This petition starts with a personal story. I am a parent in Gastonia, North Carolina. My son, deeply passionate about sports, faces the challenging decision of managing his love for sports with his approaching transition into homeschooling. Similar to numerous students in our community, he may be forced to abandon his athletic pursuits, simply owing to a change in his education delivery mode. It seems deeply unjust that a child's access to sport – an activity contributing greatly to their holistic development – is tied so directly to their schooling choices.

What's more, this issue isn't unique to Gastonia, NC. Nationally, there are over 2.5 million students who are homeschooled (according to the National Homeschooling Research Institute) and many of them are sports enthusiasts who face the same barrier.

An estimated 40% of homeschool students are completely left out from sports offered by public schools, according to a study by the Home School Legal Defense Association. This also impacts their opportunities for scholarships, athletic networks, team-building experiences, and many more benefits public school sports offer.

We are not asking for special privileges. We only request that our children be allowed to actively participate in the sports they love, in the community where they live, public school or homeschool notwithstanding. The North Carolina High School Athletic Association should consider revising their rules to allow homeschool students to participate in public school sports programs without dual enrollment.

Join us in supporting this cause. It's about more than games - it's about equal opportunity. We are advocating for all homeschooled children who want to participate in public school sports programs without dual enrollment. Please sign this petition to enable homeschooled children to participate in public school sports without dual enrollment in Gastonia and beyond.