After the state legislature mandated Ohio public school districts implement religious release policies allowing religious instruction during the school day, what’s next for central Ohio school districts that have rescinded theirs?
Late Wednesday night, the Ohio General Assembly passed House Bill 8, called the Parents’ Bill of Rights by supporters, which requires districts to adopt a religious policy. It would also require schools to tell parents about any age-appropriate “sexuality content” taught and any health care provided to students so parents could opt their children out.
In central Ohio, two districts, Westerville City Schools and Worthington City Schools, rescinded their religious release policies earlier this year.
In statements to The Dispatch, both Westerville and Worthington Schools said that they would be examining HB 8 and would follow the law set by the General Assembly.
More: ‘Parents’ Bill of Rights,’ offsite religious instruction bill now in hands of Gov. DeWine
The bill will now be sent to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine for signing. DeWine has publicly expressed support for a state mandate on religious release time, The Dispatch has previously reported.
Religious release time allows students to leave during the day for religious instruction, typically during an elective or lunch. LifeWise, a Hilliard-based organization that teaches students the Bible, is one of the largest users of religious release time in the state.
While discussing the policy in November and December, Worthington school board members had initially expressed concern that the state would take away their local control, but said they would revisit their policy and implement a new one if the state legislature mandated it when they rescinded it.
Worthington board Member Amber Epling-Skinner said in November that she was concerned rescinding the policy “would make us a target,”
“I don’t know what performative PR does there either,” Epling-Skinner said, who voted to rescind the policy, said in November.
Joel Penton, CEO of LifeWise, said in a statement that he commended the state legislators that helped get the bill through to the finish line.
“Families understand the benefits of Bible-based character education during school hours, given the increasing demand for our program in communities throughout Ohio and the country,” Penton said.
State Rep. Gary Click, R-Vickery, was the sponsor of the initial legislation that was eventually rolled into House Bill 8. He said Thursday that the bill gives parents control of their children’s education, which he said is “the ultimate in local control.”
“The government does not have a right to dictate rights to parents, and if parents feel like a religious education during the week is appropriate for their family, then those parents should be able to make that decision,” Click said.
Worthington, Westerville Schools had rescinded religious release policy
At the beginning of October, the Westerville school board voted, 4-0, with one abstention to rescind its religious release policy, with Hudson stressing the decision was not against any religion but cited a potential for significant disruption if additional religious release organizations entered the district.
The Westerville board vote came after more than two hours of public comments from speakers and followed multiple meetings of packed crowds and public testimony. Throughout the discussions, LifeWise supporters wore red, while many in opposition wore black, and their comments were met with applause from their respective sides.
In December, Worthington City Schools voted to rescind their own policy, after several widely attended meetings where the public similarly wore red and black.
What is LifeWise?
LifeWise, founded in 2018, is an event-based nonprofit ministry with a mission to reach public school students. It offers Bible education during school hour that is off school property, privately funded and parent-permitted, often during lunch or an elective class period.
In the United States, school districts may offer the option of released time for religious instruction in compliance with the 1948 U.S. Supreme Court case, McCollum v. Board of Education and the 1952 decision, Zorach v. Clauson, The Dispatch previously reported.
The curriculum promises to teach students the entire Bible in five years, according to the LifeWise website.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Westerville, Worthington schools to reconsider religious release