Private vs. Public Education Question

Factual Questions
1

DISCLAIMER: This is not a Great Debate about the value or legitimacy of private education, or about vouchers, etc. Totally unrelated.

Calling all lawyers and/or parents with kids enrolled in private schools:

Mrs. Rastahomie and I are having a disagreement about this. I want to send our kids (when we have them) to private schools, and Mrs. Rastahomie does not. She contends that one of the things she enjoyed most in junior high and high school was participating in state (Missouri) choir and vocal competitions. She says that students in private schools won’t have that opportunity, because those things are only open to students of public schools.

Nonsense, I say. Every year some of the competitors in the state (Illinois) football playoffs are private schools.

So what’s the straight poop? Are kids in private schools allowed to participate in statewide non-athletic competitions, such as choir, art, science fair, etc.?

TIA

2

FWIW, I do not have children in a private school – however – I am a music teacher in Illinois and I can say that here, at least, private schools that become members of IHSA have students in all the major music events. The tricky part is whether a school is a member of the specific organization. IMEA member schools participate in District and All-State Music organizations, while IHSA member school participate in solo/ensemble and organizational judging contests. I know many private schools in this state that participate in all of those.

3

My son’s been involved in various musical organizations for several years, and I can tell you that, at least in my part of Missouri, private school students do participate.

Now, I can’t tell you whether public or private schools are automatically members of these organizations, or whether there are some organizations that restrict participation to either public or private schools.