A state senate committee blocked the further passage of what has become know as the “Tim Tebow” bill. The bill would have allowed home-schooled students to play sports and participate in other extracurricular activities in public schools.

The bill, which was sponsored by State Sen. Hank Erwin, fell one vote short in the Senate Education Committee, ending the bill’s chances for this legislative session.

“We got beat this year,” Erwin said in a Wednesday afternoon statement. “We’ll be back.”

In an Associated Press report, Erwin said the bill would not impose a burden on schools, but state education officials said the bill is unworkable because there are no academic standards for home-schooled children.

“It was a sad day for homeschoolers,” Erwin said. “Homeschoolers didn’t get respect.”

Erwin also blamed powerful lobbying efforts behind public education for the bill’s defeat, noting the vote fell along party lines with all committee Republicans voting for the measure.

“Opponents were urged by public education lobbyists to be present and vote,” Erwin said. “It was really a show of per. Public education pulled out their muscles and put homeschooling down.”