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Parents urge Toms River board to revise policy banning homeschool athletes
Summary
Parents and homeschooled students urged the Toms River Regional School District to change policy 2431, which currently bars homeschooled students from district interscholastic athletics, and asked the board to consider academic-guideline alternatives. The board said the matter will proceed to committee review.
Daniel Ackerman, a resident who said he and his son will be attending many meetings on the subject, told the board the district's policy 2431 "unfairly harms children like my son" and urged a change so homeschooled students can join school teams if they meet academic standards. "This policy is wrong. I'm urging you to correct it," Ackerman said during the public-comment period, asking the board to consider guidelines rather than an outright ban.
His son, Andrew Ackerman, described feeling left out at recent Ocean County swimming championships and asked for concrete answers from the board: "I cannot swim with them," he said, asking that the board allow homeschooled athletes to participate next year. Teammates and other residents echoed the request, saying modern alternatives (academic thresholds, verification processes) could address the concerns that led to the 2006 policy.
Board members and staff said the topic was discussed in executive session and that committee-level discussion will continue. A district representative told the speakers the administration will follow up and offer opportunities for private and committee meetings as the board reviews the policy. No formal change was made at the meeting; the public comment concluded with the board promising further consideration at upcoming committee meetings.
