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The State of
Alabama's
"Tim Tebow Bill"
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Welcome!
We are a group of citizens of the great state of Alabama lobbying
for our state public education establishment to allow homeschooled
students equal access to sports and extracurricular activities.
Legislation which would provide this access has been introduced into
the Alabama Legislature. This effort began in 2005.
Legislation was then submitted in 2006 in the Alabama Senate and
House of Representatives. In 2008 the bill is being sponsored by
Senator Hank Erwin as Senate Bill 329 and by Representatives Barry
Mask and Cam Ward, Co-Sponsors, for House Bill 334. We are
deeply appreciative for these outstanding legislators for their
willingness to help our students and schools by sponsoring this
legislation.
Fall 2008 Status:
The bills which were introduced into the House and the
Senate this year once again failed to make it out
of Committee.
Please continue to contact the House and Senate Education
Committee members, your local legislators, the Governor,
and the AHSAA and ask for their support!
Our bill derives it's
name from Tim Tebow (with his family's permission). Tim has
attained the highest level of success of any football player in
history at this point in his career. He was a homeschooled student
who played football for a public high school team in Florida, led
Neese High School to the 2005 state championship and played in 2006
as a true freshman on the National Championship Florida Gators team.
As the Gators' starting quarterback in 2007, Tim lead his team to a
very successful season. For his performance and character, Tim,
in addition to the Heisman Trophy, also earned the Maxwell Award as
the nation's top football player, the Davey O'Brien Award as the
nation's best quarterback, and the James E. Sullivan Award as the
nation's most outstanding amateur athlete in any sport.
Also, 24 other states support
some form of equal access for homeschoolers. It is time for Alabama
to step up and support our hard-working homeschool educators, students,
and student-athletes as well. We are urging the House and Senate Education
Committees to bring these bills out of committee so that a full vote
can be taken in the legislature. The passage of this law will not
only benefit homeschool athletes and musicians, but it will also
benefit the entire system of education in Alabama. The ultimate
goal of any educational system should be to provide the services
needed for all students to have a well rounded education.
Extracurricular activities are one of those services, beyond
academics, that help today’s children learn the skills they will
need to be tomorrow’s leaders.
USA Today said in a 2003 article
that supporting home school choices “benefits children, their
parents AND LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.”
Please join us today in our
effort to make the future a better place for all students in
Alabama!
Please call and write the House
and Senate Education committee members today!
Also,
encourage your local public or private high school Alabama High
School Athletic Association representative to propose a "rule
change" to the AHSAA board which would permit homeschooled athletes
in their district to participate in the community's school athletic
programs.
Alabama State Motto: Audemus jura nostra defendere!
(We dare defend
our rights!)
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Homeschooling and
The Tim Tebow Bill in the News
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Counting the Votes!
Click here to see if your Legislators have pledged their
support!
Visit our
Supporters
page too which includes people like Auburn's Head Swim Coach
David Marsh, and Brenda Dickinson - Florida's full-time home
education lobbyist since 1993.
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Facts & Statistics
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Homeschooling is growing rapidly and
there are an estimated 2 million homeschooled children in
the US.
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Alabama has an estimated 25,000 homeschooled children.
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Research shows that homeschooled students
score well above the national average on standardized tests.
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Homeschool parents are tax-payers and
voters.
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24 other states allow some form of "Equal
Access" where homeschooled students participate in
extracurricular activities.
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325 Homeschooled Athletes are currently
playing NCAA Division I-A sports this year.
 
Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow
with parents Bob & Pam Tebow
"Homeschooler Snaps Up Heisman Nomination" 12/6/07 -
"If the strapping 6’3” 235 lb. lad wins the Heisman, he’ll be
making history on several counts..."
Former homeschooler who also enjoyed "equal access", Jason
Taylor, is "Dancing With The Stars".
