What people are saying:

• Facebook User: Name the school district.
  • Secular Education Association: Facebook User We can’t share that publicly — we protect the privacy of parents and students who come to us.
    If you’d like to follow up, please join our private SEA Facebook group where the original poster shared the details and you can ask them directly.

    👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/secularedassociation

    — Secular Education Association

  • Facebook User: Secular Education Association I’m in that private group and I don’t see the district cited anywhere. This is a very inflammatory statement to make without being able to cite the district and makes us look like we are making this up. I want to be able to tell others this to spread the word to others but I can’t until it’s verified
  • Secular Education Association: Facebook User seems pretty likely when this is on their permission forms.
• Facebook User: Evidence please, including district and school. This is a hell of a line to cross, and I want to write my representatives, but not on rumor or speculation.
  • Secular Education Association: Facebook User We absolutely understand wanting solid proof before taking this to your representatives — that’s the right instinct.

    Out of respect for the privacy of the parent who shared this story, we can’t post their district or personal details publicly. If you’d like to follow up directly, we invite you to join our private SEA Facebook group where the original poster shared it. From there, you can reach out to them yourself to ask for documentation or more specifics.

    👉 Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/secularedassociation

    We never share members’ names or kids’ school information outside that private space without their consent.

    — Secular Education Association

  • Facebook User: Secular Education Association I’m sorry but that makes this completely unactionable by anybody. Sharing the district alone would be sufficient, and not infringe on anyone’s privacy.
  • Secular Education Association: Facebook User To clarify the report: the parent did sign her child up for LifeWise in a previous year, but chose not to enroll them this year.
    Despite that, the school still pulled the child for LifeWise and then told the parent she had to submit withdrawal paperwork to keep her child in class.

    Ohio’s Released-Time law requires students to be released only when a parent provides written consent each year. A district treating prior enrollment as permanent — and forcing parents to “opt out” — reverses that legal standard and could violate both state law and district policy.

    You don’t need the parent’s identity to take action: any resident can ask their school board and superintendent to explain the policy and show where it was authorized, and lawmakers can be asked if it complies with state law.

    👉 Join our private SEA group to see the original discussion and learn how to press for a policy review: https://www.facebook.com/groups/secularedassociation

• Facebook User: Since when can some cult leader and his followers take a child out of school without parental permission? You shouldn’t need to get permission to end any extra curricular activity. Parents are responsible for their kids and can dictate what religious training they are exposed to. The school board needs to get involved and put this Lifewise in their place
  • Facebook User: Facebook User since the Republicans have had control of the state for the last 20 years. They have slowly been eroding our public schools and the line with religion
• Facebook User: I don’t think this is true. The school needs a permission slip on file for the child to attend. If children attended without a form, the school messed up and should be held accountable.
  • Secular Education Association: Tiffany Landau Rowland this is absolutely true. Unfortunately. And not the first time this exact scenario has been reported to us.
  • Facebook User: Just like the electric and gas provider in town. You are automatically signed up, and you have to opt out every year if you don’t want it. Seems like the way things are headed.
• Facebook User: Ew no. They need to get permission yearly. Just like for everything else. Did the original permission slips contain a “school year”? Like 24/25 school year? If it wasnt stated CLEARLY that the permission was for the entire elementary career, thats on them. Id raise hell they kidnapped my child. Period.
• Facebook User: I’d take it to the school board and threaten a lawsuit
• Facebook User: I would likely be arrested if my grandsons were pulled for this sick group.
• Facebook User: Not a fucking chance