Home school debate reignited

A battle appears to be brewing among home-school advocates, legislators and the Utah High School Activities Association.

Just a few weeks ago, legislators who were concerned about the ability of home-school, charter school and online students to participate in extra curricular activities at public high schools were praising the UHSAA staff and members for being so responsive to their concerns and altering the association's bylaws to make it possible for those students to participate.

But the UHSAA's recent opposition to SB37 has reignited the friction between the two groups.

Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Eagle Mountain, is sponsoring SB37 and said in a committee hearing that he hoped it would create a uniform, statewide standard for establishing athletic eligibility for home-school students. The bill addresses the issue, saying that athletic eligibility is established by "the individual providing the primary instruction of a home-school student" submitting an affidavit that indicates, "the student is mastering the material in each course or subject being taught; and the student is maintaining satisfactory progress towards advancement or promotion."

Currently home-school students must meet whatever requirements are imposed by their home school districts. Madsen said some districts make this task more difficult than others and suggested it would be more equitable to all students if the standard didn't vary from district to district.

UHSAA attorney Mark Van Wagoner spoke against the bill last week in the Senate Education Committee, which passed the bill out with a favorable recommendation and is up for debate on the floor of the Senate this week.

"It simply gives an advantage to one group of students that we don't give to other students," said Van Wagoner. "Every other student has their school work evaluated by a third party ... It's hard to persuade these people that parents won't be objective."

He said that students are most often asked to take a test or submit a portfolio of their work to gain eligibility, although some issue grades to their children or participate in online classes.

Paul Mero, the director of the Sutherland Institute, spoke on behalf of SB37 and said as a home-school parent, he's offended by the implication that parents would commit a crime in order to make their children athletically eligible.

"We go through way too much sacrifice to have some bureaucrat's attorney imply that somehow I'm a liar ... That's just disgusting," he said. "We're under the threat of perjury; I take umbrage at that implication; It makes me feel like a second-class citizen."