The COVID-19 school debacle has grown homeschool interests by leaps and bounds. But many public schools are countering this newfound energy by obstructing the process, according to the Texas Home School Coalition Association (THSC).

The THSC sent a letter to 9,500 schools reminding them of parental rights involved with homeschooling. The THSC says it received numerous complaints from parents who feel the public school system has attempted to thwart their efforts at withdrawing their child from school.

“Some schools required new homeschool parents to jump through hoops not required by the TEA or even told families that they could not withdraw at all from public school due to COVID-19,” the THSC says in the report. “Schools cannot legally keep students from withdrawing, force families to withdraw in person rather than by letter or email, or require that unnecessary forms be signed by families who have already properly withdrawn.”

The THSC is well-versed in working between parents and the state to resolve homeschooling issues. The rise in homeschool interest, a direct result in the COVID-19 shutdown which has led to closures and staggered schedules, has sparked a new wave of complaints. In fact, parents immediately began pulling their children from schools as soon as the new schedules were released.

The report says that “within 24 hours after the guidelines were released, THSC’s call and email volume had doubled from parents asking how they could homeschool.” This has resulted in 15 times the amount of withdrawal requests. Homeschool numbers have exploded nationwide under the duress of government school closures. Low-income families are particularly exposed to the negative consequences of such closures.

Read our How To Homeschool guide for more information on the subject.

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