I've been getting several notes and emails about the Subway writing contest for kids that completely excludes homeschoolers and thought I'd post here as well so others will know about it as well.

Now mind you, I think it's fine for a company to make up any rules it wants to -it's their contest and my kids are too old to participate in the contest anyway.  But I'm wondering what the motivation is behind excluding a group of kids who are being educated and, surprise, who can actually write good stories, and, surprise, who probably frequent Subway (or at least they used to)?  

Here's what their contest page says:

Contest is open only to legal US residents, over the age of 18 with children in either elementary, private or parochial schools that serve grades PreK-6. No home schools will be accepted. 

And on the full details page:

ELIGIBILITY. Contest is open only to legal residents of the United States who are currently over the age of 18 and have children who attend elementary, private or parochial schools that serve grades PreK-6. No home schools will be accepted. Employees and members of their families of Scholastic and Subway, their parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates, and their advertising, promotion and production agencies are not eligible to enter. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

We love a good Sub and of the places we frequent, Jimmy Johns, Pot Belly, Quiznos and Subway, we like the bread choices at Subway the best for the price.  But when they make decisions like this... to exclude a pretty large population of kids just because they don't sit at a desk with a bunch of other kids during a school day - hmmmm... I think we'll try the other places first from now on.