Home schoolers barred from school sports

To the editor:

Home-schooled students are not allowed to participate in interscholastic sports. We recently pulled our children from public school with the understanding that the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education allowed children to be enrolled in any combination or public, private, parochial or home school. We found out that our ninth grader would be ineligible to play football due to the regulations and eligibility requirements of the Missouri State High School Activities Association.

We pay our taxes and plenty of them. We don't get to pay less taxes because our children are home schooled. Even though we pay the same as if they were going to public school, we don't get the benefit of the sports program.

Home schoolers need to unite. We must have legislation that prevents organizations such as the MSHSAA from discriminating against our children just because we wish them to have a real education.

Other states, like Oklahoma, allow home schoolers to participate in interscholastic sports. Just ask the new Miami Dolphins draftee who was home schooled and still played football for the local high school. He went to college on a football scholarship and is now playing in the NFL.

MSHSAA would steal the dreams of young athletes whose parents choose to provide an education at home.

TONI R. EVANS

Malden, Mo.