In case you missed it …. This is what public school complicity looks like. 👀 Former Caldwell High School principal Ben Rutherford is now lobbying Ohio lawmakers to pass HB 531 — the “School Chaplain Act” — using his public school experience as the sales pitch. And the timeline matters. Before Caldwell, Rutherford was Headmaster… Read More

This is what public school complicity looks like. Ben Rutherford is not just a private citizen supporting Ohio’s school chaplain bill. He is a former public school principal using his public-school experience to urge lawmakers to pass HB 531 — the “School Chaplain Act.” And the timeline is hard to ignore. Public-facing materials show Rutherford… Read More

When a public-school-day religious program tells children to be “obedient to the point of death,” parents are allowed to ask questions. Families have every right to teach their children their faith at home, in church, and through private religious instruction. But public schools should not be coordinating access to children during the school day for… Read More

We fully support public schools. We support public school teachers, counselors, staff, and administrators who show up every day for students under increasingly difficult conditions. But support does not mean silence. Public school employees and leaders hold positions of public trust. They have a responsibility to protect every student’s right to attend a school that… Read More

When children are asked what they love most about LifeWise, and the answer is “snacks and prizes,” adults should be paying attention. This is not just “parent choice.” It is a private religious program using the public school day to separate children from their classmates — and then making participation more appealing with treats, rewards,… Read More

Coalition work matters. So does accurate attribution. During the HB 253 fight, SEA tracked the legislation, analyzed the RTRI and “moral instruction” implications, shared source material and bill language, educated the public, and helped amplify concerns in real time. Multiple organizations utilized SEA’s research and sourcing throughout this effort. We are glad communities mobilized and… Read More

This Teacher Appreciation Week, we want to do more than say thank you. We want to listen. Teachers, educators, and school staff are some of our strongest and most essential allies. You see the realities of the school day firsthand – including the impact of programs like LifeWise, as well as other situations where religion… Read More

We say we appreciate teachers. But appreciation isn’t coffee mugs or “hero” posts. Right now, teachers are being asked to do more than ever; while navigating disrupted schedules, lost instructional time, political interference, and increasing pressure inside the school day. They are expected to absorb it.Keep things running.Stay neutral.Protect every child. That’s not appreciation. If… Read More

Public school dollars should follow public school kids. We’re hearing a lot about “money following the child.” But public funding exists to support a system; one that serves every child, in every community, with public accountability. Public schools are that system. Private systems are NOT. Public schools belong to everyone. What people are saying: Secular… Read More

Today, Fort Wayne showed up for public school kids. 💜 Public School Belonging Day in Fort Wayne, Indiana was everything we hoped it would be and more. Families came. Kids made art. Belonging Bags were filled and shared. Community members wrote encouragement notes. People stopped by to connect, share stories, offer support, and remind one… Read More

💜 TODAY is Public School Belonging Day ! To families of minority faiths, interfaith families, atheist and agnostic families, LGBTQ+ families, and anyone feeling marginalized or uncertain in this current moment: You are loved. You are respected. You belong. Public schools should be places where every child and family is welcomed — not tolerated, not… Read More

Families are trying to tell us what this feels like. Not as a policy debate.Not as a talking point.As parents raising children in communities where public school, church, friendship, and social pressure are becoming harder and harder to separate. A parent shared this with permission. When everything points children toward one religion, “optional” stops feeling… Read More

🎉 GIVEAWAY WINNER 🎉 We completed our random drawing for the Dayton Dragons Family 4-Pack… And the winner is: KELLY G! ⚾💚 👏👏👏 We’ll be reaching out via DM to coordinate your tickets and hats! Thank you to everyone who entered, shared, and helped spread the word about Public School Belonging Day. This was a… Read More

A child went an entire school year without library because that was when LifeWise came. That is not “optional.” That is a public school schedule being bent around a private religious program — and children losing part of their education because of it. This is from an Ohio teacher, shared with permission. Students missed library… Read More

Public School Belonging Day is almost here and there is still time to help from wherever you are! We are putting together Belonging Bags for kids in Fort Wayne, Indiana and right now we especially need crayons and tissues! These bags are more than supplies. They are a tangible reminder that every child belongs in… Read More