Post by Charity on Apr 29, 2005 9:45:41 GMT -5
BY CAROLYN NORTON : The Herald-Sun
cnorton@heraldsun.com
Apr 27, 2005 : 7:18 pm ET
CHAPEL HILL -- Just 18 months ago, Chapel Hill parent Inger Evans stood in the Town Hall council chamber, begging the city school board to let her homeschooled son, then 13, play baseball on the McDougle Middle Team.
Wednesday afternoon, Evans stood along a field in Carrboro, watching her son, Karsten Rabe, play for a middle school-age team.
It wasn't McDougle's team, however. Having been denied the opportunity to vie for a spot on that team by the school board, Rabe, Evans and a group of acquaintances formed "The Piedmont Pioneers," a team of 13 homeschoolers.
"They're getting to play baseball now," Evans said. "If we can't find what our kids need, we just go out and do it ourselves."
The homeschool baseball issue first emerged in December 2003, when Evans asked the board if her son could try out for McDougle. A talented pitcher, Rabe and his coach felt playing for the local parks and recreation teams wasn't enough of a challenge.
Citing a longstanding unwritten policy barring home- and private-schooled students from participating in public school classes, sports and clubs, the board denied Evans' requests on behalf of her son. In the months following that decision, the board adopted a more formal policy stating that "non-enrolled" students cannot participate in school activities.
Wednesday, on a sunny afternoon, the team of 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds gathered on a diamond at Hank Anderson Community Park, wearing their new blue and red uniforms.
"Let's go Taylor!" someone screamed from folding chairs set up along the foul lines. "Way to watch it."
Parents, brothers and sisters sat on hot metal bleachers, watching as the Pioneers came up to the plate to bat. The team is coached by Mark Marcoplos, a homeschooling parent who coached Rabe on parks and recreation teams.
For the team's second game, the players played Durham's Triangle Day School. The team lost to Durham Academy last week in its first game.
Since the team formed only a month ago, Evans said it's having some trouble finding opponents, since many schools or organizations set their schedules last fall. The Pioneers plan to play local teams, and are working to set up a competition with another homeschooled team out of Winston-Salem.
The Pioneers have players from Chapel Hill and Carrboro, as well as Durham, Rougemont and Bahama.
"Some of these kids just cannot get enough baseball," said Julie Boykin, whose daughter, Emily, plays. "We're just thrilled that this team got together."
www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-601826.html
cnorton@heraldsun.com
Apr 27, 2005 : 7:18 pm ET
CHAPEL HILL -- Just 18 months ago, Chapel Hill parent Inger Evans stood in the Town Hall council chamber, begging the city school board to let her homeschooled son, then 13, play baseball on the McDougle Middle Team.
Wednesday afternoon, Evans stood along a field in Carrboro, watching her son, Karsten Rabe, play for a middle school-age team.
It wasn't McDougle's team, however. Having been denied the opportunity to vie for a spot on that team by the school board, Rabe, Evans and a group of acquaintances formed "The Piedmont Pioneers," a team of 13 homeschoolers.
"They're getting to play baseball now," Evans said. "If we can't find what our kids need, we just go out and do it ourselves."
The homeschool baseball issue first emerged in December 2003, when Evans asked the board if her son could try out for McDougle. A talented pitcher, Rabe and his coach felt playing for the local parks and recreation teams wasn't enough of a challenge.
Citing a longstanding unwritten policy barring home- and private-schooled students from participating in public school classes, sports and clubs, the board denied Evans' requests on behalf of her son. In the months following that decision, the board adopted a more formal policy stating that "non-enrolled" students cannot participate in school activities.
Wednesday, on a sunny afternoon, the team of 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds gathered on a diamond at Hank Anderson Community Park, wearing their new blue and red uniforms.
"Let's go Taylor!" someone screamed from folding chairs set up along the foul lines. "Way to watch it."
Parents, brothers and sisters sat on hot metal bleachers, watching as the Pioneers came up to the plate to bat. The team is coached by Mark Marcoplos, a homeschooling parent who coached Rabe on parks and recreation teams.
For the team's second game, the players played Durham's Triangle Day School. The team lost to Durham Academy last week in its first game.
Since the team formed only a month ago, Evans said it's having some trouble finding opponents, since many schools or organizations set their schedules last fall. The Pioneers plan to play local teams, and are working to set up a competition with another homeschooled team out of Winston-Salem.
The Pioneers have players from Chapel Hill and Carrboro, as well as Durham, Rougemont and Bahama.
"Some of these kids just cannot get enough baseball," said Julie Boykin, whose daughter, Emily, plays. "We're just thrilled that this team got together."
www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-601826.html