Public commenters urge Fremont to drop "accredited" diploma requirement for city jobs

Scott Preston and other public commenters pressed the Fremont City Council to reverse a recent change that requires an "accredited" high school diploma for city employment, arguing the requirement excludes lawful Nebraska homeschool and other Rule 13/14 graduates.

Scott Preston said state and national test-score data show low proficiency among some public-school cohorts and questioned why those graduates are accepted while homeschool diplomas are not. "This city is plainly and intentionally discrediting not only the education homeschoolers have given to their children," he said, urging the council to accept legally issued diplomas from nonaccredited schools.

Stephanie Preston described filing a state affidavit for religious exemption and said homeschooling requires detailed annual filings and hours of instruction. She asked the council to define what the city means by "accredited" and return the item to a future agenda if there is no legitimate reason for the change.

Seth Coats cited statutory language and administrative practice as part of his argument, saying the city's instruction that homeschool graduates should obtain a GED is "contrary to Nebraska law" as written in the excerpts he read and urging the council to direct an independent review or involve the Civil Service Commission to determine whether hiring qualifications were applied after processes began.

Councilors did not take immediate formal action on the public comments during the meeting; the speakers asked the council to initiate a review and to place a clearer, written policy item on a future agenda. The council's formal votes at this meeting addressed other agenda items; no ordinance or resolution that night changed the city's hiring rules.

What happens next: Commenters asked the council to schedule a formal agenda item to clarify or change the hiring requirement and to identify the legal authority for the city's definition of "accredited."