Emery on Missouri public schools: We're sending students down path to being adults who can't read or write

In his latest podcast, Sen. Ed Emery, R-Lamar, discusses his legislation, SB 875, that would end the Missouri State High School Activities Association's requirement that home-schooled students have to take a certain amount of classes at a school in order to participate in extracurricular activities.

"It's interesting that that's the number of classes a school district needs to count that student and get state money for that student, even thought that student would really rather be at home learning with their siblings and their parents," Emery said.

In the podcast, Emery makes a note of mentioning that he homeschooled his children and noted the character of the three students who testified before his committee.

Though no one opposed the bill, Emery said, a lobbyist for school administrators noted that the administrators prefer to have the students at their school so they will know something about their character.

"It was embarrassing to sit and listen to those three young men and the character they demonstrated and then compared to what you might see in your local public school can testify that the reason we want those children to be enrolled in the public school is because we are not sure of their character. It was almost laughable."

After praising three students who Emery seems to think represent all homeschooled students in the state of Missouri, the senator cherrypicked information from standardized tests to indicate that "we're sending students down the path to being adults who can't read or write.

"That's what happening today."

The last few minutes of his podcast is devoted to the promotion of school choice. Emery has been a proponent of vouchers and charter schools since he was first elected to the House of Representatives.