This article first appeared at dailyprogress.com.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is clear: He will veto any legislation that removes the state’s exemption for religious reasons from schooling. This law absolves parents who claim to be religiously against education of having to prove they educate their children at home.

Youngkin told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that he was a “strong supporter of the homeschooling movement and I will always defend the rights of parents who wish to homeschool their kids.” “We’re in a short term session, and as courtesy to my Senate friends, I will veto the bill.”

Virginia is the lone state which allows parents to excuse their children from school if their religious beliefs are in conflict with the attendance at public schools. According to the state, 6755 Virginia children are homeschooled this year under the law.

Homeschooled students who are not part of the 50,000 must also meet certain legal requirements. Parents must tell the school division how they intend to educate their children in the coming school year. They must also show that their child has made progress. This can be done by taking a test, or having a teacher with the appropriate qualifications assess students.

Stella Pekarsky (D-Fairfax), a former teacher who is a member of the Fairfax County Board of Education, has introduced a bill to close the “legal loophole”, as she describes it, in Virginia’s religious exemption law. Families could still homeschool for religious reasons, but without the exemption. They would have to follow the rules of all other homeschooling families in Virginia.

The bill, which has yet to be heard by the Senate Education and Health Committee, is criticized as an attack on families that do not wish to interact with public schools because of their religious beliefs.

Pekarsky’s Bill was supported by dozens of people who were homeschooled under the religious exemption rule, some of whom described educational neglect on behalf of their parents.

The bill has caused quite a stir in the homeschooling community. Many are against it.

Scott Woodruff of the Home School Legal Defense Association’s legal and legislative advocacy department said that the religious exemption allowed people who have strong religious convictions the freedom to educate their children in accordance with their conscience, without conflict with the public education system.

Woodruff home-schooled three of his children using the law. “This exemption was — I could even say a Godsend — over 49 years,” he said. It has allowed people to work independently from the red tape imposed by government.

He said that the requirement to conduct an annual assessment is often a point of contention.

Woodruff explained that “every year, we have conflicts and controversies arising from local officials who implement the law incorrectly or make up new rules. Each of these interactions will feel like a serious threat to someone’s faith, especially if they keep their children out of the public schools.”

On Thursday, homeschooling supporters were shocked when they saw a proposed change to Pekarsky’s bill on the legislative information system. The new language attempted to force all homeschooled children to take state or federal assessments at certain grades.

Pekarsky claimed that another senator added the clause to her bill, without permission. Pekarsky assures people that she does not intend to change homeschooling requirements.

Pekarsky, in a Friday statement, said that SB 1031 closes a loophole which allows parents to opt out their children from all education requirements and any educational programs.

“I support the right of parents to decide what is best for their children, but I am also committed to protecting all Virginian children.” She said that this exemption, which requires only a single application and approval, allows for abuse, neglect and non-education. “I’ve heard countless Virginians testify about the neglect and lack of education they experienced under this exemption, and I can’t ignore or invalidate those experiences,” she said.

FairfaxGOP originally wrote this and published it as Youngkin vows to Veto the Proposal that Removes Religious Homeschool Exemption