A proposed rule change for a Rawlins-based school district that would exclude middle-school-age homeschool children from the public district’s activities and sports is looking less likely to pass after half the school board spoke out against it Thursday.
That followed public comments by multiple homeschool parents who emphasized that they pay taxes to Carbon County School District 1 and contribute to the community in other ways.
District Superintendent Mike Hamel had proposed prior that the board consider a draft policy to no longer include homeschool students in middle-school-age sports and activities.
State law requires public schools to let homeschool kids participate in sanctioned, high-school-level sports and activities, but is silent on the middle school grades.
The proposed policy change came in response to state lawmakers depositing $50 million over two years into a stipend account program offering some kids $7,000 annually in state-held money to pay for nonpublic schooling options. The grants are doled out on a first-come, first-served basis and are tentatively due to start July 1.
But the program, which is meant to encourage school choice and competition, is now subject to a court challenge after a public-school advocacy group claimed it is unconstitutional.
Wyoming spends around $17,000 per public-school student annually.
For Now …
Though the law’s fate may be uncertain, homeschool parents flocked Thursday evening to the public meeting of the Carbon County School District 1 Board of Trustees.
Local homeschool father Cody Anderson cast the proposed policy as a political move, more to protest school choice legislation than address kids’ needs.
“We’ve not really been given a whole lot of reason for it,” said Anderson. “(The school) should include every student.”
Homeschool mom Laura Clark said she has four kids, which is a lot, but “still not enough to make a proper team or put on a musical.”
She said homeschool parents work hard, “and our taxes go to educate other people’s school children.”
U.S. Marine and homeschool dad David Eisenhardt said the proposed policy would be a “punishment” to kids.
And Chelsea Spencer confronted Hamel directly.
Board Chair Mike Mann urged Spencer not to speak of individual school personnel, since boards don’t air personnel matters in public.
Spencer pointed to a 2024 court ruling in which a federal judge upheld a man’s First Amendment right to criticize a school superintendent by name, despite personnel confidentiality policies.
“You certainly don’t have to discuss personnel; however, I will continue with my comments,” said Spencer. “It should be deeply concerning to you that your school superintendent drafted a policy change for you that would hurt children in this district, for which he gave the people only political reasons.”
Hamel declined Thursday evening via text message to comment on the exchange to Cowboy State Daily.
Could Be Dead
Mann later thanked parents for attending and voicing their opinions at the “great forum” of a school board meeting.
Hamel told the public the policy requires more work and could be presented at a later meeting.
Board Vice Chair Matt Feldmann vowed to vote against the policy if it surfaces.
He also said he believes the school should become an educational vendor, meaning it could accept money from homeschool kids’ stipend accounts in exchange for its services — an option parents may use to mix and match a homeschool education with a public-school welding class, for example.
“I never thought I’d sit here at a board meeting and hear words such as ‘draw the line in the sand’ and ‘shut the door,’” Feldmann said, referring to comments made at a May meeting.
Board Member Cheryl Engstrom said she was the person who said “shut the door” at the May meeting, but that she didn’t fully understand the policy and wanted to apologize for her statement.
She’s since been in touch with several homeschool families, and said she’d be a “no” on the policy now.
“I just appreciate the families that reached out to me and listened and explained their positions to me,” said Engstrom.
Tanya Evans, also a board member, indicated that her stance has changed since she’s had a chance to research the issue.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
