The United States Armed Forces allows homeschoolers to enlist, but the city of Fremont, Nebraska appears to think they are unfit to join their local fire department. Now, the governor’s office is investigating. 

Andrew Coates, a 22-year-old volunteer firefighter at Fremont Fire Department, hoped to turn his charity work into a full-time job. But his application was denied by the city, who claimed that since his high school diploma is from a homeschooling program, it was not from an accredited high school. When Coates applied in April 2026, there was no rule barring homeschoolers from becoming firefighters. After the closing date of the application, Coates was notified that he had been disqualified — the rules had apparently changed and he was no longer eligible. Last week, Fremont’s Civil Service Commission reviewed an appeal from Coates, before deciding that it didn’t have the authority to overturn the city’s employment policy. 

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen (R) told The Washington Stand Wednesday that he strongly disagrees with the decision. “Andrew Coates has already proven his commitment to public safety by serving as a volunteer firefighter. Nebraskans who are qualified and eager to serve their communities should not be turned away simply because of their educational background. We should be encouraging young leaders like Coates, not turning them away. My administration will be investigating ways to remedy this situation.” 

For the past two years, Coates served as a volunteer firefighter. He is a state licensed EMT, and is enrolled in college courses, with a 3.8 grade point average. “For the last five months, my family and I have tried repeatedly to resolve this with the city and through the Civil Service Commission,” Coates told TWS. “The Commission eventually found that there was an irregularity in the hiring process, but I still wasn’t restored to the process or given the opportunity to compete for the position.”

Seth Coates, Andrew’s father, told the Omaha World-Herald that he would have never predicted the situation. “We understood that our homeschool operated legally under Nebraska’s Rule 13 and was exempt from the state’s accreditation requirements. What we never imagined was that the City of Fremont would treat the absence of accreditation — an inherent and legally permitted feature of Rule 13 education — as a basis for disqualifying Andrew from public employment.”

Coates shared his surprise about the predicament during a Tuesday appearance on “Washington Watch with Tony Perkins.” “I couldn’t believe it at first. And then when they told me it was because I was homeschooled… I really just couldn’t believe it. … I was just shocked.” 

Coates also confirmed that the chief at the Cedar Bluffs Fire Department where he volunteered appeared before Fremont County to advocate on his behalf. Coates explained that he is not exactly sure what the real reason for his disqualification is. “I don’t know what the intent on that person’s heart was that day, but there seems to be [discrimination] against homeschoolers. … I couldn’t tell you why.” 

Nate Grasz, executive director of Nebraska Family Alliance, told TWS that homeschoolers should not be discriminated against. “Homeschooling is more than just a lawful education option that continues to grow in Nebraska; it is a fundamental right of parents. Families should never be punished by the government for choosing it. Nebraska Family Alliance is pursuing and supporting corrective action to ensure homeschool graduates receive equal opportunity and that the rights of parents and families are protected.”

Former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran, who himself experienced discrimination after he was fired by the city over his Christian views on marriage and sexuality, expressed dismay over Coates’s predicament. “Every community deserves the best possible fire department to protect life and property,” he told TWS. “A candidate should be judged on merit, and no policy should single out educational background that excludes qualified people from that calling.”

Coates explained that he has aspired to be a firefighter for many years. “The inspiration behind it all was from a Fremont firefighter that worked for my father’s business, and he just really encouraged me to kind of seek after the job. So that just kind of stuck with me, what he said.” 

He requested prayer for wisdom, clarity and humility for himself and his family as they further discern next steps in the process of challenging the rule. “Pray…that we would just be seeking God first… as we continue to stand against this.”

Members of the Fremont Civil Service Commission and the mayor of Fremont did not respond to The Washington Stand’s request for comment by press time.