Letter to the editor from School Board candidate Brian Rupp

First published in the Brunswick Beacon, 07.30.26

Home School Students and BCS Sports

Every child deserves the opportunity to discover their talents, build friendships and develop the confidence that comes from participating in school activities. Whether it’s athletics, marching band, theater, robotics or other extracurricular programs, these experiences teach teamwork, discipline, leadership, and responsibility; skills that last a lifetime.

As a school board member, I would support reviewing Brunswick County School’s policies to create more opportunities for homeschooled students to participate in public school extracurricular activities. Across North Carolina, the overwhelming majority of school districts have adopted policies that allow homeschool students to take part in athletics and other programs while maintaining clear eligibility requirements. Brunswick County should evaluate these successful models and determine whether similar opportunities could benefit our students and schools.

Any policy should ensure fairness, accountability and compliance with North Carolina High School Athletic Association and district requirements. Participation should never compromise academic standards or create an unfair competitive advantage.

I also believe there are creative solutions worth exploring, including allowing homeschooled high school students to enroll in a limited number of elective courses that support participation in activities such as band, chorus, theater, career and technical education, or athletics. This approach could expand opportunities while minimizing the impact on classroom capacity.

Our goal should be simple: whenever possible, remove unnecessary barriers and give more young people the chance to learn, compete, perform and grow. Strong schools strengthen the entire community, and every child deserves the opportunity to be part of that experience.

Brian Rupp

Winnabow

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Check out Brian's website: https://www.brianruppforschoolboard.com/