More Christian Nationalist Public School Mischief - Part III
Understand the Damage This Is Doing To Schools & Children
“My evangelistic brethren confuse an objection to compulsion with an objection to religion. It is possible to hold a faith with enough confidence to believe that what should be rendered to God does not need to be decided and collected by Caesar….
The day that this country ceases to be free for irreligion, it will cease to be free for religion — except for the sect that can win political power.” – Zorach vs. Clauson dissenting opinion. (1952)
(This is part three of a series on the latest attempt by Christian Nationalist evangelicals to turn public schools into their personal empire for proselytizing and recruiting young people to their cause. In Part II, I illustrated LifeWise’s abuses to stretch constitutional boundaries and moral-ethical reasoning to their advantage. In this third and final part, I will outline how schools (I’m talking to you, my fellow Iowa educators) can resist and respond to LifeWise encroachment and bullying. As a disclaimer, I am not a lawyer or dispensing legal advice. I will share the opinions of those on the front line of this battle and provide a list of citations at the end of the article. If you need legal advice, please seek a lawyer.)
The LifeWise crusade for public school domination is centered in Ohio. Much of what schools in Iowa can learn will come from confrontations and legal battles ongoing in that state. LifeWise began in Ohio in 2018 and has since grown alarmingly. Just last fall, the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to all public school districts in Ohio urging them to comply with the First Amendment and avoid entangling themselves with LifeWise.
Entanglement is exactly what LifeWise wants.
In its own words, LifeWise’s goal is clear: “It seeks to indoctrinate and convert public school students to evangelical Christianity by convincing public-school districts to partner with it in bringing LifeWise to schools and unconstitutionally promoting the program to students.1 If a public school “partnered” with LifeWise Academy, it would be a massive infraction of the First Amendment establishment clause.
Let me reiterate that according to the Zorach decision in 1952, release time for religious instruction from public schools is constitutionally permitted. However, it must comply with three essential guardrails: 1) instruction must be away from school grounds, 2) it cannot be publicly funded, and 3) parents must approve the release of their children for such programs.
However, as you can see from the opening quote from that court case, not all the justices were convinced that RTRI was a good idea. As the dissenting judges stated, the only religion that will profit from such a scheme is the one with political power. Right now, LifeWise is in the driver’s seat with political power behind it, including two Project 2025 partners: The Heritage Foundation and the Family Research Council.2
With organizational and financial clout, LifeWise has been engaged in legal pressure and lobbying in Ohio and other states. The latest effort is Ohio HB 445, which will require schools to adopt policies that allow for RTRI.3 (LifeWise has already successfully lobbied for and attained a similar bill in Indiana).
The Zorach decision requires no such mandate. Schools can allow or disallow these programs unless a state passes a law requiring participation. In an increasingly diverse religious society, states would do well not to require participation in such programs and leave it as a school district decision.
Then there is the question of LifeWise’s status as a non-profit organization engaging in extensive lobbying such as this. Parents Against LifeWise Academy noted, “When states (and their elected officials) are simultaneously being intentionally targeted by a religious ministry (with tax-exempt N.P.O. status) to get laws put in place using a legislative template that directly further advances their organizational growth, financial income, and agenda….we don’t have freedom from OR of religion.”4 Of course, evangelical churches have been violating this non-profit rule for decades.
Guardrails for Schools
What are the guardrails for schools if they decide to participate in an RTRI program such as LifeWise (or any other program)? The Zorach decision was clear about a few things. The most basic and fundamental guardrail is this one in Ohio law:
“no announcement of any kind will be made in the public schools relative to the program.” Based on Zorach v. Clauson.
Many schools in Ohio are routinely violating this principle with LifeWise’s help. Here is a posting from the LifeWise handbook:
Under the section “School Communication Channels,” LifeWise is asking schools to share their printed material, send home registration forms, or keep spare ones in the school office. They continually ask schools to share resources electronically, violating the First Amendment and the Zorach decision parameters.
Here is one egregious example. Last fall, a school district in Ohio allowed representatives of LifeWise to come into the schools to promote LifeWise and recruit students in the school building. In one instance, the school’s principal led LifeWise’s representatives around the school during the day and allowed representatives to recruit elementary school students to attend LifeWise’s Bible classes.5
For the protection of the school, the school district, and the students, school personnel should never be allowed to provide communications, let LifeWise staff enter the school, recruit students, or conduct themselves in a manner that implicitly or explicitly shows favoritism or support for any RTRI program. Schools are not required to communicate with parents regarding the LifeWise program and should never agree to be a liaison with them.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation commented on this situation and highlighted this exchange between a student and LifeWise representative during the school visit: “When a student informed one of LifeWise’s representatives that they were Hindu, the representative responded by telling the student that they needed Jesus and to ask their parents to come to LifeWise’s classes.”6 Reportedly, LifeWise’s representatives pressure students to ask their parents for permission to attend these classes. Release Time for Religious Instruction was never intended as a tool for conversion.
In the LifeWise image above, the student section indicates the intent is to pressure students through incentives and rewards. By offering candy, t-shirts, and “business cards” to distribute to their peers, LifeWise is trying to create a sense of “specialness” and an almost gang or cult-like mentality. What young person wouldn’t want a piece of candy, a t-shirt, or a personalized business card with LifeWise plastered all over it? This is clearly predatory in nature and violates the spirit of the law.
