But you don't mind paying your taxes to provide for the public schools?
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
My daughter attends a fine Catholic HS on Long Island and would like to participate in the school's musical production. However it is done in the Fall and there is a conflict with her sport. The Brothers who run the school insist on a student committing to one sport or activity. OUr district HS has a musical in the Spring and my daughter has asked me to inquire about her rights to participate as we are district taxpayers. So I am interested in the outcome of this case.
"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..."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
BINGO..!! I would add...that there is much ignorance on the subject of Home Schooling....
I've also found quite a degree of arrogance in the ranks of the government school "teachers"...they take themselves very seriously, and do not believe anyone else can do "their" job. LOL!!
FRegards,
So, you flush all those tax dollars down the government school toilet but figure they have the right to give you the finger?
Besides, what is that teaching your child? "No, Johnny, you only have to eat the vegetables you like. Leave the rest on your plate." "No, Johnny, you only have to obey the Commandments you feel apply to you." "No, Johnny, you only have to be nice to certain kids, you can treat those other kids however you like because they don't matter."
While I disagree with the fact that schools are funded by taxdollars, I think this is a separate issue. I don't see why homeschoolers should have the right to compell the use of school resources by anyone. It is a very dangerous proposition--after all, I pay taxes too-- why shouldn't I be allowed to join the bowling league?
The schools are supposed to be, first and foremost, for the benefit of the students that attend them. If a child doesn't attend a given school, that child and his parents shouldn't expect the benefits from the school. When you make the choice not to send you child to public school, you waive the benefits, as well as the costs. I don't think of it as giving the finger. I think of it as how things should be run.
The question of whether I should pay school tax and, if so, how much is a separate question of what the government should do and how it should be paid for. Personally, I think that education should be privatized, but that's not something that's not likely to happen, wholesale, anytime soon.
One question: If a retired couple lives in a community and pays school tax, do you thing that their grandchildren, who live in another school district, should expect to be allowed to participate in the extracurricular activities that that school provides, because of their grandparents' taxes?
And the thing that has me wondering: If this student's family thinks that the public school isn't good enough for the education of their child, why would they want their child involved in the school's extracurricular activities?
They will probably use some argument saying many taxpayers pay into the system but cannot join after-school teams such as private schooled children.
One can keep their jokes to themselves as I was indeed public schooled.
;-)
You cannot just have the "pick" of things that the schools have to offer.
If they use the term "home school" to describe the school your child would have gone to instead of the magnet school, I'd raise holy hell until they let them participate in activities.
Magnet schools are wonderful, but they are also a way to AVOID providing those classes to all for reasons of expense.
Magnet schools and homeschooling are completely different. You haven't opted OUT of the public schools; your children should have FULL participation in ALL activities offered to any other child in your system.
A school he/she does not WANT to attend.
I suppose you're asked the government for your tax money back for the roads they built/fixed that you don't drive on, right?
If that's the case, shouldn't OLD PEOPLE from the nieghborhood be allowed on the teams also?
Be careful what you ask for here: according to your logic, you're opening up the school/system to particpation by ALL members of the community.
According to your statement above, even though my son went to private school, I should have been able to come to your PTA meetings and demanded that YOU do things like I wanted you to, even though I don't have a child in that school.
And I'd say that its the homeschoolers who are giving the government the finger. They don't like the public schools and don't sent their kids there, even though it's a big hassel.
But you don't mind paying your taxes to provide for the public schools?
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