Lifewise Academy doesn’t perform adequate background checks. We already know this much; but were you aware that they make it the EXPLICIT responsibility of their local program directors to run said background checks?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iNFSc07Y72gZ1Bi-7n_NJQ4iwvp3ojC2/view
“* NOTE: LifeWise Program Directors hold the responsibility for ensuring background screenings are completed for all team member applicants at the local program.”
Linda Schulze is the Director for LifeWise at Buckeye Central and ALSO a deacon at The Evangelical Pietist Church of Chatfield in Chatfield, Ohio.
“The Evangelical Pietist Church of Chatfield. has addressed recent concerns regarding Curtis Morris, a registered sex offender who has been serving as the head coach of the Senedot Stripes basketball team, a youth sports program affiliated with the church.”
Curtis Ray Morris is a Tier I Sex Offender who is listed on the Sex Offender Registry for sexual imposition of a minor with sexual motivation. Please keep in mind that the age of consent in Ohio is 16. So the victim would be a child of 16 or younger. In addition, not only is his home address listed, but the churches address is listed on the sex offender registry as well.
https://www.icrimewatch.net/offenderdetails.php?OfndrID=1591795&AgencyID=55149
So Linda, the local LW director, is a deacon at the church with a predator. It’s her responsibility to run the background checks that Lifewise “requires”.
From the Tiffinohio.net article – “The church “cited a public meeting in 2019, during which Morris “confessed his past crimes to parents and sought their forgiveness.” According to the church, parents at the time forgave him and supported his continued involvement.”
With this information we can confirm that without a doubt; Linda Schulze would have been highly aware of Mr. Morris’s past. She would have been aware that for five years a sex offender was coaching the church basketball team. The Evangelical Pietist Church of Chatfield is a sponsor of the Buckeye Central Lifewise program and Schulze is in charge of keeping the Buckeye Central Lifewise Academy kids safe.
The article goes on to allege –
“Furthermore, the church’s assertion that all parents have been informed of Morris’s history is disputed by the tipster who contacted TiffinOhio.net. This discrepancy raises questions about the transparency of the church’s communication with families involved in the program. “
It is SO inappropriate and dangerous to have a sex offender working anywhere near minors, let alone having them coach an entire team of minors. A coach is supposed to be a safe and trusted adult- much like your RTRI program directors, teachers, and volunteers. When this church internally “forgave” and seemingly forgot; this monumental safety hazard (without notifying their congregation or the parents of the basketball team) How can we trust that there aren’t sex offenders in the Lifewise program too?
The short answer is WE DONT. We don’t trust them and how could we?
We believe that every kid who leaves school grounds to attend Lifewise Academy, is put in potential and unnecessary danger.
What people are saying:
- Secular Education Association: @followers
- Facebook User: I’m so confused. Do our kids have to participate in religious education as a result of this legislation? I fought against it, but now that it’s in place, I don’t know what it really means for my kids.
- Secular Education Association: Facebook User NO. As of right now- they do not have to participate. You can opt them out. Having them participate and being negatively impacted by it are two different things- so we will continue to fight! Let us know if you’d like to join our private group and we’ll send you the link.
- Facebook User: Parents Against Lifewise would love to join your private group to learn more and to help fight!
- Secular Education Association: Facebook User
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1AsyfTRdCh/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Facebook User: The Supreme Court is going to hear as case on public money going to a religious charter school. Ohio is letting churches take kids out of school. This trend sounds like the beginning of state religion.
Please don’t misinterpret what I am about to say but focusing on a sex offender takes the focus off the bigger issue of the state allowing/encouraging a brand of religion that supports the current racist, sexist people on power. The decisions being made right now will hurt millions of people and our outrage needs to be focused on children understanding this is not ok.
This doesn’t mean ignore sex offenders but if the focus switches to sex offenders then Lifewise and its supporters have won.- Facebook User: Brenda McKim the issue is that the RELIGION aspect is a divisive issue people cannot unite on–which is precisely why Lifewise has been so successful in Ohio to begin with.
Child safety is a BIPARTISAN issue: no one likes pedophiles or child endangerment. In the hierarchy of prison the lowest of the low is sex offender. It’s a universal point of agreement (apparently one of the few left) that no one will tolerate heinous child abuse or endangerment, this is seen with [once] respectable organizations like Boys Scounts of America and the Catholic Church being condemned for their enablement and historical cover ups of child sexual abuse. This is 100% something to lean into and is a banner anyone can unite under.
Half the populace voted in racism and sexism, no one’s going to get behind child abuse.
- Facebook User: Jess Shedaker focusing on that sex offender takes attention away from the issue of religion and schools. You are right, it is a point of agreement so now you know there is a former sex offender at the program. Deal with it and move on. Look at all the outrage about that man. It has taken attention from the issue of life wise and state money supporting religious schools.
- Facebook User: If I was a conspiracy theorist-I try to not be one-but if I were I would be sitting back, laughing at the switch in attention from religion and public schools to sex offenders. They could not have found a better way to divert attention from them.
- Facebook User: Brenda McKim the issue is that the RELIGION aspect is a divisive issue people cannot unite on–which is precisely why Lifewise has been so successful in Ohio to begin with.
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