School District Endorses Christian Ministry and Gives Special Treatment
School Ministries Ohio and Conotton Valley Union Schools allowed a volunteer on school property with no BCI/FBI background check. Let Christian students jump the lunch line.
School Ministries Ohio and Conotton Valley Union Local Schools have coordinated to violate Ohio law, Supreme Court rulings, and school policy. The district and Imagine Ministries have signed agreements since August 2022 to use the school’s library for Bible services. The district charges $50 per day for use of the library from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm. The room is used, on average, once a week. The agreement requires all adults to have a Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) background check on file with the district.
Screenshot and link to the full agreement.
Imagine Ministries is presented as a released time religious instruction (RTRI) program. It is a member of School Ministries Ohio (SMO), an organization that assists in starting and operating released time programs. SMO has been in operation since 2007 and is a member of the national School Ministries organization. Both organizations are focused on the mission of inserting RTRI programs into public schools. RTRI has clear legal guidelines set by the courts and Ohio state law. One of those guidelines is that the programs cannot operate on school district property. The School Ministries website clearly states this as well.
Ohio statute 3313.6022 states
“released time” means a period of time during which a student is excused from school to attend a course in religious instruction conducted by a private entity off school district property.
The Imagine Ministries agreement indicates that the classes will be held in the library on school property every Monday.
Imagine Ministries is a member of School Ministries Ohio and uses it as a resource. When an individual who was not a United States citizen requested to volunteer for the ministry located in the school, School Ministries Ohio suggested that they check in as a visitor and not undergo a background check.
There is an argument that a visa requires a background check. While this is true, you can enter the country even with infractions that would disqualify an individual from volunteering in public schools. Waivers can be granted for infractions that would bar an employee or volunteer from a public school. When given two options, allowing an individual to volunteer at the school with or without a criminal background check, the school and the ministry chose no background check.
The school district has a policy that requires volunteers to be screened. The ministry operates on school property. The individuals are in the school building. The school is aiding a religious organization. The school district's policies are clear about how religion should be handled in the school.
8800 - RELIGIOUS/PATRIOTIC CEREMONIES AND OBSERVANCES
Decisions of the United States Supreme Court have made it clear that it is not the province of a public school to advance or inhibit religious beliefs or practices. Under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution, this remains the inviolate province of the individual and the church of his/her choice. The rights of any minority, no matter how small, must be protected. No matter how well intended, either official or unofficial sponsorship of religiously-oriented activities by the school are offensive to some and tend to supplant activities which should be the exclusive province of individual religious groups, churches, private organizations, or the family.
If a criminal records check indicates that a volunteer has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any of the offenses listed below and/or described in R.C. 109.572 (A)(1), the volunteer will be informed either that the Board is no longer interested in maintaining their volunteer service or that the volunteer will be assigned to duties for which they will not work unsupervised with children.
5223 - RELEASED TIME FOR RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION DURING THE SCHOOL DAY
The Board of Education desires to cooperate with those parents who wish to provide for religious instruction for their children but also recognizes its responsibility to enforce the attendance requirements of the State.
Students shall be provided “released time” during the school day to attend a course in religious instruction conducted by a private entity off District property.
7510 - USE OF DISTRICT PREMISES
community organizations or groups of individuals primarily comprised of District residents/members of the community, including students (during non-school hours) and employees (when not working in the scope of their employment) formed or gathered for
1. charitable,
2. civic,
3. social,
4. religious,
There are concerns about religious organizations using the school for advertising. Imagine Ministries asked to pass out flyers and set up at the open house before school started. RTRI organizations, such as Imagine Ministries, are supposed to follow the Supreme Court's Zorach v. Clauson (1952) decision. The School Ministries website also states this.
Zorach v. Clauson highlighted the rules of the released time program that it ruled legal. One of those rules was “No announcements of any kind.”
Emails indicate that Imagine Ministries passed out flyers at the school and also attended the open house events.
Conotton Valley District has policies that specifically prohibit proselytizing by religious groups. The wording of the email is clear, “Thank you for the opportunity to plant seeds in the young lives of your students.” This is proselytizing.
9700.01 - ADVERTISING AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES
The following guidelines shall be followed with respect to any form of advertising on school grounds or school property, including the District's website:
E. No advertisement shall promote any specific religion or religious, ethnic or racial group, political candidate or ballot issue, and shall be non-proselytizing.
The school board policies also prohibit the district from “respecting or promoting an establishment of religion.”
The Board acknowledges that it may not adopt any policy or rule respecting or promoting an establishment of religion or prohibiting any student from the free, individual, and voluntary exercise or expression of the student's religious beliefs.
The superintendent entered into an agreement with a ministry to allow religious classes and prayer in the school building during school hours. The superintendent also allowed students who participate in the religious program to be at the start of the line, creating a rule that allows Christian children to get their lunch first.
The Conotton Valley district, Imagibe Ministries, and School Ministries have coordinated to create an environment in which a Christian ministry can operate within the public schools and receive special treatment. The list of violations is long. The district would be wise to review its own policies.
“Religiously-oriented activities should be the exclusive province of individual religious groups, churches, private organizations, or the family.”
Conotton Valley Union Local School District