rant- (verb) 1: to talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner
Today I called to register Samuel for football. He loves football and has been talking about playing all year. I was told that unless he is registered in public school, he cannot play. This is because they follow the same rules as high school football. He can play baseball, soccer, or wrestle....but no football. I called Mr. Allen, the president of the Coosa Valley Football Association, and his advice to me was to enroll him in public school. I could hardly contain myself....but I did. My blood boils a little now as I type this. So basically they are telling me my children will be ostracized because I choose to educate them at home. Last time I checked we still pay taxes to fund the public schools even though we don't send our children to them. So why shouldn't we be able to let our children play football or be in the band???? Here are some facts from this site..... Alabama's Tim Tebow Bill .
Facts and Statistics
Homeschooling is growing rapidly and there are an estimated 2 million homeschooled children in the US.
Alabama has an estimated 25,000 homeschooled children.
Research shows that homeschooled students score well above the national average on standardized tests.
Homeschool parents are tax-payers and voters.
24 other states allow some form of "Equal Access" where homeschooled students participate in extracurricular activities.
325 Homeschooled Athletes are currently playing NCAA Division I-A sports this year.
Dave and I have seen lots of benefits of homeschooling our children. We both have a BS in Education and have taught in the public school system. We are not opposed to public school or private school. We believe it is up to the individual families to make the decision of how to best educate their children. Right now the best thing for our family is to educate our children at home. But, by choosing to educate our children at home, does that mean we we should have to forfeit sports and music that are offered by the public school system that we help to fund through our tax dollars? That is the question I have been mulling over all afternoon. The initial answer I come to is NO. So I plan to contact my representative and try to get him on board with this bill. I could go on now about how football is a sort of god in Alabama and what a shame it is that little boys can't just play football for fun in their community league because it is all about them being prepped to play high school football for 15 weeks in the Fall. But I won't go on and on about that because what good would that do anyway. Don't get me wrong, I love football, but I don't like this rule.
5 comments:
I know what you mean! Very frustrating!! Do you guys have Upward football? I know a lot of our homeschool kids who play Upward sports.
Rant on sister!! That is not fair!! I hope you can get through to somebody.
I love your blog. I follow it from Jessica Crow & Layne Allen's. Doesn't that make your blood boil?!
I just want you to know your journey is amazing & you are so upbeat & I am so loving your & your husband's faith in God.
My blood is boiling today because the Apple store charged my debit card twice for my son's Ipod two weeks ago this Friday. I keep giving this situation to God - I want my money back though! HA!
Keep on bloggin' - your story needs to be shared!!
Let me rephrase that! Doesn't it make your blood boil about them wanting you to enroll your kids in public school, not the fact that I came here from Layne & Jessica! HA!
Contact our Alabama Senator, Del Marsh...he's President Pro Tempore of the Alabama Senate and one of the most honest, decent people to ever take a breath!! You might also want to contact U.S. Senators Shelby and Sessions in D.C., as they carry bigger 'sticks' than any local district representative. And just a word of encouragement about home schoolers. Two of our grandsons were home schooled through the seventh/eighth grades, when our son and his wife gave them the option of continuing homeschool or going to DOD (Department of Defense) school in Italy, where our son was an Army Chaplain. They chose DoD schools and both did great. On their return to the US three years later, their older son - who played every sport EXCEPT football - was a 'walk on' as the kicker for his high school...and racked up more points that year than anyone else on the team...because he had played SOCCER in youth leagues! He's also a graduate of the United States Military Academy -- West Point -- received his appointment on his grades, not from a politician. He's now an Army First Lieutenant, currently stationed in Afghanistan. FIGHT ON, MOMMA!!
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