Concerns Raised Over Allowing Homeschooled Athletes To Play In Hillsborough

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — While it was not unanimous, the Hillsborough Township Board of Education(BOE) is entertaining the idea of possibly allowing homeschooled students to participate in district sports.

All board members, except for Jean Trujillo, voted in favor of the first reading of the amended Atheltic Competition policy at the Monday night BOE meeting.

"The goal is to have a decision and hopefully an approval of allowing homeschool students by the end of February, which I think would allow them to try out for spring sports," said Board President Paul Marini.

The policy amendment was spurred after Homeschooled freshman Samuel Malone and his parents began advocating for his inclusion at recent school board meetings. Read More: Homeschool Athlete Wants A Chance To Play In Hillsborough

"I would like to say thank you for adding Policy #2431 to the agenda and appreciate your consideration," said Malone at the Jan. 23 meeting. He has played baseball for the Hillsborough baseball league recreation and travel teams since he was 8 years old.

"As a family, we are very appreciative of all of the board members as well as superintendent Mr. Volpe of the collaboration for Samuel’s request for inclusion of homeschooled students in athletics and of the willingness to examine and institute change which is evident in the recommended action," said Malone's mom Linda.

Marini noted "very explicitly" that the vote on the first reading does not guarantee this will pass altogether. A second and final reading must be passed.

"It is progress in that direction. It does not include private school students at this point. It doesn't include home school students to participate in extracurriculars. Those we are reviewing because we may have budgetary impacts and we will be looking at them for next year."

Trujillo was the only board member to vote against the first reading stating there were too many unanswered questions.

"I do not feel this policy is ready for a first reading tonight. First reading basically means that we are confident in the ramifications the effects of what this policy is going to do and I don’t think we are there yet," said Trujillo.

She added that she felt the policy was being rushed.

"That's one student we are trying to amend this policy for when we have a responsibility for an entire district of students. The 7,200 students that are currently in our schools," said Trujillo.

She questioned whether the inclusion of homeschooled students would then allow nonpublic students to also join. She also asked how the district would be able to monitor homeschooled students to make sure they are also following the guidelines as public students. She asked whether students should be surveyed to see if this policy change would negatively impact public students.

Superintendent Michael Volpe said he would be emailing the board members with information from at least 11 other local school districts that do allow homeschooled students to compare policies.

Board member Jane Staats raised a concern on whether including homeschooled students may impact who is cut from district sports teams.

"Some sports that do cut will be felt more in a larger school district," said Staats.

Board member Cynthia Nurse noted that all students would still have to go through tryouts to make a team.

Watch the full discussion among board members at the Monday meeting below (It begins around 1:01:00):

The next scheduled school board meeting is Feb. 13 at Auten Road Intermediate School Cafetorium, 281 Auten Road, starting at 7:30 p.m.

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