[Vision2020] One Word in Home-Schooling Resolution Causes Long Debate at 2003 National Education Association Representative Assembly

[Dale Courtney]

The most contentious amendment of the 2003 National Education Association
Representative Assembly involved the deletion of a single word in Resolution
B-69, which deals with home-schooling. The resolution had a sentence that
read: "The Association also believes that unfunded home-schooled students
should not participate in any extracurricular activities in the public
schools." Some states provide funding for homeschoolers to participate in
after-school activities. The amendment was to remove the word "unfunded" so
that NEA's opposition would be categorical.

Some delegates fought hard to keep the word in. A surprising number of
speakers taught, coached, or otherwise had professional contact with
homeschoolers. Others suggested that such extracurricular participation made
homeschoolers more likely to enter public schools full-time. Still others
suggested that the deletion would punish children for the choices of their
parents.

Ultimately, however, the will of the majority of delegates was to delete
"unfunded," reasoning that with or without the money to do so, they didn't
want homeschoolers in any way to edge out those students who were "with us
all day."  The standard tactic of a monopoly -- legislate away the
competition.

Dale Courtney
Moscow, Idaho