A North Carolina mother recently faced unexpected obstacles while registering to home-school her children, according to the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). State officials questioned the validity of her college diploma — because it was written in Latin.
Kristin Barclay, who recently moved to the state from South Carolina, submitted her diploma from Sweet Briar College, a well-regarded liberal arts school in Virginia. Sweet Briar issues diplomas in Latin, like many other historical institutions — including in the Ivy League.
However, North Carolina’s Division of Non-Public Education (DNPE) rejected Barclay’s submission, stating that her diploma could not be accepted as evidence of sufficient education because it was not written in English. This led to the automatic classification of her home-school as “noncompliant,” placing her in violation of state law unless she provided acceptable proof of academic credentials.
LegAL requirements and misinterpretation
The North Carolina DNPE mandates that parents who wish to home-school must have at least a high school diploma or its equivalent. There is no requirement that says that documentation must be in English or accompanied by a certified translation. Despite this, DNPE sent Barclay an email indicating that the evidence of her education was “not written in English” and could not be accepted until further information was provided.
“One or more problems exist in your notice of intent. Specifically, the diploma evidence was not written in English … your homeschool is not legally registered with the state of North Carolina.“
—Email from NCDNPE to Kristin Barclay
Attempting to resolve the issue, Barclay obtained an English translation of her diploma directly from Sweet Briar College. The translation restated the content of the original diploma. However, state officials then objected again, this time pointing out that the translation did not include her name. They asked her to submit her college transcript as additional proof.
Intervention by Legal Advocacy Group
Barclay contacted the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), a nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights of home-school families across the United States. Attorney Darren Jones of HSLDA reviewed the case and found that the state’s request exceeded what is legally required under North Carolina law. He contacted DNPE directly to dispute their actions and clarify that the documents already submitted met all applicable legal standards.
Jones emphasized that there is no legal basis to reject a diploma solely because it is in Latin. The DNPE quickly responded to Jones, informing him that the status of Barclay’s home-school was changed from “pending” to “open.”