Saying the Quiet Part Out Loud: LifeWise is Coming After Your Kids

With little fanfare, LifeWise Academy has changed their vision statement. Where once they provided plausible deniability, saying that only “unchurched” public school students were their mission field, they have now expanded their mission to all public school students. 

Instead of “To reach unchurched students In public schools,” the first seven words of their new vision statement are: “To reach all students in public schools.” They no longer speak about unchurched students or those “outside the faith,” and instead target “those who hold different worldviews.” 

Pastors, priests, rabbis and imams can no longer take comfort in the idea that their congregation’s families will be kindly left alone. Catholics, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Episcopalians, and all other Christian denominations are now targets because they have different worldviews than that of LifeWise. (LifeWise’s worldview is that of the Southern Baptist Convention.) And, it doesn’t matter to LifeWise if your kids are being raised in the Jewish or Muslim faiths - they’re now confirmed targets, too. You can view the changes to the LifeWise vision statement and read about it at the Secular Education Association’s website here.

We can be grateful that LifeWise has finally said the quiet part out loud - they view all public school students as their mission field. Your child is preparing for their First Communion? LifeWise doesn’t care, they’re a target. Your child is becoming bar/bat/bet mitzvah? LifeWise doesn’t care, they’re a target. You bring your child to Sunday School, or pick them up early in the winter for Friday services? Doesn’t matter to LifeWise, they’re active targets, too. 

So, what’s to be done about it? It’s good to remember that Washington state allows each of its school districts to choose whether or not to allow LifeWise (and other religious institutions) to pick up kids during the school day for weekly field trips. Field trips where they learn to target and proselytize to their classmates who have different values and belief systems from themselves. Your school district has the power and authority to say no, or to rescind permission if they’re already operating. It’s within your power to remind them. Pick up the phone, write an email, or send a postcard to your district’s Superintendent as well as the School Board. Show up at School Board meetings and speak during the public comment portion of the meeting, and tell them that you don’t want religious groups targeting our kids during public school hours. Sign this petition for Everett, and/or ask us to start one for your district. And, vote for responsible candidates who are willing to state publicly that they stand firmly for the separation of church and state, and want to protect our children from LifeWise and religious groups like it.