Minnesota homeschool baseball players reinstated after ejection 

Four Minnesota homeschool students who were previously deemed ineligible for high school baseball have been reinstated, raising questions as to why they were denied in the first place.

“The four students are homeschooled, use a private online curriculum, and are a part of Athletic Performance Homeschool Cooperative (APHC), a network of homeschool families with student athletes,” explained Alpha News in a Feb. 27 report.

The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL), which “governs state high school sports,” repeatedly asked the students to give their transcripts, according to the article.

“One can only assume that the League is determining eligibility based on curriculum, which is unlawful and discriminatory,” said Michael Caldeen, director of operations at APHC.

Caldeen also called it “highly unusual” for the league to require transcripts from student athletes, according to Alpha News.

“Importantly, Caldeen noted that the MSHSL does not determine student eligibility for high school sporting events. Instead, he said eligibility is determined by school districts and ‘their affiliated organizations.’”

The league mentions homeschoolers on its website, describing its mission as providing “educational and leadership opportunities for students across its membership of public, private, online, charter and home schools.”

When contacted by Alpha News, the league said it would not comment on student eligibility cases.

“Clear discrimination against homeschool families” 

Justin Gominsky, a baseball trainer working with the homeschool athletes, told the media the league had formerly argued using a private online curriculum put these students in a “private school” category.

“Minnesota law and Minnesota House Research confirm that curriculum choice does not change a homeschooler’s legal classification,” said the owner of the Minnesota Icemen Baseball club. “This is clear discrimination against homeschool families.”

Furthermore, these students had previously participated in league activities and were recognized by their district as homeschoolers, Gominsky said. “When a governing body ignores statute and punishes families for choosing a legal educational path, that’s not about fairness — it’s about abuse of authority.”

Cases of discrimination against homeschool families have been reported in other states, including Kansas.

In one example, Wallace County High School refused to recognize homeschoolers who had played on the state-tournament qualifying basketball team during its 2024 “senior night,” according to the Sentinel.

Keara Richardson, mom to one of the players, described the evening in a letter sent to journalists.

“On Senior Recognition Night, my daughter went to the corner of the gym while her teammates, many of them angry she wasn’t allowed to participate, walked out on the floor to be recognized,” she wrote.

Meanwhile, the district continued refusing to acknowledge the family’s participation in its sports activities in an end-of-year award banquet, according to Richardson.

“My senior daughter received All-State team status in volleyball and basketball, all three of my HS athletes participated at State Track, two of the three made the podium as medal winners for the district, but they were not awarded a letter in the district they competed to represent.”

(Image credit: Pxhere / Creative Commons CC0)