NC may require schools to let students miss class for religious instruction
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- State Senate Education Committee approved a bill requiring excused religious instruction.
- Senate Bill 1006 would require districts and charters to allow one hour weekly away.
- Sen. Brad Overcash cited other states as precedent while defending the proposed policy.
A state legislative committee has backed a bill that would allow North Carolina public school students to miss class to attend religious instruction during school hours.
Under Senate Bill 1006, school districts and charter schools would be required to adopt a policy allowing students to be excused from class for at least one hour a week of religious instruction. The bill was amended and approved Wednesday by the state Senate Education Committee.
“A myriad of states have done what I’m proposing to you today,” said Sen. Brad Overcash, a Gaston County Republican and co-chair of the Senate Education Committee. “States from Vermont to New York to Florida and Tennessee and Texas, it really runs the gamut of political persuasions. These programs are important to help build the moral and religious character of our students.”
Provisions of Overcash’s amendment include:
- The religious instruction would be provided by a private entity. Public schools can only discuss religion in a non-devotional way.
- Schools would be required to excuse at least one hour of released instruction time per week for religious instruction.
- Principals would not be allowed to excuse more than four hours per week for religious instruction.
- Students would need parental consent for the religious instruction.
- Students would make up all school work that is missed.
- The religious instruction can’t occur at school unless there’s a neutral facilities use policy.
- No state or local funds are to be used for the religious instruction.
”It is something that students would have to elect to do,” Overcash told the committee. “Their parent or guardian would have to approve of this, and it doesn’t cost our PSUs (public school units) any money. “
Republican lawmakers have been particularly receptive to reaching out to religious parents. Last year, GOP lawmakers passed a law that allows parents to pull their children out of classroom discussions of topics that conflict with their religious beliefs.
LifeWise expanding religious instruction in North Carolina
A similar bill was filed last year but has been stuck in committee. Under Senate Bill 92, students would have been allowed to miss up to five hours a week for religious instruction. That bill would also allow schools to award elective credits to students who participate in the religious instruction time.
The religious instruction provision comes as LifeWise Academy has been expanding operations in North Carolina. The Ohio-based nonprofit provides Bible education and character-focused classes to public school students during regular school hours.
In Nash County, LifeWise says it served 232 students this school year at three district elementary schools.
“God is using LifeWise to impact the lives of students, parents, teachers, volunteers and churches,” LifeWise said in a Facebook post Wednesday,
LifeWise’s expansion plans have sparked debate and opposition from some groups.
“This program presents many problematic issues particularly related to religious freedom and the separation of church and state,” Pastors for NC Children and People of Faith for Public School said in an online statement opposing LifeWise’s expansion.
Part of education omnibus bill
The religious instruction provision is part of a much larger bill that includes multiple education provisions. Items include:
- Expand automatic enrollment in advanced courses for high-scoring students to include English/language arts classes.
- Provide $10 million in state funding so schools can partner with Khan Academy to use Khanmingo, an AI tutoring program.
- Require state Department of Public Instruction to review monthly whether school districts are overspending state funds.
- Create a High School Redesign Commission to recommend changes to rules governing high schools.
- Provide an additional $43 million to the Advanced Teaching Roles Program that provides additional pay to educators who take on leadership roles at their school.
