The author of this blog is likely in favor of choice except when it's the choice of parents to allow their children to receive religious instruction. When children attend public school, they don't suddenly become "wards of the state". Parents are still in charge of their children and that right must be protected.
Elementary school children are released one day a week for one block of 45-60 minutes during a non-core class time. It's absolutely laughable that Respect Public Schools claims it interferes with instruction time. Our children attended public schools and the final 2-3 WEEKS were a complete waste of time. Furthermore, take a look at reading and math proficiency in US public schools. It's despicable that so much money is spent with such poor outcomes.
It is absolutely the parents’ choice to sign their child out of school for any reason they see fit. The Supreme Court has said that they can do it for religious purposes and that it will have no impact on attendance. This infringes on other parents who would like to remove their child from school for secular purposes, but their kids are marked absent.
The other issue with Lifewise and the current RTRI they impose is that parents aren’t showing up to sign their children out. A waiver is sent home, or a slip with the link, and then a different volunteer comes to pick up the child for each RTRI class. The parents aren’t driving this instruction, as you state.
RTRI is not a right, never has been, but Lifewise has lobbied states to change laws and force districts to coordinate schedules. It’s illegal, and parents and the public need to know it’s happening. Without the established public school system, Lifewise’s ability to function would not exist. The schools prop it up.
Parents commonly sign authorization forms, pickup and release forms, to allow their child to be released from public school to someone other than a parent or legal guardian. Standing and ongoing authorizations for specific persons, for example a nanny, older sibling, carpool driver, etc., are just a few examples. This allows repeated pickups without re-submitting each time. Requiring otherwise for RTRI is therefore discriminatory.
You’re correct that RTRI isn’t a right. Such programs are permissible under the First Amendment provided certain conditions are met. You state, “It is absolutely the parents’ choice to sign their child out of school for any reason they see fit.” School administrations frequently deny access to the children of parents who want to sign out their students for religious instruction, as even you admit they’re entitled to do. LifeWise lobbies to end this obstacle. The laws to which you refer mandate that districts shall have a policy in place to facilitate these permissible programs. If a state enacts a law it’s not illegal, as you illogically assert. By definition is becomes law.
A parent putting a named individual to pickup their child after school or during school is not the same as signing a slip saying a corporation can pickup the child from for 6 years. This is how the process works in a majority of the schools lifewise operates in. Sign a slip, different person comes each week to get the child until they leave that elementary school. Lifewise lost a child a couple months ago. Lost. The school had no record the child being signed out.
These policies are not to make things difficult, they protect people.
Your words, not mine: “It is absolutely the parents’ choice to sign their child out of school for any reason they see fit.” Why do you have so little faith in the parents to accept the minute risk of allowing their children to attend LifeWise or any other RTRI program? Perhaps they see the reward and benefits as being far greater. The risk to students going on a school field trip is with strangers who chaperone them seems far greater than with consistent staff and volunteers who undergo rigorous background checks. It’s the parents decision, not yours or anyone else’s.
Show me one Lifewise Academy that has conducted rigorous background checks and had them verified by parents or the school. Lifewise has no dedicated staff to handle child safety, 60,000 students, and no dedicated resources.
If a child misses days for Bible study and the school cannot comment or make any attendance marks, but if a parent relieves their child for vacation, private sports, or any other reason, the child is marked absent, and truancy is tallied. It does not make sense.
Also, just because a law is passed does not make it legal. That's what courts do.
I don’t where you’re getting your information but it’s grossly inaccurate. Although I appear to be your only reader, I feel a sense of responsibility for setting the record straight.
EVERY LifeWise Academy employee and volunteer undergoes a rigorous background check which is conducted by ADP and facilitated by their support center. There are 18 full time HR personnel who are responsible for this critical task.
Concerning attendance, you seem to be arguing what’s fair and that’s irrelevant. A child not being marked absent for going to LifeWise has no detrimental effect on other absent students.
You write” “Also, just because a law is passed does not make it legal. That's what courts do.” Really?! I went to school in your state of Ohio and I learned civics in elementary school. I hope you did as well or this is evidence of public schools failing us. A law can be adjudicated in court but when a governor or the president sign a piece of legislation it becomes law. Period.
