Religious homeschooling must be founded in a religious, rather than philosophical, belief.
The state of Virginia requires that all students over the age of five at the beginning of any school year must attend school (with a state-certified instructor), according to Statute 22.1-254. However, some exemptions apply for parents who wish to home school. If you want to apply for religious exemption, your letter to the school board must contain all of the appropriate sections, or the school board could deny your request.
Instructions
Letter of Request
1. Type the first part of a letter, stating your name, the student's name, any identifying information (Social Security Number and birthday, for example) and whether the student previously attended a Virginia school.
2. Type, in detail, the religious beliefs and spiritual foundations that prevent your child from attending school. Virginia state law 22.1-254.1 says that you may not remove your child from an educational setting for "political, sociological or philosophical views, or a merely personal moral code."
3. Edit, sign and date your request.
Supporting Documents
4. Ask several family members or friends to provide letters of recommendation supporting the truthfulness of your spirituality.
5. Search the religious texts of your professed religion for quotations that support your argument for homeschooling. For example, you could assert your desire for home schooling to avoid the secular environment of public schools with the following passage from the Bible: "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4, King James Version)
6. Ask your pastor, minister or a religious scholar to write a letter recommending that your child receive a home-school education.
7. Mail your letter and all supporting documents to your local school board. You can find your local school board by contacting the Virginia School Boards Association at 434-295-8722.
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