 This
year's NFL Man of the Year Award Winner and last year's NFL
Defensive Player of the Year, Taylor has played defensive end
for the Miami Dolphins for over a decade. The six-time All Pro
formed the Jason Taylor Foundation in 2004 and continues to be
heavily involved throughout the South Florida community. Taylor
holds the NFL record for touchdowns by a defensive lineman (7)
and is the Dolphins all-time leader in quarterback sacks (117)
and consecutive games played (130). Jason is married to Katina,
and the couple reside in Weston, Fla., with their two sons,
Isaiah Paul and Mason Paul, and daughter, Zoe Grace. Jason
is currently competing on ABC's "Dancing With The Stars"
television show.
(January 7, 2007)
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Oprah Winfrey comments on homeschooling "...homeschooling is
an important contributor to the educational success of this
country."
Homeschool Legal Defense article
"Good
news for homeschoolers who want to receive National Collegiate
Athletic Association (NCAA) scholarships ...
Home
Education Magazine:
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Jason Taylor, Tim Tebow, Homeschoolers and Public...
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The
curious love affair with American high school...
Ohio Mom's
Article
Is anyone else tired of sitting in the back of
the bus?...
Decatur Daily - January 7, 2006
"The Guyse family wants Legislature to provide...
January 7, 2007 - ESPN's
Outside The Lines Special on Homeschooled Athletes
featuring
the Guyse
family from Decatur!
Click here to watch the show.
ESPN's
Page 2 story - "Who's Eligible To Play High School
Sports?"
Wall Builders Live, Tuesday March 6, 2007
Click here
to listen to this broadcast.
Fort Payne
Times-Journal - March 28, 2007
"...Ann
and Jeff Nelson, are advocates for a bill that would allow
homeschoolers..."
The Birmingham News - April 11, 2007
"Home team wants on the filed..."
The Birmingham News - April 12, 2007
The Tim Tebow Act faces stacked defense...
"The lineup for a hearing Wednesday...looked like
a first-round mismatch in the NCAA Basketball Tournament"...
Montgomery, AL - AP
Press - April 12, 2007
"Glencoe teen Austin Brown likes to play football
and basketball and also enjoys spending time with his family..."
The Clanton Advertiser - April 17, 2007
Know the facts about Tebow bill...
Northwest Alabama
Times-Daily - May 15, 2007 -
Debate
continues about home-school children participating in public
school activities...
DesMoines Register - May 27, 2007 -
Iowa opens athletic doors to home-schoolers...
Daily Herald - January 27, 2008
In Our View: Let home-school kids...
HSLDA - Bright Spots: Chris Lam
ESPN: September 25, 2008
"On Fridays in the fall, Tate Forcier doesn't..." |
Questions & Answers for the
Opposition
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Photo Album
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How do we handle liability for
non-students?
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What will it "cost" our
public school system?
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What about academic
accountability?
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Is this
going to allow
the government to interfere with the rights of homeschoolers?
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Religious Discrimination - a very real
argument with a Supreme Court precedent.
For
the answers to these questions and
more...
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Our
photo album filled
with pictures of Alabama homeschool students
in action! They are the reason we are fighting
for this
bill! |
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Yahoo Group: alabamaequalaccess
If you would like to stay
informed on the status of this
bill,
and
be alerted when you can take
action,
please sign up now for email
updates by joining this group.
Click to join alabamaequalaccess
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Join our Facebook Group!
"Supporters of Alabama's
Tim Tebow Bill"
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Alabama Students Fighting for
the Tim Tebow Bill:
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Austin Brown, continued... Jeremy Guyse, continued...
Austin is an eighth grade student at Glencoe Middle School. He was homeschooled for seven years. Since 2005 he has made several trips to Montgomery to lobby for the Tim Tebow Bill, and written several letters to the legislators. Austin served as a Page in the House of Representatives and also led the Pledge for the House. Tim Tebow sent Austin a long letter encouraging him to keep pursuing this bill.
