NCHE Capital Fest Draws Hundreds To Legislature

Semi-annual event continues to grow

About five hundred homeschoolers met with legislators and Supreme Court officials and visited Capitol-area museums today as part of "Capital Fest", a semi-annual event sponsored by North Carolinians for Home Education. The program is an expansion of NCHE's long-running legislative days, which always take place during the long session of each legislative term.

During the day, groups of homeschoolers took turns visiting lawmakers' offices and attending presentations at the state Supreme Court, hosted by associate justice Paul Newby. Nearly 300 attended an afternoon session which included remarks from Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) and House Minority Leader Paul Stam (R-Wake) along with several other legislators.

Rep. Stam, a longtime supporter of homeschooling, brought copies of his legislation to give tax credits to parents who take their children out of public school in order to homeschool them or enroll in private school. Of more interest, though, was a bill like the one sponsored by Sen. Jim Jacumin (R-Burke, Caldwell), which would open public school athletic programs to participation by homeschoolers. Rep. George Cleveland (R-Onslow), fielding questions on the concept, said that school officials he had approached were adamantly opposed.

"They not only said 'Go away', they said, 'Go away and die.'" He said that would not deter him from supporting the bill. "I'll introduce it again next year," he said. "I'm used to introducing bills year after year after year."

The legislators in the afternoon meeting all praised homeschooling parents and students for their diligence and success in home education. Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke) said he was "impressed by the frequency I see homeschoolers in the paper receiving awards and scholarships, and -- while I probably shouldn't say this -- frankly, outshining the students in the public schools."

"You parents deserve all the respect and commendation we give you," Blackwell said.

Rep. Curtis Blackwood (R-Union) said that his daughter was homeschooled for a time, and he said that homeschoolers' excellent test performance "pull up the average for the state of North Carolina." Rep. Jeff Barnhart (R-Cabarras) is the only legislator whose children are currently homeschooled; he was unable to attend this afternoon's session.

Although every legislator in both houses was invited, only Republicans came to the afternoon "meet and greet" session. Participants did report favorable receptions from Democratic legislators they met privately.

(NCHSN Exclusive)