| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
< BACK TO ARCHIVE |
| Date: From: Subject: | 3/27/2003 3:04:29 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Maine--Bill to End New Unfair Sports Policy Set for Hearing |
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------- From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- March 27, 2003 Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, The Maine Principal's Association (MPA) shocked the homeschool community last November by announcing that it would no longer allow homeschool athletes to participate on private school teams in interscholastic competition. Despite several entreaties and warnings from HSLDA, the MPA simply dug its heels in deeper and refused to reevaluate or delay the implementation of the abrupt change. The new policy meant that a homeschooler would play for the local public school team or he could play for no one. A bill has been filed in the Maine legislature, LD 687, which would restore fairness. It would level the playing field by compelling the MPA to give parents back the choice of whether their child would compete on a public or private school team. We need your help this Wednesday when LD 687 will receive a hearing. ACTION REQUESTED The Education and Cultural Affairs Committee has scheduled a hearing on this bill for April 2 at 3:00 p.m. in room 214 of the Cross State Office Building. 1. Please attend the hearing to show your support for this bill. 2. Call all members of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee and express your support for the bill. Your message may be as simple as, "Please support LD 687. It preserves Maine's long tradition of letting homeschooled students play on private school teams. It gives parents back the right to choose between having their homeschooled child participate on a public school team or a private school team." CONTACT INFORMATION To leave a message for a committee member who is a representative, call 1-800-423-2900. For one who is a senator, call 1-800-423-6900. Members of the committee are listed below: Senator Neria R. Douglass (D-Androscoggin), Chair Senator Michael F. Brennan (D-Cumberland) Senator Betty Lou Mitchell (R-Penobscot) Representative Glenn A. Cummings (D-Portland), Chair Representative Rosita Gagne-Friel (D-Buckfield) Representative Jacqueline R. Norton (D-Bangor) Representative Jonathan Thomas (D-Orono) Representative Edward D. Finch (D-Fairfield) Representative Jeremy Fischer (D-Presque Isle) Representative Thomas W. Murphy, Jr. (R-Kennebunk) Representative Mary Black Andrews (R-York) Representative Mary Ellen Ledwin (R-Holden) Representative Gerald M. Davis (R-Falmouth) BACKGROUND Private schools had a long tradition in Maine of allowing homeschooled students to play on their teams in interscholastic events. After a homeschooler participating on a private school team won state-wide recognition last year, the MPA sent a memo warning that private school MPA members risked loss of eligibility if they allowed homeschooled students to play on the team of a private school in interscholastic competition. MPA tried to justify the change by claiming its rules required it. Their own rules, however, say the opposite. Their own rules specifically exempt homeschoolers from the requirement that they attend the school on whose team they participate. MPA further tried to justify the change by saying that since the law that allows homeschoolers to play on public school teams does not mention private school teams, participation on a private school team is therefore forbidden. This is illogical. Permitting one thing in a law does not automatically forbid another. On March 18, the MPA sent a memo to its members urging them to contact members of the Education and Cultural Affairs committee and oppose LD 687. Their memo cites significant "potential for abuse." There is potential for abuse in any sports program. This is why the MPA has rules relating to recruitment, inducement, and influence. Any NEW potential for abuse created by LD 687 can be handled just the same as OLD potential for abuse: by implementing and enforcing fair, appropriate rules. The memo claims the bill "attacks the very fiber of fair play." It is difficult to understand, however, why restoring parental choice is not "fair." Our country has a policy of preventing monopolies. Monopolies are not fair. The new MPA policy gives public schools a monopoly on homeschool sports talent. It forces homeschoolers to play for the public school or no one. This is not fair. The bill will also allow students who attend private schools, to play on the team of another private school if his own school does not offer the activity in which he desires to participate. This would be a tremendous blessing for parents who have found a private school that meets their needs, but does not offer a particular activity. We believe the MPA's new policy violates the law. On March 18, we filed a legal action asking a court to require the MPA to treat the Pelletier homeschool family fairly. The judge could make a ruling that benefits all home school families, but we do not yet know either how or when he will rule. For additional information about the lawsuit, go to http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/hslda/200303/200303200.asp. For further information about the bill, go to http://www.hslda.org/Legislation/State/me/2003/MELD687/. Thank you for making your voice count for the greater liberty of homeschool families in Maine. Very truly yours, Scott A. Woodruff HSLDA Staff Attorney {{JoinAd}} ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. Box 3000 Purcellville, Virginia 20134 Phone: (540) 338-5600 Fax: (540) 338-2733 E-mail: info@hslda.org Web: http://www.hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How To Subscribe: - Subscribe to the HSLDA E-lert Service at our website: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp?Process=Subscribe - Or send an e-mail with name and complete mailing address to: subscribe@hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscription Information: - You subscribed to the HSLDA E-lert Service as: {{Email}} - To unsubscribe from the HSLDA E-lert Service send an e-mail from the e-mail address you want to unsubscribe to: unsubscribe@hslda.org - To change your e-mail address or make other changes to your subscription, visit the HSLDA E-lert Service account web page at: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp ---------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTMASTERS: This message is being sent to the most recent address we have for our subscribers. If this is an invalid e-mail address or you have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers. HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded, or sent by any party other than HSLDA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this e-mail address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any e-mail sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send e-mail to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also e-mail staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
