Homeschool student Warner Hamm told his parents he wanted to try out for basketball at a local middle school. The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association said it was OK, but school officials did not. That was when the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) got involved.
"24 states have some kind of law that grants homeschool students access to either extracurricular activities or classes, or both," explains HSLDA attorney Dan Beasley. "So we sent a letter the day of the tryouts, and to the school's credit, they did an about-face and allowed Warner to try out for the team."
Beasley recognizes that many people believe homeschoolers do not have opportunities for sports and other extracurricular activities.
"It's similar to the myth that homeschoolers don't have adequate opportunities for socialization," the attorney compares. "As homeschooling has grown, so have the opportunities for homeschool students."
He adds that the laws vary from state to state, and his organization provides more information on that.
