This past week Senate Bill 48 was introduced that would ” PERMIT STUDENTS WHO ATTEND A PUBLIC SCHOOL, PRIVATE SCHOOL, OR HOME SCHOOL WITHOUT AN INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS PROGRAM IN A GIVEN SPORT OR PARTICULAR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT ACTIVITY AT A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.”

This ironically named “Access … for All” bill would allow any student at a private or homeschool to participate in a sport or extracurricular activity at the nearest public school – for a fee that may be established by the local school board.

What this could mean is that a student who is attending a religious-based private school on a voucher can now go take a roster spot on a public school team in a county that has a board which could waive fees because they support school choice.

As far as “access for all,” it’s also ironic that Sen. Hise voted against Medicaid expansion in NC because while he wants “access for all” to participate in public school sports, healthcare was not that important. And it’s even more ironic that he would have the LEA’s determine the cost as the state already doesn’t fund the public schools in this state adequately.