Bill would let homeschoolers participate in school activities

ATLANTA - Diana Williams has never been in a school club. Not because she doesn&#39;t want to, but because homeschooled students can&#39;t take part in extracurricular activities. <br> <br> Under a bill being considered by the Legislature, homeschooled students could participate in bands, drama, sports and other activities offered by their local public school. <br> <br> ``I think it would be great if I were interested in clubs and sports,&#39;&#39; said Williams, a 16-year-old from Dalton. ``We&#39;re thinking about having a dance next year with area homeschoolers. That could be fun.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> A similar bill was introduced in Georgia last year, but stalled in a Senate committee. Some legislators think this bill will face tough opposition. <br> <br> Senate Education Chairman Richard Marable, D-Rome, says the bill&#39;s chances of passing this year are slim. <br> <br> ``I have not seen a groundswell of support from a united front of homeschoolers or from the public schools,&#39;&#39; Marable said. ``Basically, it will be the same folks that saw it in committee last year and I don&#39;t see the committee voting differently at this point.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> A 1999 survey found that about 850,000 of the nation&#39;s 50 million school children are being taught at home. The U.S. Education Department calculates that 1.7 percent of American children were homeschooled in 1999. <br> <br> Last year, 1.5 million to 1.9 million children were homeschooled, according to the National Home Education Research Institute, a study group in Salem, Ore. It&#39;s unclear how many Georgians are homeschooled. <br> <br> One of the bill&#39;s sponsors, Sen. Charlie Tanksley, R-Marietta, says the parents of homeschooled students pay taxes that go toward public education and should be able to benefit from them. <br> <br> ``Is it somewhat inconsistent that they want to take advantage of part of what the public system provides and not take another part?&#39;&#39; Tanksley asked. ``That may appear inconsistent but I don&#39;t know it&#39;s unfair.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Some homeschool parents admit not taking part in activities is a choice they have to make before pulling their kids out of public schools. <br> <br> ``It&#39;s kind of a mixed bag,&#39;&#39; said Williams&#39; mother, Gayle. ``If they don&#39;t like schools for the academic part then they shouldn&#39;t use it for the other.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Some homeschool parents are worried that the bill would allow schools to put restriction on students who participate in activities. For example, a school could require potential athletes to pass an achievement test to be eligible for sports. <br> <br> ``I would have enjoyed (the proposed rule) if there weren&#39;t stings attached,&#39;&#39; Augusta mother and homeschool teacher Lynn Reed said. ``We had to invent things for our kids to make sure they had the same opportunities. I think it would be a wonderful addition to something we should have had all along.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Sean Ford, an eighth-grade homeschool student from Columbia County near Augusta, says, in the meantime, he&#39;ll just have to play football with kids from his church. <br> <br> ``It would be great to be on the football or baseball team, but right now, I know it&#39;s not possible,&#39;&#39; Ford said. ``Right now, other than the kids I go to church with, I don&#39;t really have a lot of people to do things like that with.&#39;&#39;

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