Home-Schooled Students Could Play Public School Sports 

Home-schooled students in Georgia may soon get the opportunity to compete on their local public school sports team.

If Senate Bill 51 is passed, home-schooled students in grades 6-12 may participate in sports, the arts such as band and drama, and other clubs as long as they are enrolled in at least one online class that is offered through their local public school system.

The Senate Education and Youth Committee voted 7-2 in support of the bill on Feb. 17, and it will now continue on in the Senate for further debate.

Robin Hines, executive director of the GHSA, expressed to the committee that passing the bill would “provide opportunities for young people.”

Hines also stated that with the current state of education due to the coronavirus pandemic, “it’s not a far leap” to allow students who traditionally are enrolled in virtual classes to participate in extracurricular activities.

Georgia has the chance to join 25 other states in allowing home-schooled students to be a part of activities and sports.

Most of these bills are nicknamed “Tim Tebow bills” after the former University of Florida quarterback who was home-schooled while playing football for a Floridian public school.

Georgia’s version of the bill is named after Dexter Mosley, a father of six home-schooled athletes, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 51.

Students would participate in clubs and sports for the local public school in which they are zoned and must be selected for teams through a normal tryout process along with traditional students.

“This is not just a sports bill,” said Cole Muzio, executive director of the Family Policy Alliance of Georgia. “This is a bill to end discrimination in our state against home school students and allow them to participate in all extracurricular activity only available at their public school.”

Much of the pushback from Georgia schools has been due to potential costs, taking spots on teams away from traditional students, and the uncertainty over how to discipline a home-schooled student.

Requiring a student to enroll in at least one online course facilitated by their local public school resolves the issue, as it ensures the student must adhere to the school’s student code of conduct.

“It’s time for us (Georgia) to move in this direction,” Hines said.

Hines said the GHSA is not fully on board with the move, citing the need for local schools to maintain power in deciding the ways home-schooled students are allowed to participate.

Written by: Reagan Cofield