South Carolina
Jasper County Challenges Home Schoolers
Unfortunately, sometimes home educators know the law better than local school officials, as a recent situation in Jasper County proved. As this semester began, a Jasper County superintendent told a Home School Legal Defense Association family they must obtain the local school district’s approval before they would be “permitted” to teach their children at home. The superintendent informed these parents that membership in a South Carolina home school association was insufficient to comply with the state home school law. On behalf of the family, HSLDA wrote the superintendent that no such approval by public school officials was needed.
Parents may conduct a home schooling program in South Carolina using either one of three options: (1) obtain approval of their local school district’s board of trustees under § 59-65-40 of the code, (2) join the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools (SCAIHS) under § 59-65-45 of the code, or (3) join an association for home schools which has no fewer than 50 members as described in § 59-65-47 of the code.
After HSLDA explained the law to the superintendent, he attempted no further contact with this family.
Legislation Affecting Home Educators
Senate Bill 987, sponsored by Senator Mike Fair (R-6), would permit home school and charter school students to participate in interscholastic activities at the public school. Parents whose children are home schooled with the approval of the local school district would have to certify that the student was making academic progress consistent with academic eligibility standards for public school students. In addition, the home school student would have to achieve at least the state board of education’s promotion standard for public school students. Students taught under the auspices of the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools (SCAIHS) or another home school association with at least 50 members would have to be certified by their respective association as achieving academic and promotion standards prescribed by the association. If a school district chose not to permit participation in extracurricular activities during a particular school year, the parents of the home school or charter school student would be exempt from paying school taxes levied on their property for that calendar year. HSLDA takes a neutral position on such legislation.
House Bill 4366, introduced by Representative Ralph Davenport (R-37), would raise the state compulsory attendance age from 17 to 18. Parents of home schooled students who have not graduated by their 18th birthday would have to comply with the home school law for as much as a year longer than current law requires. HSLDA is opposed to any expansion of compulsory attendance requirements.
S.B. 1061, also sponsored by Senator Mike Fair, would repeal the religious exemption now granted to any student whose parent, guardian, or custodian “holds a religious belief that conflicts with immunizations.” HSLDA maintains that this religious freedom should be preserved. — Dewitt T. Black