Austin has been interviewed by the Associated Press, Birmingham News, and the Anniston Star. Up until last year, Austin played with the Glencoe Youth Football team, a member of the Appalachian Youth Football League in Gadsden. His teammates all moved up to Junior High, but Austin wasn't able to play with them during the 2006-07 school year because he was receiving his education at home, and Alabama's High School Athletic Association rules require that a child be a full-time student of the school to be able to participate. Austin was the starting running back for Glencoe Junior High this school year and... and in one game he scored four touchdowns, defeating a team that Glencoe's
Junior High team has not defeated in eight years. Austin also loves
to play the guitar and has earned a black belt in Karate. He has earned straight A's at Glencoe Middle School and is a member of the Builder's Club, a community service group, and has been invited into the Beta Club. Most importantly, Austin loves the Lord and wants to seek out His will in everything he does. He has been praying for the rule to change here in Alabama so that children like him can continue to play the sports that they love while receiving their education at home. He knows that God is in control, and if He wills it to happen, it will happen.
Jeremy Guyse is a sophomore home schooled athlete from Decatur, Alabama. He has played both soccer and baseball since he was five years old in city leagues, club soccer and on all-star baseball teams. He has played on several state championship teams in both sports during that time. Currently he plays club soccer for the Decatur Revolution 92 and baseball for a home school team from Huntsville, the Covenant Christian Academy Falcons. In order to play baseball, he drives for 45 minutes one way every day to practice, passing by the high school fields where his former teammates from his all-star teams now practice. Jeremy is grateful to have the opportunity to play for the Falcons, despite the time commitment and expense because he realizes many home schooled athletes do not live within an hour's drive of a team, and for many the expense is prohibitive. His baseball team will have to travel to four different states this year to find other home schooled teams to play, while his public-schooled ... contemporaries play just five miles from his home. Jeremy has written letters and lobbied in Montgomery for equal access for home schooled athletes in Alabama. He even appeared on a segment of ESPN's "Outside the Lines," expressing his hope for equal access to be come a reality.
Katherine is a senior at Fort Payne High School where she plays Varsity Basketball and Soccer with a GPA of 3.8. She was homeschooled through 10th grade. Kathreine is a member of National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Key Club, FCCLA – Vice President, Masters Minority, FCA, SADD, DeKalb County Jr. Miss – Poise Winner, Voted Who’s Who – “Kindest” of her class, and Nominated to serve as National Scholar at the National Young Leaders Conference. All of which she says she would trade if she could homeschool and still play sports at FPHS!
She attended a public hearing for this bill, has written legislators, and also helps with this website. Katherine will attend Bryan College on a partial Academic Scholarship and a partial Soccer Scholarship this fall. J.T. is a freshman at Bryan College on a partial Academic Scholarship/ partial Basketball Scholarship where he plays Jr. Varsity Basketball. He was homeschooled through 11th grade but attended Fort Payne High School for his senior year. At FPHS he was a member of National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Masters Minority, FCA, and SADD. Also, J.T. was chosen and played the lead role in his Senior Play.
Although he led his Rec League Basketball Team to the State PARA final 4 for four years in a row, he was unable to play for FPHS because he was considered a transfer student!
He attended a public hearing for this bill, has written legislators, and hopes that homeschool students in Alabama will soon have the freedom to try out for their public school teams! Josh is a 10th-grade homeschool student. Josh plays soccer and basketball in DeKalb County.
Josh has attended a public hearing and written letters to legislators for this bill.
Josh hopes this bill will pass so that he can try out for his public school teams. Jordan is a 7th-grade homeschool student. Jordan plays soccer in DeKalb County.
Jordan has attended a public hearing and written letters to legislators for this bill.
Jordan hopes this bill will pass soon so that he can try out for his public school teams.
Austin is an eighth grade student at Glencoe Middle School. He was homeschooled for seven years. Since 2005 he has made several trips to Montgomery to lobby for the Tim Tebow Bill, and written several letters to the legislators. Austin served as a Page in the House of Representatives and also led the Pledge for the House. Tim Tebow sent Austin a long letter encouraging him to keep pursuing this bill.
Austin has been interviewed by the Associated Press, Birmingham News, and the Anniston Star. Up until last year, Austin played with the Glencoe Youth Football team, a member of the Appalachian Youth Football League in Gadsden. His teammates all moved up to Junior High, but Austin wasn't able to play with them during the 2006-07 school year because he was receiving his education at home, and Alabama's High School Athletic Association rules require that a child be a full-time student of the school to be able to participate. Austin was the starting running back for Glencoe Junior High this school year and...
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