COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Some students returning to school are also heading back to religious education programs, and organizations like LifeWise will soon be able to take advantage of greater rights than last year.
Starting next month, Ohio’s public school districts will no longer be allowed to place certain limitations on released time for religious instruction programs. Now, public schools must allow organizations to send trinkets, candy and other materials back with students. Districts must also allow students to attend off-campus religious instruction classes for at least one period per week, although no more than twice.
Hilliard-based LifeWise is among the nation’s most prolific RTRI organizations. RTRI refers to religious instruction during the school day, which is legal so long as it occurs off school property and with parental permission.
Ohio law initially gave districts a lot of freedom over how they permit religious release time, but the legislature removed some flexibility this summer. This will require many public districts, including Columbus City Schools, the state’s largest district, to update their policies. See previous coverage of Columbus’ policy in the video player above.
Several central Ohio schools have prohibited organizations from sending materials back with students. A Columbus City Schools spokesperson said the Board of Education will need to revise its policy, which will be a topic at the board’s policy and governance committee meeting on Sept. 9.
The right to send materials back with students is often associated with LifeWise, which has programs in more than 1,000 schools across the country. LifeWise often sends reading materials, as well as candy or other small items, back to school with students who participate in the midday program. LifeWise said the materials are not why students attend, but these trinkets are often associated with the program.
Critics of the biblical education group say LifeWise uses candy and trinkets to incentivize students to attend, and students who do not go to LifeWise feel left out. Schools that banned RTRI groups from sending materials back said these small gifts are often a distraction.
LifeWise sent a legal warning about banning groups from sharing materials earlier this year. The warning went to Neola, an Ohio educational policy institution that advises more than 500 of Ohio’s 611 public school districts. Neola had included wording in its sample RTRI policies dictating an optional ban on distributing materials.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost issued similar warnings in April, cautioning school districts from being too experimental with their RTRI policies. Yost said severely limiting when students can attend RTRI programs could be seen as not adequately complying with the law. He also said banning materials could constitute a First Amendment violation, infringing on the right to spread the gospel.
Districts must update their policies by Sept. 25.
