15 Comments to 'Are homeschoolers asking to have it both ways?'
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Are homeschoolers asking to have it both ways?
Posted By katie allison granju
A move is afoot to create a “Tim Tebow law” in Tennessee that would allow homeschooled students to fully participate in public school athletics in the communities in which their parents pay taxes.
State Rep. Beth Harwell has proposed a Tim Tebow law: Her proposal would allow homeschoolers to participate in high school extra-curricular activities. Currently homeschooling families, who pay taxes like the rest of us, are not permitted to play sports or be in plays at their zoned high school. The TSSAA - the sports folks - are the obstacle. Tim Tebow is the Heisman winning quarterback at Florida. He was homeschooled through high school.
Feb 14th, 2008
Homeschoolers whose child has a diagnosis expect the schools to provide PT,OT and any other services their child would get if they were enrolled in public school.
If the classroom isn’t adequate- then why do they wish to embrace the rest? It’s not just ‘wanting to have it both ways’- it’s hypocrisy.
How exactly are homeschoolers asking to “have it both ways”? Schooling their own kids isn’t hurting anyone, and they are still paying the taxes that support the schools and their athletic programs, so why shouldn’t their kids be allowed to play?
“Homeschoolers whose child has a diagnosis expect the schools to provide PT,OT and any other services their child would get if they were enrolled in public school.”
Whatever. My wife and I homeschool our kids. We expect nothing from the public schools except for them to respect our wishes to educate at home. I will take no public services from them, despite the fact that I pay them over $3000 per year in property taxes.
Furthermore, I’d like someone to answer Leslie’s question. How exactly is it “having it both ways” to want to participate in athletics when the families are still paying taxes that subsidize the schools?
Perhaps it’s the whole eschewing public education until you need it thing.
Or perhaps it’s because people might find it unfair when they’re playing second string to someone who isn’t even enrolled in the school.
And you can’t exactly choose to go to one school but participate in the sports of another, so why should you be able to home school and participate in sports somewhere else?
I understand that it is a full-time job to homeschool and extremely expensive to pay for books, supplies, workshops, activities, etc. The “I pay taxes” argument is problematic. There are a LOT of childless people, young college students and seniors who pay taxes. Instead, try the “until there are enough homeschoolers to create our own own team” in the division, we need to be allowed on our zoned school’s team.
“Perhaps it’s the whole eschewing public education until you need it thing.” That’s just it. I won’t need it. It’s not going to happen.
“Or perhaps it’s because people might find it unfair when they’re playing second string to someone who isn’t even enrolled in the school.” So is the team trying to field the best players, or soothe players’ self-esteem? As a coach (and I was one for a few years), I would want the best players on the field, regardless of whether or not they were homeschooled? Wouldn’t you have wanted Tim Tebow as your QB?
“And you can’t exactly choose to go to one school but participate in the sports of another, so why should you be able to home school and participate in sports somewhere else?” Nor would I. I would expect my child to play for the school where I would be normally sending them were I to choose to enroll them in a public school.
So is the team trying to field the best players, or soothe players’ self-esteem?
Neither. The best players at the school should play, but the homeschoolers aren’t at the school.
Nor would I. I would expect my child to play for the school where I would be normally sending them were I to choose to enroll them in a public school.
But you’re ignoring my point that that’s the same thing.
“The best players at the school should play, but the homeschoolers aren’t at the school.” If one is paying taxes to subsidize an activity, one should have access to that same activity. Of course the homeschoolers aren’t “at that school”, but their parents pay good money to fund it.
“you’re ignoring my point that that’s the same thing.” I ignored no such thing. I believe you’re implying that one public school cannot be located inside the district of another, so one homeschool cannot be located inside the district of a public school. I am saying that I am paying for the services at that same public school, and that, because I am paying, I should be able to use them. Those who attend another public school in another district are using the services of that school, so it would be ludicrous for them to even ask to use the school outside their district.
Basically, you believe the one who consumes the service is singularly entitled to use it, while I believe the one who pays for the service is also entitled to use it. So I guess we can agree to disagree.
What bugs me is that as a homeschooler and a taxpayer, I am willing to pay the taxes to subsidize public education because it is a public good. Yet, others get worked up because I might want my sons to participate in sports at that same public institution using the same public facilities that I am willing to subsidize.
The irony is, I really couldn’t care less. I have no intention of requesting that a public school allow my children to have that access. It’s just not worth the hassle.
You’re ignoring Cathy’s point above, that there are plenty of things you pay tax on that you don’t have a right to. Hell, childless people pay taxes that support schools, what part of the school do they have a right to?
Have what both ways? Do you mean they want to decide for themselves which taxpayer-funded services and facilities are appropriate for their own children and which ones are not? The nerve!
The real reason schools don’t want homeschoolers to be allowed to participate is that they might “lose” a lot of other kids who don’t want to be there, but are willing to put up with the big stick if it’s the only way to get the carrot.
Hi. I am a homeschooler. And I am just wondering…..if you support a program for whatever reason, wouldn’t you want to have access to that program? After all, you are helping pay for it. Thats like buying Quickbooks, and not being able to use it…it’s just ludicrous. I want to play football. And if my parents pay taxes that help fund the sports team at the school, I should sure to get to play.
In response to the argument that the childless and the aged are paying into something for which they are not using - LAME! First,
the childless can adopt, and lastly, the aged perhaps have had children who are now grown up. Now I ask, what is left to that argument?