14-Year-Olds May Have to Explain Religious Beliefs to School Board

A school district policy in Virginia is creating controversy over a requirement for homeschoolers to provide a statement about their religious beliefs to the school system.

According to WTVR News in Richmond, the policy requires a statement from all children ages 14 and up who want to be homeschooled. In addition, even after submitting the statement, the school board reserves the right to bring the child and his/her parent in for a hearing.

HSLDA believes the policy violates state law and encouraged homeschoolers to attend a school board meeting which took place on Tuesday, January 13.

“The error of the policy is that it arbitrarily decrees, in effect, that every 14-year-old is no longer being trained and is ‘on his own’ spiritually. We know that is simply not true,” wrote Scott A. Woodruff, HSLDA’s Senior Counsel. “The policy must be changed to reflect the fact that state law permits an exemption based on training alone.”

UPDATE: Victory for homeschoolers! According to Fox News, the Goochland County School Board voted down the new policy at their January 13 meeting in response to so much negative feedback.

Have you ever had to attend a school board meeting to defend your right to homeschool? If so, please share your story.