New Featured Article in Church & State Magazine!
We’re proud to share that Secular Education Association’s Executive Director, Molly Gaines, is featured in the December 2025 issue of Church & State Magazine, published by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
The article offers a clear, accessible look at the rapid rise of Released Time Religious Instruction (RTRI) programs — especially LifeWise Academy — and what happens inside public schools when half a class leaves for Bible study during the school day.
The piece examines:
• what RTRI is and why most families have never heard of it
• how LifeWise’s franchise-style model operates inside the school day
• the real instructional loss for all students
• the legal framework behind Zorach, McCollum, and modern expansion
• the social pressure and proselytizing children experience
• what parents and districts can do right now to protect learning time
• why this is no longer a local issue but a coordinated national pattern
This article reflects the exact reason SEA was founded: parents across multiple states saw the same disruptions, the same pressure on kids who don’t attend RTRI, and the same lack of clarity for districts.
SEA now works nationwide to help families understand their rights, guide administrators, develop model RTRI policies, and keep public classrooms secular, inclusive, and academically focused.
📖 Read the full article in Church & State Magazine!
⭐️Link will be posted in the comments for better visibility.
SEA continues to provide:
✔ public-records support
✔ model RTRI policies for districts
✔ practical family toolkits
✔ community organizing guidance
✔ national and state-level networks
✔ evidence-based information—not just talking points (but also those!)
Public schools are shared spaces for all students. Keeping them neutral, inclusive, and free from proselytizing during the school day protects every child’s right to learn.
📌 If your district is facing RTRI or LifeWise, join our SEA national community group to connect with families and advocates across the country.
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17W1Mi4c39/?mibextid=wwXIfr
What people are saying:
- Secular Education Association: 📖 Read the full article here:
👉 https://www.au.org/the-latest/church-and-state/articles/public-schools-private-religion-what-happens-when-half-the-class-leaves-for-bible-study/This feature appears in the December 2025 issue of Church & State Magazine, published by Facebook User
- Facebook User: Great article by Facebook User. Really appreciate the reference to the Zorach dissent by Justice Hugo Black too!👏👏👏
- Facebook User: Thanks for keeping us in the know
- Facebook User: Keep up the good work
- Facebook User: Maybe if you secular schools had been successful in the last 50 years at teaching the simple stuff this wouldn’t be an issue (for you)
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