Alliance for Defending Freedom Wants Bible Classes in Public Schools
The Alliance for Defending Freedom (ADF) says removing students from public schools is the best way for them to learn about religion. Someone should tell them about churches. I heard a rumor that many Christian churches hold services in the evenings or on weekends. Dedicating time to religious services, rather than squeezing a class into an elementary school period that requires moving students down the road and back in 45 minutes, is a better approach. Anyone who thinks disrupting the school day is a better way to learn about religion is not focused on teaching about religion; they are focused on disrupting the school day.
The ADF message also announced the recently passed Louisiana legislation (SB 112) requiring school districts to work with Lifewise Academy. The language of the bill opens the door for religious classes in school buildings during the school day.
This aligns with the ADF’s push to convince schools that released time can be conducted on school property, despite Supreme Court rulings and every state law mandating that released time be off school property. Read emails to two school districts indicating that the ADF says released time laws can be superseded by Equal Access Laws. This goes against every legal opinion on released time.
The portion of the letter discussing released time is below, along with a link to the full letter as a PDF.
Lifewise called their movie “Off School Property,” but lobbies to put their programs into schools.
The ADF and Lifewise are bringing Bible classes into public schools, using public school resources. It’s coming. The signs are clear. The coordination is in plain sight. Speak to your school board members and representatives. Make sure they understand that laws allowing released time on school property are a legal liability and create an environment that permits the proselytization of students in public schools during the school day.