OHIO
You may have seen a post in How Things Work at the Ohio Statehouse saying Ohio lawmakers ignored calls to add a background-check requirement for LifeWise staff.
THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART –
Ohio DID add a background-check provision.
But it did not create a mandatory statewide background-check requirement…
Under ORC 3313.6030, a school board may require criminal-records checks for released-time religious instruction instructors and volunteers. And if the board does that, the board determines how those checks are conducted.
So no – school districts are absolutely not powerless here.
They can require checks.
They can set the process.
They can decide that adults taking children off school property during the school day should meet district-approved safety standards.
But the legislature did not require every released-time provider to meet one universal statewide background-check standard.
And that was a mistake.
“May require” is not the same as “must require.” This leaves it up to the discretion of the board …. and as we all know- many of our school boards are complicit in this nonsense.
They are NOT using the tools they have been given to protect their students.
Parents should be asking their school boards:
Are you requiring background checks for released-time instructors and volunteers?
Who conducts them?
Who reviews the results?
And is the district relying on the private religious provider to vet itself?
This is not a technicality.
It is a child-safety issue.
Ohio was the first state to give school districts this explicit authority over background checks for released-time religious instruction. Districts should take that responsibility seriously.
They should use the tools they have been given to protect students. Don’t hide behind liability fears or worry more about LifeWise suing them.
What people are saying:
- Secular Education Association: For anyone asking where this is in Ohio law:
ORC 3313.6030 says a school board may require criminal-records checks for released-time religious instruction instructors and volunteers and the board decides how those checks are conducted.
That means districts are not powerless.
Ask your school board:
1. Does our released-time policy require background checks?
2. Who conducts them?
3. Who reviews the results?
4. Is the district independently verifying the adults, or relying on the private provider to vet itself?“May require” means your district can act.
So make them answer.
- Facebook User: Just realize the legislature is complicit in actually using LifeWise as a precursor to being the private religious ultraconservative schools funded by vouchers. This way we can become the nation’s 50th best educationally performing schools, down from our 5th place ranking in the 1990’s and 40th today.
- Facebook User: Some of the school boards did try to protect their students (and their finances) by saying no in the first place. But then the state took that option away from them.
- Facebook User: Are there mandates in Ohio for any other organizations that come on campus and interact with students like PTA-PTO, after school groups?
- Secular Education Association: Facebook User Not exactly. Ohio has mandatory background-check rules for some categories, like school employees, coaches/pupil-activity supervisors, and certain contractors. But Ohio does not have one universal statewide background-check mandate for every PTA/PTO volunteer or outside group. Many volunteer rules are set by local district policy.
That is why ORC 3313.6030 matters. Ohio specifically gave school boards authority to require background checks for released-time religious instruction instructors and volunteers. Districts should use it; because this is not an after-school club. These are adults taking children out of public school custody during the school day.
- Secular Education Association: Facebook User Not exactly. Ohio has mandatory background-check rules for some categories, like school employees, coaches/pupil-activity supervisors, and certain contractors. But Ohio does not have one universal statewide background-check mandate for every PTA/PTO volunteer or outside group. Many volunteer rules are set by local district policy.
- Facebook User: So so so dirty
- Facebook User: Christianity is just a child sex cult wrapped up in religion
- Facebook User: Never the trans kids is it?
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