Victory for NH Public Education! 🏛️🍎 We are thrilled to share that HB 1628, which sought to mandate “release time” for religious instruction during the school day, has been defeated. The House Education Committee voted unanimously 16-0 to label the bill Inexpedient to Legislate. 💡 What does “Inexpedient to Legislate” (ITL) mean? In New Hampshire,… Read More

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has as sent a formal letter to Elmwood Local Schools (Ohio) regarding released-time religious instruction program Lifewise Academy. For context, SEA has been sharing documentation related to this district in our private community since 2024, including public records about how released-time programming intersects with public school property and resources. We’re… Read More

🛑 GEORGIA ALERT: HB 1352 is Moving Fast! Is religious instruction coming to your child’s public school schedule? HB 1352 (The “Student Character Development Act”) was just introduced in the House, and it aims to change the boundary between church and state in Georgia schools. 🔍 What is HB 1352? Currently, Georgia school districts can… Read More

What class do kids miss for released-time religious instruction? It depends on where you live. This surprises a lot of people…. There is no national rule about when students are pulled from school for released-time religious programs like LifeWise. Because scheduling rules vary widely, some students are pulled from CORE academic instruction while others are… Read More

🚨 Major ruling out of Kentucky — and it has national implications. Today, the Kentucky Supreme Court unanimously struck down a charter school funding law as unconstitutional, ruling that public education funds must stay within the state’s “common school” system unless voters explicitly approve otherwise. The court pointed to something we’ve been saying for years:… Read More

Most people don’t realize LifeWise doesn’t start with a school vote.It starts quietly — parent groups, church meetings, “just informational” sessions. By the time districts hear about it, the groundwork is already laid. That’s why we built this map.Not marketing. Not guesses.Verifiable activity — district by district. Check your area:👉 View original post on Facebook Read More

Christian nationalism isn’t just rhetoric — it shows up in policy. A new PRRI report maps where Christian nationalist ideology is strongest and how it aligns with political power. At the Secular Education Association, we’re watching this closely because public schools are often where ideology becomes law. We’re already seeing it play out through: •… Read More

🚨 In case you missed it: The U.S. Department of Education just released new federal guidance on religion in public schools. Earlier this month, the Department of Education issued updated guidance on constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression in K–12 schools. This guidance outlines how districts are expected to interpret:• Student religious expression• Staff boundaries•… Read More

🚨MISSOURI: A Pattern Worth Watching We’ve published a new investigation into LifeWise organizing in Missouri — and the timeline raises serious transparency questions. Our reporting documents:• Early local organizing tied to church networks• Direct coordination with LifeWise staff and lobbyists• Legislative efforts mirroring national model bills• Overlap between local actors and national advocacy groups This… Read More

Iowa isn’t “next.” It’s already happening. A new deep dive into LifeWise expansion in Iowa shows multiple districts already running programs — and many more in the pipeline. According to the analysis: • Several Iowa districts already have live LifeWise programs • Additional districts are in late-stage rollout • Some projections suggest 20+ active programs… Read More

🚨 This was shared with us by a parent today in our private group. A child brought home a Valentine that directs students to join a religious program — complete with a QR code. Let’s be clear:This isn’t about whether families are religious. It’s about where recruitment is happening. Public schools are supposed to be… Read More

Think LifeWise isn’t in your state yet?You might want to look again. 👀 This map comes from LifeWise’s own promotional materials showing where they claim programs are operating or expanding nationwide. (As of November 2025) And it highlights why the Secular Education Association tracks Released Time Religious Instruction at a national level. Because this isn’t… Read More

🚨 Educators: We Know You’re Carrying This. If you’re a teacher, staff member, counselor, aide, administrator, or substitute in a district where LifeWise operates — you are seeing things most parents never do. You see: • The instructional time lost• The scheduling strain• The students who feel left out• The tension among staff• The inequities… Read More

In a new op-ed for Everett Herald, SEA Executive Director Molly Gaines examines the LifeWise lawsuit against Everett Schools and explains why neutrality in public education is not an attack on religion—but a constitutional safeguard for everyone. At the center of the lawsuit is a familiar claim: that requiring public schools to remain religiously neutral… Read More

🚨 LEGAL COMPLIANCE ALERT: Is LifeWise Violating Our Settlement? Under the terms of our legal settlement with LifeWise Academy, they are strictly required to make all of their curriculum available for public review. However, there is a massive discrepancy between what they are showing us and what they are actually teaching in schools like Ashland… Read More