Posted 1:05 PM by Susan Darst Williams

FOCUS ON THE UNICAMERAL: EXCITING EQUAL ACCESS BILL

Should private-school and homeschool kids get to take individual classes like calculus and Japanese at the local public high school, or try out for parts in the elaborate school musical?

If not, why not? And if so . . . let’s go!

This week, we’ll look at key legislative bills proposed in the Nebraska Legislature, starting with a wonderful one from Sen. Phil Erdman of Bayard, with assistance from Sens. Mike Foley of Lincoln and Mike Friend of Omaha.

LB 270 would allow for part-time enrollment and participation in co-curricular and extracurricular activities in public schools by homeschoolers and certain private-school students. The public schools may be allowed to require them to enroll in one class to participate in the extracurriculars. But that’s doable.

This has been tried before in recent years, and fell short. But now is the time. It makes sense, and in fact, is a “must” under the Nebraska Constitution, which requires schools to give free instruction to anyone ages 5 to 21.

Anything that taxpayers have equipped the schools to offer kids – including higher-level academics, sports, music, debate and so forth – must by rights be intended for all kids, not just those enrolled in the public schools.

Isn’t that so? Then . . . let’s go!