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MASSACHUSETTS

Homeschool diploma discrimination

Home School Legal Defense Association members enrolling their children in Massachusetts community colleges are running into some surprising roadblocks. These problems all appear to stem from a single attorney who has taken the position that Massachusetts, already one of the most highly regulated homeschool states in the country, does not regulate homeschoolers enough.

Concerned that her son was headed for a life of crime, Thomas Watson's* mother pulled him out of public school after 10th grade to homeschool him. As with many African-American teens in urban settings, Thomas' public school experience was doing more harm than good. After two years at home, however, Thomas' life had truly turned around. He completed his homeschool program and signed up for three cours
es at Roxbury Community College (RCC).

RCC requested a copy of Thomas' high school transcript and gave him permission to start attending classes. However, when RCC received the transcript and saw that Thomas had been homeschooled, it terminated his student status, allowing him to audit two of his classes but physically preventing him from attending the third. In desperation, Thomas' mother called Home School Legal Defense Association.

Fortunately, homeschoolers across the country have persuaded the United States Department of Education to clarify the federal financial aid status of colleges and universities that admit homeschoolers.

In a letter dated April 19, 2002, Eric Jaso, Deputy General Counsel at the Department of Education, explained that homeschoolers can "self-certify" their completion of a homeschool program. The letter was intended to eliminate the kinds of issues now arising in Massachusetts by assuring colleges that they are not in danger of losing federal funding if they admit homeschoolers.

The good news is that Thomas has been readmitted to RCC. The bad news is that other Massachusetts families are still encountering similar problems. If you are experiencing difficulty enrolling a child in community college, please contact HSLDA immediately.

* Name changed to protect family's privacy.

— by Scott W. Somerville