The author of this blog is likely in favor of choice except when it's the choice of parents to allow their children to receive religious instruction. When children attend public school, they don't suddenly become "wards of the state". Parents are still in charge of their children and that right must be protected.
Elementary school children are released one day a week for one block of 45-60 minutes during a non-core class time. It's absolutely laughable that Respect Public Schools claims it interferes with instruction time. Our children attended public schools and the final 2-3 WEEKS were a complete waste of time. Furthermore, take a look at reading and math proficiency in US public schools. It's despicable that so much money is spent with such poor outcomes.
It is absolutely the parents’ choice to sign their child out of school for any reason they see fit. The Supreme Court has said that they can do it for religious purposes and that it will have no impact on attendance. This infringes on other parents who would like to remove their child from school for secular purposes, but their kids are marked absent.
The other issue with Lifewise and the current RTRI they impose is that parents aren’t showing up to sign their children out. A waiver is sent home, or a slip with the link, and then a different volunteer comes to pick up the child for each RTRI class. The parents aren’t driving this instruction, as you state.
RTRI is not a right, never has been, but Lifewise has lobbied states to change laws and force districts to coordinate schedules. It’s illegal, and parents and the public need to know it’s happening. Without the established public school system, Lifewise’s ability to function would not exist. The schools prop it up.
Parents commonly sign authorization forms, pickup and release forms, to allow their child to be released from public school to someone other than a parent or legal guardian. Standing and ongoing authorizations for specific persons, for example a nanny, older sibling, carpool driver, etc., are just a few examples. This allows repeated pickups without re-submitting each time. Requiring otherwise for RTRI is therefore discriminatory.
You’re correct that RTRI isn’t a right. Such programs are permissible under the First Amendment provided certain conditions are met. You state, “It is absolutely the parents’ choice to sign their child out of school for any reason they see fit.” School administrations frequently deny access to the children of parents who want to sign out their students for religious instruction, as even you admit they’re entitled to do. LifeWise lobbies to end this obstacle. The laws to which you refer mandate that districts shall have a policy in place to facilitate these permissible programs. If a state enacts a law it’s not illegal, as you illogically assert. By definition is becomes law.
A parent putting a named individual to pickup their child after school or during school is not the same as signing a slip saying a corporation can pickup the child from for 6 years. This is how the process works in a majority of the schools lifewise operates in. Sign a slip, different person comes each week to get the child until they leave that elementary school. Lifewise lost a child a couple months ago. Lost. The school had no record the child being signed out.
These policies are not to make things difficult, they protect people.
Your words, not mine: “It is absolutely the parents’ choice to sign their child out of school for any reason they see fit.” Why do you have so little faith in the parents to accept the minute risk of allowing their children to attend LifeWise or any other RTRI program? Perhaps they see the reward and benefits as being far greater. The risk to students going on a school field trip is with strangers who chaperone them seems far greater than with consistent staff and volunteers who undergo rigorous background checks. It’s the parents decision, not yours or anyone else’s.
Show me one Lifewise Academy that has conducted rigorous background checks and had them verified by parents or the school. Lifewise has no dedicated staff to handle child safety, 60,000 students, and no dedicated resources.
If a child misses days for Bible study and the school cannot comment or make any attendance marks, but if a parent relieves their child for vacation, private sports, or any other reason, the child is marked absent, and truancy is tallied. It does not make sense.
Also, just because a law is passed does not make it legal. That's what courts do.
I don’t where you’re getting your information but it’s grossly inaccurate. Although I appear to be your only reader, I feel a sense of responsibility for setting the record straight.
EVERY LifeWise Academy employee and volunteer undergoes a rigorous background check which is conducted by ADP and facilitated by their support center. There are 18 full time HR personnel who are responsible for this critical task.
Concerning attendance, you seem to be arguing what’s fair and that’s irrelevant. A child not being marked absent for going to LifeWise has no detrimental effect on other absent students.
You write” “Also, just because a law is passed does not make it legal. That's what courts do.” Really?! I went to school in your state of Ohio and I learned civics in elementary school. I hope you did as well or this is evidence of public schools failing us. A law can be adjudicated in court but when a governor or the president sign a piece of legislation it becomes law. Period.