I had to laugh when I read the Buffalo News article about New York’s Iroquois School Board policy decision to exclude homeschoolers from their public school activities.  I’m a bit ambivalent about mixing the two in my state – noting that too many Illinois local school board policies create over-compliance demands for participating homeschoolers, but this reason given by School Board President Lowrey is a tad ridiculous.
Iroquois home-school policy stands on no extra activities By Eileen Werbitsky

Lowrey said a poll of faculty club advisers showed that some clubs run activities during the day, which would put home-schooled students at a disadvantage. In addition, the school district’s attorneys advised against changing the policy.

Good one.  If clubs run their activities “during the day”, homeschoolers couldn’t possibly attend. Hello role, meet reversal.

Homeschoolers are out and about, not penned away in a room with windows you’re not supposed to look out.  The homeschooled kids could attend, if they were allowed by the school board.  And of course – if the school district attorneys allow it.  Which they didn’t.

There might be good reasons they don’t want private schools participating in public school extra-curriculars, but some of the reasons given in this article are certainly not about the kids.

When Hurricane Sandy blasted its way over New York and New Jersey, many Long Island, NY homes were destroyed and family schedules are, of course, totally disrupted.  School buildings were devastated by the flooding and wind damage.

School relocation plans are being made for Rockaway area school students starting Wednesday. Parents are concerned about the prospect.  Many choose to homeschool instead of subjecting their children to long bus rides into unfamiliar territory.  Sadly, working communication, transportation and power is still at such a standstill, parents are concerned about school day emergencies where they can’t get to these far-off schools in a timely manner.

From DNAinfo.com Rockaway Parents Prefer Homeschooling to Relocating Kids to Other Schools

 Memoli lives on Beach 123rd Street, less than a half-block from the ocean. Her family and her sister’s family share a two-story attached brick townhouse.

Rushing water from the storm dislodged a large swath of the wooden boardwalk. It now lies in front of her home. Mounds of sand clog her street.

Her sister, Michele Salimeni, 41, has three children at P.S. 114. She plans on home-schooling as well.

Both sisters feel the relocations isolate them from their children during the day. They said a better solution would be for the Education Department to have classes in trailers in the neighborhood.

“We love our school. We love our teachers. If [the kids] can’t be there, they’ll be home with us,” Memoli said.

Best wishes that these families, their homes and their neighborhoods can return to normal soon. Hopefully, their input is given the utmost consideration from the ‘powers that be’.  They’ve suffered enough.

Tonawanda News, North Tonawanda, New York, 6 April 2007, Residency dispute forces child to be pulled from school

Stone and her daughter, Samantha, moved from Kiel Street to Sommer Street, a move that’s practically around the block. She sent the district her new address and thought everything was taken care of for her fourth-grade daughter.

The move happened on Feb. 1. Almost two months passed, and the district sent Stone a letter stating she needed proof of residency, she said. …

She sent in mail delivered to her new home, pay stubs and a television bill, but it was not enough, she said.

And so, Stone pulled her daughter out of Gilmore Elementary School. Samantha Stone has now been out of school for two weeks, and with a solution nowhere insight, Gail Stone decided to home school her.

But the district wouldn’t let her do that, either, she said.

“I’m frustrated and angry,” Stone said. “I don’t know what they want from me. They know where I live. They’re sending me mail.”

posted by Valerie