Campaign Against the Discrimination of the Homeschooler and Homeschooled

On 8 January 2007, I read with complete disgust and anger on the ESPN.com website about sporting athletes being discriminated against because they are or have been homeschooled.

In 1995, Jason Taylor, who is a Pro Bowler with the Miami Dolphins, was one such person that this happened to. Jason, although homeschooled, from Grades 10 to 12, had his college scholarship revoked because of questions over his homeschool academic records. What specifically was disputed about his homeschool academic records was, I believe conveniently omitted by ESPN.

You may say, well a lot has happened since then and conditions for homeschoolers and the homeschooled have improved considerably since then; but have they? Ask Jeremy Guyse, he's in a similar situation now as Jason Taylor was in 1995 and prohibited from participating in public or private school-sponsored sporting events because he is homeschooled.

Only 16 states within the United States have laws which force schools to allow home-schooled kids to participate in school-sponsored athletics. The conclusion being that many highly-talented potential athletes, despite having passed the appropriate standardized tests, enduring a full slate of certified education classes and excelling academically are depriving YOU the avid sports watcher, of not just performing at Club level, but also of representing the United States in world athletic events. YOU as a citizen of the United States, have the right to be represented by the very BEST talent available within your country. Period; with TOTAL EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY being given, whichever method of schooling the athlete received.

Homeschooling, in some countries is virtually outlawed, even though there is no written law in those countries outlawing it. Germany and Belgium are 2 of the countries that I refer to, where the authorities (police etc) can interrogate and intimidate a child, legally within the home and forcibly remove your child and forcibly take them to a public school to be educated, without your permission, no matter what your views, reasons, religion, race and your skills and education level is, or the needs of the child are, and you could be prosecuted for objecting in any way. Germany prosecuted a family for homeschooling their child and took them to the European Court of Human Rights saying that the family had breached the human rights of their child by depriving the child of a state education and the German government won! Homeschooling parents are being prosecuted under sections 13, 14 and 15 of UN Convention on the Rights of the Child by Belgian Authorities. Parents of these 2 countries, who wish to homeschool, are aggressively being persecuted NOW and many are emigrating to countries that do allow homeschooling. This virtual outlawing of homeschooling could soon be a reality in the United States, as they are a member of the United Nations (though they have not yet ratified this Convention) and will sooner or later be forced to do so and also they take into consideration such precedents as the European Court of Human Rights when making and enforcing laws in the United States.

I am not a citizen of the United States, but I am an ex-homeschooler and have and will always believe in TOTALLY EQUALITY FOR ALL.

If you do believe that you, as a parent have the right to homeschool your child, as you believe it is in their best interests, CAMPAIGN NOW for the rights of all homeschoolers and homeschooled kids, to have EQUAL RIGHTS to be educated at home and to be sporting athletes. Write, email and voice your opinion, to your local officials, members of congress and state and national representatives, the German and Belgian Ambassadors at the German and Belgian Embassies in Washington; the President of the European Union and the Secretary General of the United Nations.

I have reproduced below the article that was on the ESPN.com website on 8 January this year.

You are also quite welcome to check out my blog on the reasons I started homeschooling my child on:

http://lec23.blogspot.com

ESPN.com

FIRST REPORT HOMEFIELD DISADVANTAGE
Despite passing the appropriate standardized tests, enduring a full slate of certified education classes, and excelling academically, Jeremy Guyse isn't allowed to take part in public or private school sports. Not exactly fair -- according to Guyse's family, some members of the school board and other parents -- but that's the reality for some students. Only sixteen states have laws which force schools to allow home-schooled kids to participate in school-sponsored athletics. Some call it discrimination, others see it as a fair way to treat kids and their parents who have chosen not to attend their local school. Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl DE Jason Taylor was one such student. He was home schooled from grades 10-12 and was allowed to play high school sports, but eventually had his college scholarship revoked because of questions over his homeschool academic records. Outside the Lines' Darren Lyn looks at the ethics of home schooled athletes being locked out of the games they love. Bob Ley hosts.

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