💬 From our community- shared with permission, originally posted anonymously in our private group
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A parent shared something that many families quietly experience when Released Time Religious Instruction programs like LifeWise arrive in a small school community.
In this case, the parent noticed that enthusiastic public comments celebrating LifeWise’s first day weren’t coming from strangers — they were coming from teachers at their child’s own school. Educators they personally respect. People their child sees every day.
That creates a real, uncomfortable tension for families who opt out.
No one is accusing individual teachers of bad intentions. But this is exactly why these programs are not neutral in practice — especially in small districts where “everyone knows everyone.”
When school-connected adults publicly celebrate a religious program that removes students from class, it can:
• Intensify social pressure on children who don’t attend
• Make opting out feel isolating or stigmatizing
• Blur the line between personal belief and professional role
This parent did everything right:
✔️ Talked with their child
✔️ Made an informed choice
✔️ Respected others’ decisions
✔️ Still felt frustrated — and that frustration is valid
SEA exists for families like this — families who believe public schools should be welcoming and inclusive for all students, not just those who participate in the majority faith activity of the moment.
If this resonates with you, you are not alone. And if it hasn’t happened in your district yet — that “yet” matters.
We’re paying attention. And we’re here
What people are saying:
- Facebook User: Interesting. I know teachers who are really bothered by this as it has created more work. Ours are pulled during specials. Parents wanted their kids to go but not kids their specials class, so now they have to figure out how to have the lesson with so many kids missing, and then make up for the lost time for the students that were out. I don’t understand why they don’t go after school?!? They release an hour before our secondary schools.
- Secular Education Association: Facebook User they refuse to do this after school and here’s why- they require the captive audience of the public school day to spread and proselytize and pressure the children. Turn them against each other. Divide communities, and undermine our secular, science based public school curriculum. The entire point is to “bring the Bible back into the school day” as they repeatedly say. It also serves to normalize this sort of religious (Christian Nationalist) infiltration of our schools. They know exactly how much having this after school would help struggling families who need child care but that isn’t their primary goal and certainly not a concern. They don’t give back to the community in any way. They just take.
- Secular Education Association: Jennifer Brower but as a follow up- YES. We absolutely see many more teachers who do NOT support RTRI programs than those that do. The problem we are seeing is that a lot of teachers who are experiencing issues or believe this to be a problem are afraid to speak up. And we completely understand why, those reason are completely legitimate. We do have an anonymous survey for teachers who wish to report their experiences but need to remain anonymous. https://bit.ly/LifeWiseImpactOnTeachers
We ❤️ our public school teachers and want to support them.
- Facebook User: I accidentally missed checking the box agreeing to the terms after filling out the other boxes. I can redo it if you need me to. It wouldn’t let me cancel and redo it.
- Facebook User: For some reason it’s not allowing me to do the questions again when I select join it just goes straight to pending. I do agree to the terms. I just can’t get to that part.
- Secular Education Association: Brooke Todd we got you in! Let us know if you have any other issues. Welcome ❤️
- Facebook User: Thank you! ❤️
- Facebook User: I HATE how unsupportive and narrow minded these comments to the poster are.
- Facebook User: It is illegal for teachers to have an opinion on these programs.
- Facebook User: Teachers are allowed an opinion. They can even share that opinion publicly. They CANNOT participate or coerce in any way. That would be illegal….at the moment.
- Facebook User: Facebook User Teachers are still people and citizens. Outlawing opinions would be very Orwellian.
- Facebook User: Facebook User they can’t do on school time.
- Facebook User: Facebook User True, but that wasn’t included in your comment. You just said they can’t have opinions.
- Facebook User: Facebook User , what?! Teachers have First Amendment rights just like everyone else. Now, should they say negative things publicly or in front of students, no. I’m a retired teacher and the whole LifeWise thing would have angered me. Teachers are criticized enough. Students don’t need to be missing more class time whether it’s specials or not. Let the parents get out of bed and take them to church.
- Facebook User: Indoctrination! I’d be afraid of the Pedophiles!
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