School Districts Really Can Keep Out (or Kick Out) RTRI Programs Like LifeWise

Don't think that school districts can keep organizations dedicated to religious indoctrination from infiltrating our public schools? Think again. The Westerville, OH School Board did just that - by a nearly unanimous vote, we might add. Click the link below to view the video, and follow along with the transcript. Pertinent Remarks begin at timestamp - 3:02:27.

Full video found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLv-Fej14dc&list=PLO7Mqfvx9dEJU5zoFIglhQvs7HyimlMfn&index=15

(School Board President Kristina Meyer, speaking): 

Davidson yes Mrs Atman yes Mrs leean yes Mrs Valentine yes Mrs Meer yes and May I have a motion to rescind policy 5223 absences for religious instruction?  

So moved. 

Second. Any? Oh I have some comments actually. It's been a long night. Um, so I know last, uh, time I had said that I've been thinking a lot about this. This is something that [I’ve] been working on quite a bit, and you know [I] wrote my comments down because I've been thinking about it a lot. We've had a lot of commentary over the past few meetings and have received a lot of emails. Um, we really appreciate all of the emails and speakers' comments and [we] appreciate democracy, and that's what's happening here tonight. We want to thank the community for taking the time to share their thoughts and opinions with us. 

As I stated last time, and I just stated, I've been spending a lot of time thinking about Policy 5223, so I wanted to reiterate my comments tonight with a few additions. But [I] want to remind everyone that rescinding this policy does not restrict religious instruction. This instruction can happen before or after school. 

As stated at our last meeting, the school board became aware of some compliance issues with our absence for religious instruction Policy 5223 through a community member. As I started to look into this issue, I became concerned about taking kids out of school. As I stated at the last meeting, I have significant concerns about the distractions caused by pulling kids out of school during the middle of the day. 

We have such limited time with the students, and there's a lot […] that needs to happen to ensure they transition in and out of school safely and efficiently. Also while recess is important for allowing students to blow off steam and return ready to learn, it's crucial to their development. The cognitive, social-emotional and physical benefits of play are well documented and we heard some of them tonight. [T]hey're documented by organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and others. 

I continue to really remain puzzled by the strong push to operate programs that require kids to leave school during the middle of the school day; especially when students interested in such programs could be dropped off before school, or picked up afterward. This approach could even alleviate child care issues for parents on certain days, or altogether, while still providing religious instruction. Programs offering religious instruction could pick students up after school, provide child care, provide religious instruction, and then parents could pick their child up on their way home from work, like many do after, with other after-school programs. 

I'd really like to stress this so let me state it again. Because as I listened to the speakers and read the emails from people objecting to the potential rescinding of Policy 5223, I want to remind everyone that removing the policy is not taking away the opportunity for such a program to operate outside of the school day. 

I'm also continuing to be mindful and concerned about the potential strain on resources if multiple programs were to operate during the school day, ensuring legal compliance for each program, as well as managing the logistics of taking kids [in] and out - of coming in and going out of school - would require significant staff and resources. Rescinding this policy would be consistent with how we handled another situation where social support liaisons were meeting with students during the school day; we maintained [that] these meetings while [held] during lunch or recess were disruptive to the school day in the buildings, so we discontinued the practice.  

There's been a lot of misinformation circulating, a lot, so I want to make one thing very clear: the concern around this policy has nothing to do with any specific religion or religious programs in general. It's about utilizing the time we have with students in school to focus on educating them, and minimizing disruptions to the school day for students, teachers, and staff. I believe my position allows for both goals to be accomplished. Kids get their full day in school and can participate in a religious program outside of school time; it's not an either / or. 

I also remain concerned about liability. Initially, again when we realized the program violated our policy in the higher Revised Code, we focused on a solution that ensured compliance with the law. As we've been looking at these release time programs, my apprehension remains about this, and the attention and energy that it takes to ensure that any future programs are in compliance with the law - which, again, demands additional resources and diverts us from our core mission. Again, the concern about keeping students at school … the concern is about keeping students at school, and I believe that these types of programs should occur outside of the limited time that we have students at school. 

Now I understand this decision tonight may invoke a range of emotions, and I anticipate more in the coming days. However, again, I urge everyone to focus on the well-being of the students in this district and refrain from spreading misinformation or, even worse, hate. We have so many wonderful things happening in our schools. We truly do, and this district is filled with amazing students, staff, teachers, and community members who care deeply about the more than 14,700 children we serve. Let's come back together for the benefit of all these children which are our future. 

All right …

(New speaker, Board Member Jennifer Aultman)

Just one thing, yeah, please. Uh, I want to support President Meyer's comments. Thank you for those, um, and I'm just going to make an appeal here about children. So however you feel about this, when you leave this room if there are children that you're talking to about this decision, um, I, as a school board member, have listened. I thank you for everyone coming to speak, and my decision is based on my best understanding of what is best for children. It comes from my care for children, and if you tell them anything other than that, you're misrepresenting how I've come to my decision. So, please just at least reflect that honestly if you have children in your lives who you're talking to. Thank you. 

(New speaker, unidentified) 

Alright. 

Mrs. Davidson? Yes. 

Mrs. Valentine? Yes. 

Mrs. Liban? I abstain. 

Mrs. Aultman? Yes. 

Mrs. Meyer? Yes. 

All right, the board will meet in regular session on Monday, October 14th, 2024 at 6 pm at the Early Learning Center, which is here, 936 East Wind Drive, Westerville, Ohio, 43081.  

Thank you. 

[Applause]

May I have a motion to adjourn? 

So moved.

Second? Uh, Yes.

Yes. 

Yes.  

[End of video transcript]