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Posted on 01/14/2003 7:10:34 AM PST by Lancey Howard
Home-schooled student seeks to participate in activities By JOAN HELLYER Bucks County Courier Times
Jason Keating brought his grade point average up from B-C to A-B in less than a year and points to home schooling as the key to his success.
"I love it. I work at my own pace. I have more time for more work," said Jason, 15, who attended William Tennent High School in the Centennial School District last year.
He and his parents decided to try the home-school route this year to avoid the "distractions" Jason said he ran into in class during the 2001-02 school year.
Although he no longer attends the Warminster high school, Jason said he still wants to be a member of Tennent's bowling team, as he was last school year.
"I really like the sport. It's not like you're told what to do. You make your own decisions. If you make a mistake, it's your fault. It's a very mental game," said Jason, who recorded a 202 average during last month's preparations to join the team.
But district administrators recently informed the Keatings that Jason could not be a member of the bowling team because Centennial bars home-schooled students from participating in extracurricular activities.
Jason and his mother, Lynette Keating, plan to ask the school board tonight to change the policy.
"We have paid our taxes. At least let the kids try. Don't just give a flat-out no," Lynette Keating said.
Technically, Jason could sign up to bowl for Neshaminy High School because the border separating that district and Centennial runs through his family's property, Lynette Keating said. Part of the family's land is in Upper Southampton and the rest in Lower Southampton, which is served by the Neshaminy School District.
Neshaminy began allowing home-schooled kids to take part in extracurricular activities last year. But Jason said he wants to bowl for Tennent.
"I feel if we push this, it would not just be good for me, but also other [home-schooled] students," Jason said.
The issue, according to Superintendent David Blatt, is not about Jason, who "by all accounts is a great kid and from what I understand a pretty good bowler, too." Blatt said it's just not possible for him to allow a student to do something that goes against board policy. The policy is based on concerns surrounding eligibility and liability issues, he said.
Although the issue is not included on the board's agenda tonight, Blatt said he included a copy of Lynette Keating's initial letter inquiring about Jason's participation on the bowling team in the information packet sent to board members last week.
During the public comment portion of the meeting tonight, the board will listen to what the Keatings have to say, board President Joan Jankowsky said. Then, following standard procedure, the board will ask the administration to provide it with a history of the issue, as well as a recommendation from its point of view, the president said.
"The board will take action dependent upon all of the information," Jankowsky said.
The Centennial school board meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. It will be held in the boardroom at the Johnsville Administration Building off Centennial Road in Warminster.
Joan Hellyer can be reached at 215-322-9714 or jhellyer@phillyBurbs.com.
January 14, 2003 5:35 AM
If any of those activities take place on government school property or cost so much as a dime of taxpayer money, then if the Keatings pay taxes to Centennial the kid should be allowed to participate.
Funny how they're not barred from paying the same taxes as the other students.
I will say, however, that many school officials and school board members I have met have a high degree of distain for anyone who home schools. I chalk it up to the fact that the students are out from under the thumb of the local district and not subject to their social and educational experimentation. They have a hard time dealing with that...
This just reinforces my position that ALL extracurricular activities should be stopped at public schools.
That, and the homeschoolers are 'denying' the schools their ADA money. It's all about money.
Regardless of the tax issue and reasons why public schools hate homeschoolers, I have to agree, and the key is just what you pointed out: The student would be representing the school - a school he/she does not attend.
There are plenty of city leauge type organizations where teenagers can compete in all types of sports. I went to a private school and had friends who went to public schools. In both instances, there were kids who only played city league because they didn't like the coaches. No one has some inherent right to play high school sports just because its offered. If you attend the school offering it, you may try out.
Then shouldn't the school refund the child's parents for the taxes they've paid for that school?
But doesn't the school represent the neighborhood where it is located in?
I think you have the cart before the ox on this one.
An interesting question. Many years ago, you may be able to say that was true. Not today, though(And I can only speak for my city). Anyway, that's not the issue in my opinion. The student body represents the school. In the case of homeschooling, the parents have decided that there is something about the school they dont want their children exposed to. The child is not representing the school when he/she wins first place in the spelling bee. A child, or his/her parents, should not expect a school to allow the child to represent the school in athletic competition when they do not want to represent the school in academics.
Accommodation for homeschoolers varies greatly from state to state and district to district.
Florida is very homeschool-friendly. If things haven't changed, Florida will even provide homeschool families with the same curriculum materials their child would have been entitled to had they attended public school.
Meanwhile, here in the People's Republic of Maryland, school officials begrudge us the very air we breathe. Certainly, we need not look to the state for any assistance, no matter how mild.
Interestingly enough, opinion differs even among the homeschool community. You have those who think that to deny taxpaying homeschool families access to afterschool activities, library priviliges, etc., is a violation of the Equal Protection clause.
There are also those who think that any service/accommodation offered by the public school system is merely a ruse to get more funds, and these people vigorously oppose any attempt on the part of the State or other homeschoolers to permit more interaction.
I tend to agree with the first group. I don't see why public education should be an "all or nothing" proposition. If I want to, why should I not be allowed to teach my child math, history, and reading at home, but send him to school for his Spanish, music, and chemistry classes?
I think that the "menu" approach will be the wave of the future.
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