[Chiapet]

"Here's the question: If parents want their kids involved in school-based activities, why not send them to the school?"

I agree with you. You're either in or you're out. YOu can't really choose to keep your kids out of the public school, and then pick and choose which programs you want them to participate in. Why not get together with other home-schoolers and form your own band?

[Future Snake Eater]

YOu can't really choose to keep your kids out of the public school, and then pick and choose which programs you want them to participate in.

Fine, then they should have their tax dollars spent on education refunded to them.

[Haru Hara Haruko]

YOu can't really choose to keep your kids out of the public school, and then pick and choose which programs you want them to participate in.

That is an interesting opinion, but government programs are not permitted to exclude people, especially people who pay taxes. The school officials FEAR competition from homeschooling and try to make it harder. It is not permissible for them to do this, and, as they are acting outside their authority, their personal assets should be at risk in this tort.

[Beaker]

Why not get together with other home-schoolers and form your own band?

That's a good idea. Even as a veteran marching band member, I can see the point in not allowing the kid to participate, though I'm sure that the rest of the band people won't care. On the other hand, In that same vein, I know of some colleges that will let other college kids participate their band who don't have one of their own.

[mvpel]

I agree with you. You're either in or you're out. YOu can't really choose to keep your kids out of the public school, and then pick and choose which programs you want them to participate in.

Yeah, just sit down, shut up, and pay your property taxes - which pay the bills for every last program in question - or we'll come kick in your door, put a gun to your head, and throw you out on the street at the final day of the foreclosure proceedings.

[sweetliberty]

"YOu can't really choose to keep your kids out of the public school, and then pick and choose which programs you want them to participate in."

While I agree with you in principle, the fact is that the parents are paying taxes to support the public school, which they should be able to opt out of when they choose to homeschool their kids. Unfortunately, the almighty government trumps the people it is supposed to serve...again. As long as the parents are supporting the virtually worthless public education system, they are entitled to avail themselves of some benefit from it should they choose to do so.

[Bear_Slayer]

You're either in or you're out

I'm late chiming in, so this might have been posted already. If so, consider it a reminder

Give them their tax dollars back. Hey! you're either in or out.

[ImaGraftedBranch]

I agree also. I think these kinds of incidents do more to harm the homeschooling movement. I want my kids as far away from the public school as possible. They have no problem participating in church-league sports (which is huge in our area).

The public schools have nothing good to offer us that we can't provide ourselves.

[shhrubbery!]

You're either in or you're out. YOu can't really choose to keep your kids out of the public school, and then pick and choose which programs you want them to participate in.

Why not?

What's the logic behind your demand? And who died and made you dictator?

Public school is not like the Catholic Church. Catholics can't "pick and choose," cafeteria style, from a religious dogma. But why couldn't students pick amongst programs that are most suited to their goals?

I no longer have a dog in this fight. I did some years ago, when we took our youngest child out of public school --a school that was going steadily downhill.

We did want him to be able to stay in the one good program left, which was band The band teacher was overjoyed that we wanted to keep him in, because she had no other decent trumpet players!

But of course, the bureaucracy had to be consulted; and of course, the bureaucracy's answer was: "No." Why? For the same reason you gave: "You can't pick and choose."

But that is not a reason. That is just the lazy reflex of a rigid, outdated, union-controlled bureaucracy.

Btw, we did find a band school just for homeschoolers. And happily for us, it turned out to be better than the public school's program. So the episode turned out to be their loss, our gain --except that we're still forced to pay thousands of dollars into a cr@ppy public school system.

[airborne]

YOu can't really choose to keep your kids out of the public school, and then pick and choose which programs you want them to participate in

Sure you can. If you read the article, you'll note ...Whether homeschool students can be in marching band is at the discretion of each school, said Jim Tenopir, director of the NSAA.

So, it is permitted, and it is at each school's discretion.

So you can pick and choose if you are in the right school district.