Homeschoolers refers to a tutor or parental-led alternative education of children at home, as opposed to a usual setting of a public or private school. In the past years homeschoolers, through the Home School Defencehas had to battle it out in the courts, and board hearings as to the rights of Homeschooled students, and the priorities they can both share with the other students from public and private schools. The battle was to cut the control of public schools towards homeschoolers. It is now legal in 50 states to homeschool, with very minimal requirements.

This however has not completely settled the conflict between homeschooling and public schools. Participation in co-curriculum activities and joining certain public school programs while homeschooling becoming a major topic of discussion in board meetings and legislatures. These programs include public sports teams, clubs and bands. The results of this heated debates bringing whole new perspectives to the issue, and leaving the question” should states let homeschoolers public school teams?” with a set of possible answers depending with the perspective you choose to look at the issue.

The fact that there exists no fundamental right for any child to have access to the public schools programs in the U.S Constitution, has also contributed in leaving the fate of homeschooled students to the local public schools, who determine the rules they must abide to, or have their privileges withdrawn.

Homeschoolers are generally disadvantaged when it comes to public school programs. The lack of the fundamental right in participation in interscholasticsports also saw a homeschooler denied access to the sport.(Bradstreet v.Sobol,1996).Also the supreme court of Montana argued that the participation in co-curriculum activities was not a fundamental right.(supra,1316).

Homeschoolers on the other hand should access the public school programs for a number of legit reasons. The first reason being because the homeschooler families are also members of the society and are involved in paying taxes same as those parents sending their children to public schools, this gives them a common ground from which equal treatment should be given. It is therefore unacceptable to keep the homeschooler students from accessing public institutions such as the library, and public teams from which funds they also contributed to, is being utilized for the greater good of the community.

Another major reason why the State should allow homeschooled students play on public school teams is the fact that a student is a student, no matter if he/she attends public or private school, or is homeschooled. The outward advantages available to the public or private student should also be made available to the homeschooled student, if he or she meets the qualifications.

The state should also allow them to play on the public school teams, because if the student happens to be homeschooled and has the talent in sports,then the talent is locked away for the mere reason, of being homeschooled which should not be the case. All students should therefore be given equal chances regardless of their academic curriculums and involvements.

The letting of homeschooled students play in public teams, will enhance socialization between students. This will then translate to good public relations which will enable each student regardless of his curriculum to achieve an all round, learning process, which will eliminate the likes of depression, and loneliness brought by being alone.

In conclusion, I am of the opinion that all students regardless of their way of learning, should be allowed equal public privileges, which will enhance the sense of equality among all of us, and will give a platform from which students can interact and get to know each other while in the process of doing what they love most. Discrimination against other students simply because you are not content with their way of learning, and isolating them from resources they have paid for through taxes should therefore be made unlawful. The government should also play its role in making laws that oversee that certain set of students aren’t sidelined and made to feel isolated in their own communities.

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