A chance to be part of the team

By ALISON HAWKES
The Intelligencer


HARRISBURG — Homeschoolers would be able to participate in extracurricular activities at public schools under a bill that passed the Pennsylvania Senate Wednesday.

Supporters of the split decision, which largely fell along party lines with Republicans voting in favor, said it was a matter of fairness to require all public schools to take in homeschoolers. After all, their families pay taxes too, they argued. A similar bill rests with the House education committee.

Currently, school districts decide whether to welcome homeschoolers. About half of Pennsylvania’s 501 districts do.

Opponents argued the bill amounted to another unfunded mandate on school districts and that opening up extracurricular activities to homeschoolers could bring about similar demands from families who send their children to private or parochial schools.