With the so-called "Parents' Bill of Rights" set to go into effect in Ohio this week, the Westerville City Schools' board is expected to vote Monday evening to reinstate a religious-release time policy.
The Worthington City Schools' board restored its religious release time policy at its regular meeting on March 10.
Release time allows students to leave school for religious events that take place off school grounds with parent permission. The students can't miss "core" classes like math or English.
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Westerville and Worthington rescinded their release time policies last year, with board members at both schools citing disruptions to classroom time and logistical concerns. The move forced the popular and sometimes controversial off-campus Christian Bible study program LifeWise to leave both schools.
With House Bill 8, dubbed "The Parents' Bill of Rights," going into effect on Wednesday, the schools were required to put a religious release time policy back on the books.
The sweeping bill requires parents to be notified about "sexuality content" in K-12 classrooms and requires school employees to notify parents of changes in a child's physical or mental health, including if a child has gender identity questions or wants to be referred to by a different name or pronouns. It also states that "a school district board of education shall adopt a policy that authorizes a student to be excused from school to attend a released time course in religious instruction..."
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Worthington school board members discussed their new policy at length during their February and March meetings. The new policy says that an organization offering release time must have liability insurance and do background checks on instructors and volunteers. The policy also says that organizations can't send students back to school with snacks, candy, t-shirts or trinkets.
Westerville's policy is expected to bar teachers from encouraging or discouraging release time programs.
A Westerville spokeswoman said LifeWise will be allowed to restart its program at the school if the new policy is approved.
The Westerville City Schools' Board of Education meets at 6 p.m. on Monday at the district's early learning center on Eastwind Drive.
