🚍 A small fundraiser that raises bigger questions

We recently came across a local fundraiser in Collierville, Tennessee — an affluent Memphis suburb — where an individual is raising money to obtain a CDL to transport students for a released-time religious instruction program.

On its own, a CDL fundraiser isn’t unusual. But the broader context is worth noting.

Collierville is a relatively high-income community. And nationally, organizations driving released-time programs have raised tens of millions of dollars as they expand into new states.

Yet at the local level, we’re increasingly seeing individuals fundraising for basic infrastructure — including transportation.

And when transportation enters the picture, so do important safety questions.

When students leave campus during the school day in privately operated programs:

Who insures the vehicles?
Who holds liability in an accident?
What safety standards are applied?
And how much oversight do districts actually have?

This isn’t about one driver or one town.
It’s about understanding how these programs operate.

Transportation is one of the least discussed — but most consequential — parts of released-time models. And as these programs expand, transparency around safety and liability matters for every community.

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