Headline: Some homeschool students banned from playing field
Evening Sun, Hanover, Pennsylvania
By  Sarah Mausolf, April 3

Ann: This story highlights the plight of a young student who, during his first year of homeschooling, could not participate in the public school soccer program because of district policy.  The ban appears to be part of the level playing field policy of the district.

….superintendent Gary Miller said the rule promotes fairness….Miller said he borrowed the idea for the one-year gap from PIAA rules
for transfer students. Students who transfer from one school district
to another with the intention of playing sports and getting around the
first school’s eligibility requirements must sit out for one year.

Ann:  I am sorry for the student who got caught by this ruling. Nevertheless, giving homeschooled student athletes parity with transfer student athletes makes sense to me.

The problem in Pennsylvania is that the interscholastic participation guidelines vary widely from district to district. A word to the wise parent:  know the school’s policies.

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