Districts diverge on LifeWise

VERMILION — They're two school districts separated by an approximately 20-minute drive, but their handling of a rapidly expanding religious education nonprofit couldn't be more different. As LifeWise Academy — a Hilliard, Ohio-based Christian group created in 2018 that bills itself as teaching Bible classes to public school students during school hours — opens in more districts across the state and country, leaders of public schools are increasingly being asked to permit out-of-school religious instruction for students. That includes Huron Schools, which is among many local districts that have approved or are considering approval for LifeWise to work with its students. But nearby Vermilion Schools stands as one of only five districts in the state to have blocked entirely LifeWise's efforts to establish an academy, according to Respect Public Schools, a website created by a Tiffin-area activist who opposes LifeWise. LifeWise instruction is free and, by law, must be hosted off-campus and during class time outside of core classes, such as lunch or specials. Students must obtain parental permission to participate. Vermilion says 'no' Vermilion Schools joined the Bowling Green, Sylvania, Johnstown-Monroe and Gahanna-Jefferson school districts in blocking LifeWise in its district. In the fall of 2023, LifeWise approached Vermilion's board of education asking them to approve the program. According to Parents Against LifeWise, the district blocked the academy on April 4. According to Vermilion Schools' superintendent, David Hile, the board's investigation of the academy led them to decide not to permit the program unanimously and shared their reasons for the decision at a public meeting. The board listened to LifeWise members promote the program, listened to community members both in favor and in opposition of the program and the board president attended a spaghetti dinner hosted by LifeWise. Hile said members of local communities have expressed their fear of LifeWise's teachings being added to public schools — a concern he shares. "Although some members of the organization suggest that it is just about character education, when you begin probing some of them about their beliefs and intentions for the program, they will tell you, some directly and some indirectly, their intentions," Hile said. "It sounds to me like indoctrination in Christian nationalist ideology." Hile said he and the district's assistant superintendent, Wes Weaver, have shared their perspectives with state representatives. Hile believes requiring public schools to accommodate religious academics is inappropriate for delivering effective and efficient education, and viewed legislators' efforts to support groups like LifeWise as an erosion of local control by locally elected officials. There is an effort at the state level to adopt legislation forcing public school districts to let students leave instruction for religious education. Sponsored by local legislator and pastor Rep. Gary Click, R-Vickery, House Bill 445 would require districts to adopt a "release time for religious instruction policy" — a result of a 1952 U.S. Supreme Court decision that lets religious organizations like LifeWise take children out of schools. Districts are currently permitted, but not required, to have such a policy. The bill, introduced in March, has not yet gone to a vote. "Forcing elected school boards to permit release time for religious instruction is another major erosion of local control, and is obviously pandering to Christian nationalist organizations and the elected and appointed state officials who are themselves Christian nationalists, or want to garner the political support of Christian nationalist organizations," Hile said. When deciding to approve or block LifeWise, the board of education suggested the program happen either before or after school, but LifeWise organizers rejected this, Hile said. Hile said since the COVID pandemic, there has been learning loss due to school closures. He said students who were in kindergarten at the start of COVID are now in third grade and that his district has students who are behind due to missing important kindergarten and first-grade lessons in reading and math. "The only way to catch up students who are behind is by providing them with remedial instruction every day in addition to their regular classroom instruction," Hile said. "Thus, there are no times within our school schedules where it is 'convenient' to have students taken out of the school for an hour." It is not just the Bible education's instruction time that concerns Hile and other community members. The lessons may only take an hour, but getting students ready to leave and having them return to school grounds takes time and causes a distraction for all students. In Ohio, students from kindergarten through fifth grade are required to be in school for at least 910 hours while sixth through 12 grade must meet a minimum of 1,001 hours. Hile said most districts in the state go beyond this requirement, but students are still behind in their education. Hile used his district to explain his fears about the attendance requirement. His students are in attendance for about 1,150 hours out of the 8,760 hours that make up a year. This leaves 7,609 hours when religion could be taught outside of school hours, he said. "I would say that religious organizations have ample time for religious instruction outside compulsory school attendance hours, yet they absolutely insist on taking children out of their schools during compulsory school attendance hours," Hile said. Hile's theory on why LifeWise insists on taking students out of the classroom is that since kids are required to go to school, their attendance in the program is greater as a result. LifeWise representatives told the district the religious program would not work before or after school because parents would not bring students in, he said. "If that's the case, how important is the religious instruction program to the parents if they are not willing to be inconvenienced to take their child to the program when they take their children to numerous after-school activities now," Hile questioned. Vermilion Schools does not allow other groups to put student's education on hold, Hile said, and argued that LifeWise should not be an exception. Huron considers its policy According to the Parents Against LifeWise, the group hoping to establish Huron Schools in the process of training its team of religious instructors and staff, but school officials are still in the process of updating its released time for religious instruction policy. At the board's July meeting, school officials conducted a reading of the policy related to the release time for religious instruction. Community members such as local faith leader Rev. Pamela Sayre of Huron United Methodist Church, parents and those with education backgrounds were also in attendance to express their concerns about the program. Speakers at the meeting brought up concerns with the curriculum, background checks on educators, the total time the program uses, safety, teaching the students remaining on campus during LifeWise hours and bullying. One of the speakers also raised concerns about what will happen when more groups decide to take advantage of the release time for religious instruction. Tatman said his role as superintendent is to administer district policies set by the board and laws set by legislation and through Ohio revised code. "With recognition of federal/constitutional law, freedom of speech and separation of church and state, administration of policies and laws relating to release time for religious instruction can be burdensome, not impossible," Tatman said. Tatman said the district works to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all students every day with a focus on academic and universal social-emotional development for student success. Jody Mast said the board periodically reviews policies and the release time for religious instruction policy is one that is under review. "Our policies are in place to ensure the safety of our students and staff," Mast said. Another reading of the district's release time for religious instruction policy will take place at the next scheduled board meeting on Aug. 19. Superintendent James Tatman said he anticipates there will be an action at this meeting to either revise or retire the policy. Tatman said if the board decides to retire the policy, it would no longer be active, which would mean release time for religious instruction would no longer be permitted within the district. That would, apparently, put any further efforts to establish a LifeWise Academy in Huron Schools on hold. Other districts silent? The Register sent similar questions about LifeWise Academy to administrators at these other area districts, but did not receive a response: Sandusky Schools, Perkins Schools, Danbury Schools, Fremont Schools, Edison Schools, Port Clinton Schools, Margaretta Schools and Benton-Carroll-Salem Schools. LifeWise operating locally These area districts have given approval for LifeWise to open an academy in their district and enrollment is open: • Edison Schools • Fremont Schools • Margaretta Schools • New London Schools • Perkins Schools • South Central Schools • Western Reserve Schools These are districts that have given approval to LifeWise, but enrollment has not yet begun: • Huron Schools These area districts have had requests to begin a LifeWise, but the academy has not yet been approved: • Bellevue Schools • Clyde-Green Springs Schools • Danbury Schools • Gibsonburg Exempted Village Schools • Monroeville Schools • Oak Harbor Schools • Port Clinton Schools • Sandusky Schools • Willard Schools Sources: LifeWise Academy, Respect Public Schools