On May 12th, the Texas House of Representatives passed the UIL Equal Access for Homeschoolers (HB 547) to final passage by a vote of 80-64. This is a measure that THSC has championed for decades.
The measure has always been controversial for several reasons. First, the public school lobby has vehemently opposed this measure as they are against any kind of school choice. The most powerful lobby in Austin is the public education lobby.
In the early 1980s, when the modern homeschool movement began in Texas and across the country, the public school lobby (teacher unions, administrators, school boards, etc.) all strongly opposed allowing parents to homeschool. It was only God’s grace and an almost ten-year legal battle that finally clarified that homeschooling was clearly legal in Texas.
Over the years, we at THSC have worked with state and federal agencies, in the courts, and in the legislature to remove barriers that discriminate against homeschooled students.
For example, THSC was instrumental in changing the law to require state colleges and universities to treat homeschoolers as high school graduates and treat them fairly for admission and community colleges to allow homeschoolers to take dual credit classes just as they allow public and private schools.
We were also able to pass legislation to require public schools to allow homeschool students to be able to take the PSAT at their local high schools and dual credit classes in community colleges and parent-taught driver education.
In spite of the fact that many of these require homeschool students to take tests or meet other requirements, they were not considered controversial, nor did anyone argue giving homeschoolers equal access in these areas would lead to regulation of all homeschooled students in Texas.
While the public school lobby has been consistent in opposing almost any proposal to treat homeschoolers fairly, the issue of participation in extracurricular activities in public schools have been treated very differently by some in the homeschool community.
Equal Access to UIL for homeschooled students has been publicly and strongly opposed by teachers’ unions, administrators associations, school board associations, coaches associations, and even the PTA. And there are also some among the homeschool community who oppose it as well..
I often get questions from legislators as to why some homeschoolers oppose a voluntary measure to allow families to have their homeschoolers participate in UIL activities. In fact, a few years ago, people questioned whether the homeschool community actually supported this measure at all.
To bring clarity, THSC commissioned a scientific poll done by Ragnar Research and raised $20,000 to fund the study that contacted homeschooled families across the state of Texas to ask their opinion on the and other issues. The result was dramatic. 77% of homeschoolers supported this, and only 7% were neutral. Those numbers were consistent across every region of the state and every demographic and political group.
Why, then, has an online group of homeschoolers so loudly and harshly opposed THSC and anyone who dares to voice support for an idea of empowering parents to make education decisions for their children?
While THSC has a 35-year history of fighting for families in the courts, the legislature, and state and federal agencies, the only thing the group opposing this legislation has focused on is to oppose allowing parents to make this decision or school choice. That’s all.
This group has purposefully stoked fear among many homeschool parents. Our team has spoken with leadership among this group and yet they have knowingly published factually wrong information. They have even stated online their goal of destroying THSC all for the sake of keeping families from being able to choose to have their homeschooled children participate in UIL.
In fact, this group has more in common with the overbearing public school lobby than the freedom-loving homeschool community.
So, while the UIL Equal Access Bill should be controversial to the powerful public school lobby and others that don’t want families to have the freedom to choose what activities homeschooled students are allowed to participate in, it should not be controversial to the homeschooling community.
THSC does not resort to the use of fear tactics. We believe in faith and freedom and we will not be dissuaded. We will continue to fight for freedom for parents to be able to raise their children as they see fit and as God designed.
We believe in Keeping Texas Families Free! As homeschooling grows, so does our opposition. Become a THSC member today to help us make sure homeschooling remains free across Texas.
On May 12th, the Texas House of Representatives passed the UIL Equal Access for Homeschoolers (HB 547) to final passage by a vote of 80-64. This is a measure that THSC has championed for decades.
The measure has always been controversial for several reasons. First, the public school lobby has vehemently opposed this measure as they are against any kind of school choice. The most powerful lobby in Austin is the public education lobby.
In the early 1980s, when the modern homeschool movement began in Texas and across the country, the public school lobby (teacher unions, administrators, school boards, etc.) all strongly opposed allowing parents to homeschool. It was only God’s grace and an almost ten-year legal battle that finally clarified that homeschooling was clearly legal in Texas.
Over the years, we at THSC have worked with state and federal agencies, in the courts, and in the legislature to remove barriers that discriminate against homeschooled students.
For example, THSC was instrumental in changing the law to require state colleges and universities to treat homeschoolers as high school graduates and treat them fairly for admission and community colleges to allow homeschoolers to take dual credit classes just as they allow public and private schools.
We were also able to pass legislation to require public schools to allow homeschool students to be able to take the PSAT at their local high schools and dual credit classes in community colleges and parent-taught driver education.
In spite of the fact that many of these require homeschool students to take tests or meet other requirements, they were not considered controversial, nor did anyone argue giving homeschoolers equal access in these areas would lead to regulation of all homeschooled students in Texas.
While the public school lobby has been consistent in opposing almost any proposal to treat homeschoolers fairly, the issue of participation in extracurricular activities in public schools have been treated very differently by some in the homeschool community.
Equal Access to UIL for homeschooled students has been publicly and strongly opposed by teachers’ unions, administrators associations, school board associations, coaches associations, and even the PTA. And there are also some among the homeschool community who oppose it as well..
I often get questions from legislators as to why some homeschoolers oppose a voluntary measure to allow families to have their homeschoolers participate in UIL activities. In fact, a few years ago, people questioned whether the homeschool community actually supported this measure at all.
To bring clarity, THSC commissioned a scientific poll done by Ragnar Research and raised $20,000 to fund the study that contacted homeschooled families across the state of Texas to ask their opinion on the and other issues. The result was dramatic. 77% of homeschoolers supported this, and only 7% were neutral. Those numbers were consistent across every region of the state and every demographic and political group.
Why, then, has an online group of homeschoolers so loudly and harshly opposed THSC and anyone who dares to voice support for an idea of empowering parents to make education decisions for their children?
While THSC has a 35-year history of fighting for families in the courts, the legislature, and state and federal agencies, the only thing the group opposing this legislation has focused on is to oppose allowing parents to make this decision or school choice. That’s all.
This group has purposefully stoked fear among many homeschool parents. Our team has spoken with leadership among this group and yet they have knowingly published factually wrong information. They have even stated online their goal of destroying THSC all for the sake of keeping families from being able to choose to have their homeschooled children participate in UIL.
In fact, this group has more in common with the overbearing public school lobby than the freedom-loving homeschool community.
So, while the UIL Equal Access Bill should be controversial to the powerful public school lobby and others that don’t want families to have the freedom to choose what activities homeschooled students are allowed to participate in, it should not be controversial to the homeschooling community.
THSC does not resort to the use of fear tactics. We believe in faith and freedom and we will not be dissuaded. We will continue to fight for freedom for parents to be able to raise their children as they see fit and as God designed.
We believe in Keeping Texas Families Free! As homeschooling grows, so does our opposition. Become a THSC member today to help us make sure homeschooling remains free across Texas.
