Once again the “Tebow Bill”, HB 1442, did not make it through the General Assembly. This bill would have allowed home school kids to play on their local public school sports team. This bill would have been a great win for home school families. It should have passed the Senate Committee on Education and Health today, but all seven Ds were joined by one Republican to swash the bill 8-7.
HB 1442 is nicknamed the Tebow Bill after NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, who was home schooled, played at a public High School, was recruited by powerhouse Florida where he went on to win a Heisman Trophy and two National Championships. What a beast, glad he could play. Here in Virginia we could have our own Tebow who can’t play because of his parent’s choice to home school the child. Kids have to be schooled, but they don’t have to play sports. This bill would not have forced a public school to add some scrub to the roster; it would have just given a kid the opportunity to compete. If the kid is good enough to make it through the tryouts without getting cut then they should be able to play. Killing (everyone is using “sacking”) the bill just creates fights at home between parents and would be athletes, prevents kids from having another layer 
of interaction outside their home and stops a home-schooler from reaching his athletic potential. Tebow would not have won the Heisman without the opportunity to excel on the High School football field. Basketball and baseball are different. Home-schoolers could play AAU or American Legion, never play a game for a High School, and still be a top pick in the pros. But there is no alternative league for football once you get up to the high school age.
How is a public school harmed by this? The home school family may even have to pay fees, so money can’t be the issue. Again, no school will be forced to add someone who can’t play, so saying a public school kid will be harmed by being cut to make room for the new guy is the wrong way to look at it. The last kid cut missed the team because he wasn’t as good as the standard set by the free and fair competition of the other kids who were competing for a roster spot. Or in laymen’s terms; don’t get mad, get better.
It was not Tim Tebow’s choice to be a home schooler. It never is the kid’s choice as I understand it. How a high school kid meets girls when the only chick at school is his mom is something I’m having trouble figuring out. Score a couple of touchdowns and the cheerleaders will notice. Stay at home all day and the cheerleaders will never see the poor kid (not that home schoolers are trapped in a prison all day, but it must be tough on the kids to meet and socialize with others). Let ‘em play sports with the neighborhood kids, if they’re good enough.
Footnote on Tim Tebow himself. It is ridiculous to see how polarizing he is. My issue with the guy is simple; he can’t throw the ball well, however he is a beast of an athlete. On Draft Day I said take him in the Fourth Round and turn him into a safety. Now that he has added that weight I definitely say turn him into a hard hitting safety. By-the-way, the ‘Skins could use a safety.
sad