šØ THIS IS WHAT RELEASED TIME ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE.
This was shared by a member of our private group…š
Because this is the part that gets lost when released-time religious instruction is described as simply āparents choosing Bible education for their own children.ā
According to this account, a public elementary school eliminated library as a special to accommodate students leaving for LifeWise.
Now no one gets library.
Not just LifeWise students.
Everyone.
Released time doesnāt just affect the kids who participate. Accommodating a private religious program during the public-school day can affect schedules, resources, teachers, and children who never participate in that program at all.
šAnd we want to know how often this is happening.
If released time has changed anything at your public school ā schedules, specials, lunch, recess, staffing, transportation, school events, use of facilities, or what nonparticipating students do ā tell us.
Parents. Educators. Staff. Community members.
š§ contact@seculareducationassociation.org
Show us what released time actually looks like. Because no child should lose part of their public education to make room for someone elseās religious instruction.
What people are saying:
- Facebook User: This is a FEATURE of Lifewise, NOT A BUG! Gawd forbid an 8 year-old should come across a book about a baby penguin with 2 daddies! Only way to prevent that is by making the library irrelevant. It’s less overt than actual book-banning, and doesn’t get as much attention that will stir up opposition.
- Facebook User: Sounds like a school scheduling problem. Surely there are other solutions where we can accommodate instead of blame extra-curricular programs.
- Secular Education Association: Facebook User LifeWise is NOT an extracurricular.
- Facebook User: Facebook User the solution is AFTER SCHOOL
- Facebook User: This is just an example of why Lifewise should NOT meet with children during school instruction hours. Something must be sacrificed in order to have time to remove students from their public school to go to Lifewise. I was an elementary art teacher for 4 years before I transferred to a junior high. How many schools pull students from art or music or physical ed. classes to go to Lifewise? Art lessons build upon another and frequently take more than 1 class period to do the project. If students are removed from art class to go learn about a Bible verse, get a treat and (a toy or sticker) reward, those art students will have incomplete art projects. How do they catch-up or make-up missed art class time? How would that child feel taking home partially done artwork? How is the art teacher to evaluate or grade them? If Lifewise wants to be an influential part of the community, they would meet before or after the school day. Providing care for children after school in addition to their Lifewise message would be a blessing to parents.
- Facebook User: Library time is more than books – it’s essential for kids to know about real accurate sources of information and libraries is the focus on this.
- Facebook User: They shouldnāt have a place at the open house. Open House is for students & their parents and public school staff. LW is not staff.
- Facebook User: Insidious
- Facebook User: we are germany 1934
- Facebook User: Facebook User- I know kids miss music but does it affect everyone? Thought you might have more wisdom
- Facebook User: Facebook User no it doesnāt affect everyone thankfully. This is the first year for me that they are not missing music. š„³
- Facebook User: Facebook User they should not miss anything offered with in the school. Some schools rotate art music gym some they take 10 minutes from core class time. So 10 x 5 they miss about an hour of math or science every week
- Facebook User: Liz they also bring kids back late disrupt with complaints about who was misbehaving so while you have to stand at the door listening to them drone on about Johnny the class is not settling back down then you have to put coats away and get ready to learn but wait they brought cards to pass out to talk others into joining and the are eating the candy passed out in front of the stay behinds or showing off todayās toy.
- Facebook User: Facebook User and yes no one gets to go to music the ones left behind stay with classroom teacher
- Facebook User: Facebook User thatās good for your kiddos but many schools they donāt get that opportunity
- Facebook User: Children arenāt ālackingā access to books and reading because of Lifewise. Be honest.
- Facebook User: Facebook User some that find themselves in schools like this one mentioned might though. Just because you have books in your home or access to them, and access to a library or transportation there doesn’t mean everyone does. If the teachers are funding their own mini libraries in the classroom chances are their students have access to less than other schools. And the library isn’t just for books. It helps inspire of love of reading in kids. It’s a place to study and learn as well.
- Facebook User: Facebook User honestly: the larger issue here is that you donāt have a problem with a private, religious organization pushing into our PUBLIC, SECULAR schools.
Above is just another example of why this shouldnāt happen. - Facebook User: Facebook User many many children do not have access to books and reading materials. The only place they get the opportunity is at school. Schools are for learning Science, Math, Reading Writing the Arts. Socializing with others , not religion. Religion separates people from others. Life Wise tells children if they donāt believe they go to Hell . Who tells this to a child? Life Wise does.
- Facebook User: Facebook User Library special isnāt just an opportunity to check out books. Librarians also teach students how to develop a research question, locate information, take notes, use reference sources, decide whether a source is reliable, recognize misinformation, etc. Itās a class, not just free time to browse books
- Facebook User: This is also why you need to show up at school board meetings. Their presence at open house means someone approved it higher up the chain of command.
- Facebook User: Where is this
- Facebook User: None of this is right. You let religious organizations in your school and pretty soon, they’re driving policy. KEEP YOUR CHURCHES OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS.
- Facebook User: Dumbing down of American education!
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