Decisions about whether students should be allowed to leave school to attend off-campus religious instruction should be left to each of Ohio鈥檚 600 local school districts, opponents of an Ohio House bill that would mandate it argued Tuesday.
The Ohio House Primary and Secondary Education Committee on Tuesday took opponent testimony for House Bill 445, which would require every school district to adopt policies authorizing kids to leave school for religious studies. Released time religious instruction has occurred across the U.S. for decades but has become more popular 鈥 and derided 鈥 in Ohio as LifeWise Academy, headquartered in the Columbus suburb of Hilliard, has increasingly opened programs across the state.
LifeWise Academy students, mostly in elementary school, leave school once a week for around 55 minutes in the middle of the day to study the Bible and gain lessons the organization says are meant to grow their character. The program is free to students and their families.
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