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
Why stop there? Let's have every person who pays taxes be able to participate!
I admire homeschoolers. It's the equivalent of putting your money where you mouth is; but this particular argument is straight out of the liberal handbook.
That is true. There may be only a handful of students in a district that can keep up with an advance curriculum. It is certainly more cost effective to put all of those kids in one school rather that run several small programs at each school.
That is what I was originally thinking.
However, I consider it a poke in the eye of critics citing the "socialization" issue with homeschoolers. It makes quite the spectacle for one to plead for the need of "socialization" in the "unique" environment of public school then to deny homeschoolers that opportunity in the form of after-school activities.
You are correct that one must be careful when adopting such a policy.
THAT is the first question that occurred to me when I read about this case. It is certainly understandable for (good) parents to wish to shield their children from liberal teachers, the NEA, and all the scum that comes with a government school, but then why turn around and fight to get your kid exposed to the same crap even if only on the periphery in after-school activities? On the surface, it doesn't make sense.
I hear you on that account, but check out post #31.
Participation in extracurricular activities at the school a homeschooler would normally attend should be automatic. That's the way it is here in Texas!
The key is "would normally attend".
Well, my response is "Why shouldn't homeschoolers cherry-pick" the classes they want?
In several states (I mentioned Florida, but another poster mentioned Texas) these are not issues. If the child is eligible to attend a public school, he is eligible to receive any of the benefits of that school that the parent wishes to enjoy. The Governors Bush were at the forefront of changing the way the education system in their states works.
I know of homeschool parents in Florida who send their kids to public school for lab sciences, foreign languages, advanced mathematics, or (most popular of all!) Driver's Ed. They can also play on sports teams, but I don't know personally of any kids who do that.
The "All or Nothing" approach you describe is Old Style Government. And, regardless of either of our opinions on the matter, at least two large states have dumped that approach, and the public schools haven't folded.
Even so, some homeschool families will not participate in any publicly funded program. For them, it's the principle of the thing. But not all homeschool families are that anti-government-school.
The reason we homeschool is to provide the best possible education for our son, and I'll use any resource available (reading at the kitchen table, music lessons from a private tutor, or public school classrooms) to service that goal. Of course, as I stated in a previous post, here in Maryland, the law says we aren't entitled to anything from the public schools.
Anyone who thinks that all homeschoolers have similar motivations is just wrong.
If your son had any type of handicapping condition, the school would be required to provide therapy; between the ages of 3-21.
How would they be called home-schooled if they're attending public school for all those classes?
Not likely in the public sector, since the cafeteria approach puts too much decision-making power in the hands of the serfs.
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