Ohio Satanic Temple to offer religious program for elementary school students [View all]
Source: The Guardian
Wed 4 Dec 2024 09.27 EST
The Satanic Temple will begin offering a religious program at an Ohio elementary school in response to parent requests for an alternative to a Christian “release” program.
Release time religious instruction programs began in the early 20th century to allow students religious instruction for a short period in the middle of the school day. At the Edgewood elementary school in Marysville, Ohio, where the Temple will start a program, the evangelical LifeWise program removes students for 55 minutes each week. The program is known for the “big red bus” which transports students from school to offsite locations for instruction, such as local churches or community centers.
In recent years, release time programs have experienced a revival, particularly in Ohio. LifeWise began with two districts in 2019, and by 2023 the program grew to 325 programs in 12 states, its CEO told Fox News. Its growth coincides with a conservative movement against “woke” education, which has resulted in book bans and activists papering school boards with open records requests.
That growth has come with controversy. Religious release programs have concerned other religious groups, including Catholics, and at least one school board in Ohio rescinded permission for the program after concerned parents came out in force. “We aren’t trying to shut the LifeWise Academy down,” June Everett, an ordained minister with the Satanic Temple, told Cleveland.com. “But I do think a lot of school districts don’t realize when they open the door for one religion, they open it for all of them.”
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/04/ohio-satanic-temple-elementary-school
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