Introduction to Released Time Religious Instruction
In the past month or so, federal courts have dealt a string of blows to conservatives’ push for the biblical Ten Commandments to be posted in public schools. Yet as states lose over required religious displays, many are working on another route to faith-based education by allowing kids to attend off-campus religious instruction. This year, Iowa, Montana, Ohio and Texas passed laws guaranteeing parents the right to have their children excused during the school day for free, off-campus religious instruction, often called “released time.” Those four states are the latest of at least 12 that require school districts to offer released time religious schooling upon parental request, including: Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Wisconsin.
How Released Time Works
The released time approach may be more likely to pass constitutional muster than other government-imposed religious efforts, experts say, by shifting influence off school grounds and under the direction of faith-based groups rather than public school teachers, and by making it free to students. A 1952 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Zorach v. Clauson allows for released time religious instruction as long as it’s off school property, privately funded and parent permitted. “Not every family has access to private or parochial school, but for many generations families have been able to take their students out of school for a portion of the day for religious education if they choose,” said Jennifer Jury, a program advocate for LifeWise Academy, an Ohio-based Christian nonprofit founded in 2018.
LifeWise Academy and Its Reach
The organization has been active in expanding its reach and lobbying lawmakers for stronger legislative support. This school year, LifeWise expects to serve nearly 100,000 public school students across 1,100 schools in 34 states, Jury said. The off-campus gatherings work the same way in most states: With parents’ approval, public school students sign out of school during a lunch, recess or study hall block. Students will either walk or ride one of the distinctive red LifeWise buses to a local church or a program-leased community building in town. And depending on state limitations for the religious instruction, for either a half or full hour, kids will learn about the Bible. When the allotted time is up, students go back to their public school to finish the day.
Earning Academic Credit
In some states, students can earn academic credit for the off-campus instruction, which has been more controversial. In Montana, for example, legislation that would have required school districts to develop policies for academic credit was amended to “authorize” a district to allow credit, after pushback from the state’s school boards and school administrators associations. “School districts should have the autonomy to determine which external coursework aligns with the academic frameworks and whether such courses should be eligible for credit,” Rob Watson, who represented the two groups at the legislature, said in his comments to a House committee in February. He noted the groups did not oppose the released time policy itself.
Model Legislation and Its Impact
The conservative American Legislative Exchange Council, known as ALEC, in August adopted model legislation about released time policies that state lawmakers can propose. ALEC’s proposal would allow from one to five hours per week of off-campus religious instruction and would require school districts to award academic credit if the course meets certain criteria. Districts would have to assess instruction based on secular standards and would not be allowed to test for particular religious content, according to the model legislation. Nearly identical language had already appeared in several state bills, including in North Carolina and West Virginia this year and in Mississippi in 2023.
Ten Commandment Displays
Jury, of LifeWise Academy, said her organization wants off-campus religious options for public school students to be available in all 50 states. “It’s important to note this is an option, and parents are the ultimate decision-makers in enrollment,” she said. “We would love to see every student in the United States have the option to attend a program like LifeWise if they want to and if their parents want them to.” A lack of parental choice might be what trips up state efforts to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms. After Louisiana last year became the first state in recent decades to require that the Ten Commandments, a central tenet of the Judeo-Christian tradition, be displayed in school classrooms, bills followed in at least 15 other states. Two states — Arkansas and Texas — enacted laws. But for now, courts have blocked the mandates in all three states.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the trend of states guaranteeing students the right to school-day religious instruction off campus is growing, with at least 12 states now requiring school districts to offer released time religious schooling upon parental request. While the approach has been more likely to pass constitutional muster than other government-imposed religious efforts, it remains to be seen how the courts will ultimately rule on the constitutionality of these laws. As the debate over released time and Ten Commandment displays continues, one thing is clear: the issue of faith-based education in public schools is complex and contentious, and will likely remain a topic of discussion and litigation for years to come.
FAQs
- Q: What is released time religious instruction?
A: Released time religious instruction, often called “released time,” is a program that allows public school students to attend off-campus religious instruction during the school day. - Q: How many states require school districts to offer released time religious schooling?
A: At least 12 states require school districts to offer released time religious schooling upon parental request. - Q: Can students earn academic credit for released time instruction?
A: In some states, students can earn academic credit for released time instruction, but this is not always the case and can be controversial. - Q: What is the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) proposal regarding released time policies?
A: ALEC’s proposal would allow from one to five hours per week of off-campus religious instruction and would require school districts to award academic credit if the course meets certain criteria. - Q: What is the current status of Ten Commandment displays in public schools?
A: Courts have blocked the mandates to display the Ten Commandments in public schools in all three states where laws were enacted, citing concerns about pressure on children to engage in religious observance and undermining parents’ rights.
By Robbie Sequeira, Stateline.org
