VSBA ACTION ALERT - Contact your Senators today!

This morning, House Bill 1626 (R. Bell) passed the Senate Education and Health committee on a close 8-6 vote. This legislation prohibits school divisions from joining an athletic/interscholastic organization that doesn’t allow home school students to participate in public school athletics or interscholastic activities. 

Participating in after school sports and activities, such as football, basketball, debate or forensics, is a privilege for students.

The VSBA opposes non-public school students’ participation in Virginia High School League competitions unless those students are held to the same standards as students enrolled in our public schools. Such standards include the student code of conduct, attendance requirements, and adhering to the Standards of Learning and related assessments.

Allowing non-public school students to participate in public interscholastic athletics/activities creates two different and unequal playing fields for participation – one for public school students, who are bound to the compulsory attendance requirements, and one for non-public school students, who have much greater flexibility in their schedules. 

HB1626 will be voted on the floor either Monday or Tuesday. We ask that you please contact your Senators, either by phone or email, and urge them to vote NO on HB1626. You can find the contact information for your Senator here: http://apps.senate.virginia.gov/Senator/index.php.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent action alert.