JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Saw this in the news today and thought I would share in case it affects Virginia board members. The headline stuck with me--"For third year..." The legislature has passed this three times but the governor responds with: “Participation in athletic and academic competitions is a privilege for students who satisfy eligibility requirements,†McAuliffe wrote in vetoing HB 1578, sponsored by Del. Rob Bell, R-Charlottesville. “Opening participation in those competitions to individuals who are not required to satisfy the same criteria codifies academic inequality in interscholastic competition.†For third year, Va. governor vetoes ‘Tebow bill’ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Saw this in the news today and thought I would share in case it affects Virginia board members. The headline stuck with me--"For third year..." The legislature has passed this three times but the governor responds with: “Participation in athletic and academic competitions is a privilege for students who satisfy eligibility requirements,†McAuliffe wrote in vetoing HB 1578, sponsored by Del. Rob Bell, R-Charlottesville. “Opening participation in those competitions to individuals who are not required to satisfy the same criteria codifies academic inequality in interscholastic competition.†For third year, Va. governor vetoes ‘Tebow bill’ Huh. I remember being there when they couldn't even get the bill passed. I had heard in previous years that it had passed; I didn't realize that they bill was then repeatedly vetoed. Not sure how a kid getting a C- at a local brick and mortar school is more eligible than my kids who are earning A's in online, at home and dual enrollment community college courses. But then I'm still bitter about the year when the league of independent private schools and homeschool teams had their cross country finals cancelled so the local public schools could hold their finals, which had been delayed by a storm. Not sure why a rain delay of one event required the cancellation of our event. Nor do I understand why students in states like Ohio have been able to compete against private schools, but in Virginia this is impossible. Nor do I understand why the interests of the community are served by restricting access to things like science fair such that homeschoolers may not compete. My, you did know how to punch my buttons this morning. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted February 22, 2017 Author Share Posted February 22, 2017 Yup-it was punching my buttons too. Vetoed 3 years in a row!!! If you want more buttons punched read some of the comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Being in VA, it's especially frustrating that the bill doesn't mandate that each district allow homeschoolers...it only allows them to do so if they want. From what I've read many of the more rural public school districts do want homeschoolers to be able to play. They need more good players to compete against the bigger urban schools at a state level. And it also just makes for a more fun experience to have a more talented team. And homeschooled athletes in rural VA often have very few options. There aren't private schools. There aren't the kind of homeschool athletic team options that we have where I am (in Northern Virginia). It seems like a win-win for those districts. If NOVA and Norfolk and Richmond and the other bigger places don't want homeschoolers, it's not as big a deal. Homeschoolers in those areas do have lots of other options for sports, including in this area playing for some of the private schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 I just don't get this. All of the objections: can't verify eligibility, won't pay for it, moving around, dropouts, etc. have all been handled by other states. In CO, we turn in eligibility forms. We pay our fees. If you play football in one district or school, then you play the other sports there too. If you're truant, you can't magically hs and then become eligible. Yeah, the hs girl might be on the A relay and a ps girl might not, but isn't it all about competition? Want the Butterfly spot? Get faster. So the amazing Freestyler comes down from the town up the road and is on the A relay. Shouldn't we be thrilled because another relay made State? So the amazing QB came down from the town up the road (their school doesn't have swimming or football) and the team made the playoffs. Let's have a party and cheer them on! More kids? That's more parents to drive, make spirit bags, take photos, and CHEER! The veto is all about control; it's not about the kids. Last year one of the neighbors repeatedly asked my son to join the high school swim team. They didn't have enough make swimmers to form a relay team. Had he been at a charter school he could have. As an independent homeschooler it wasn't an option in our state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 I admire their persistence, but it was already known even before the session started that the governor was going to veto. The goal was to at least keep it "in play" with the hope that someday it will get to the desk of a governor that won't veto it. At least it got that far again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted February 23, 2017 Author Share Posted February 23, 2017 And sadly, many of those sports they say are so available to homeschoolers outside the school system are not available for high school students. Those that are available may not be affordable. They aren't as available because many athletes switch to school teams from club teams during high school. I'm also a bit upset that much of the commentary show a complete lack of ignorance about how homeschoolers are responsible to and report to the school district in VA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 And sadly, many of those sports they say are so available to homeschoolers outside the school system are not available for high school students. Those that are available may not be affordable. They aren't as available because many athletes switch to school teams from club teams during high school. I'm also a bit upset that much of the commentary show a complete lack of ignorance about how homeschoolers are responsible to and report to the school district in VA. When we lived in Northern VA ds ran cross country in a league with small private schools and homeschool teams. Teams were from across the Northern half of the state as far as Richmond and into Maryland. It was not uncommon to travel over an hour for a regular competition. The second year the first meeting of the large homeschool team our XC team was part of included announcement of which schools had left our league to join a league that did not allow homeschool participation. Meaning they would no longer compete against us. Very frustrating. Don't get me started on the high school ps swim teams who told the swimmers who were on USA Swimming teams to just keep going to those team practices and come to the high school team practices once a week and for swim meets. Meanwhile team cohesion was a justification for voting against the Tebow bill. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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