets to the real reason that HSLDA objected to this bill. Specifically, Slatter said, "We don´t like the entanglement with the public school system."
Howard