The Ohio law also includes this provision:
“The sponsoring entity maintains attendance records and makes them available to the school district the student attends.” Zorach v. Clauson
Most schools do not track absent students who go to LifeWise Academy, and the program is responsible for keeping records and reporting back to the school on students' attendance. LifeWise does not regularly provide attendance information to the schools.7 This is another guardrail that LifeWise willfully ignores.
Parent Rights
To be clear, according to the Zorach decision, it is the parent’s right to choose an RTRI program. But that doesn’t mean it is a constitutional right. It is legal, but nothing in the Constitution forbids or requires such a program. The school has no responsibility for organizing, scheduling, or ensuring that students attend the RTRI program.
Parents are supposed to request the permission slip from the RTRI program rather than from the school.
The parent should decide what time or instruction the student will be missing.
The parent is responsible for choosing how the child will be dismissed and transported.
The parent is responsible for all this, not the school or school district.
In the same Zorach decision, McCollum argued, "School authorities are neutral in this regard and do no more than release students whose parents so request." Schools should not adjust or coordinate schedules.8
The school can not be a partner in the RTRI program. The school can not change its regular schedule of classes and impact those who do not attend. Even in schools where enrollment has reached 80%, the school is legally required to instruct those students who are not attending.
What Can Schools Do?
The answer depends on which state they are in. For instance, neighboring Nebraska has no law concerning RTRI, while my state of Iowa has a law that allows schools to provide release time.9 In Iowa, school boards retain the right to allow or not allow such programs. I advise educators and organizations in the State of Iowa to keep the law as it is. Engage your lobbyists to do so. Currently, school officials are not required to offer RTRI. Fight to keep it that way.
If an Iowa School offers this option to parents, here are some guardrails to implement NOW! Review your school district’s policy and make sure your bases are covered. LifeWise has its sights on Iowa.
Recommendations:
Set all classes as "core" classes. These include art, gym, library, music, and technology. Absences for RTRI will be “excused,” but students must make up work or lessons that they miss.
Require students to be signed out by a parent/guardian or an emergency contact. School personnel should not be lining students up to march them out to the big red bus.
Specify precisely how communication for RTRI programs is limited on school property.
State that students who do not attend RTRI will continue to receive instruction and explain how missed work will be made up. Schools are not required to adjust or coordinate their schedule with the RTRI provider.
Don’t allow advertising, promoting, or recruiting students on the school property.
Specify that the RTRI program cannot use school communication systems to send home applications, announcements, flyers, or any other type of communication.
If students leave over a lunch hour, it is the parent’s responsibility (or the program's) to provide lunch. The school will not give preferential treatment to students who are allowed to “cut in the lunch line first” so they can get on a bus.
When students return, do not allow candy, toys, or other “rewards” from the RTRI program to be brought into the classroom.
Ensure that students leaving the building for an RTRI program do so in the least disruptive manner possible.
Do not allow students to recruit other students by handing out flyers, business cards, or other communications to peers. Do not allow students to be bullied or coerced because of their non-participation in the program. Telling another student they are going to “hell” should be considered bullying.
Just as with any visitor, don’t allow an RTRI program to set up a booth at any school function, hold any fundraising event on school grounds, or enter the school facilities without clearance from the school office. This would be true for any religious organization.
Clarify that the school and the RTRI provider are NOT partners. The school is simply allowing parents to utilize their choice for released-time religious instruction.
Where To Turn For Help
If even half of the efforts by local groups in the hundreds of communities in Iowa considering LifeWise succeed in getting the LifeWise pyramid scheme approved in their respective school districts, there will be conflicts. Concerned parents, educators, school board members, and other interested parties need to know where to go if a program like LifeWise begins to cross the boundary lines.
Here is a list of a few organizations that can lend support:
Parents Against LifeWise Academy: This organization is located primarily in Ohio, but its website is extensive and is cited in this article. They have a contact form on their website where you can report concerns or abuses.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has a long history of providing legal and practical help in cases of violation of church/state. This link provides a complaint form. Additionally, FFRF has numerous helpful articles on this issue.
The American Civil Liberties Union (Iowa) is a good source of help when you have specific grievances with evidence. If there is a legal question or problem with civil liberties, there are two different ways to reach them: by email or by writing to us through regular mail. They generally do not take cases over the phone or in person. Here is a link to the ACLU Iowa.
Honesty for Ohio Education is a nonpartisan, statewide coalition that champions honest education, affirming all identities, cultures, lived experiences, and the rights and safety of all students, families, and educators. They have published an outstanding RTRI Toolkit. Although the language and law are geared toward Ohio, much of the messaging, letter-writing templates, and other resources could be used in Iowa or any other state. It is an invaluable resource.
Final Word
I’ll close this series about LifeWise Academy by pointing out just how damaging this type of program can be for children. It isn’t just a “Bible program” or “character building.” This program teaches children to embrace intolerance and non-acceptance of people who are different and reject the basic humanity of the “other.”
The LifeWise handbook has some common “Difficult Questions” that kids often ask during their weekly indoctrination sessions. Here are some sections with the recommended answers. Note: These are absolute, definitive answers. There is no gray area, nothing in-between, or even a sense that they may not have all the answers. This is a cult of certainty that surely leads young people astray.
Not much ambiguity here. Being gay is a sin, being transgender is a sin, and no sex before marriage…period.
Again, there are no gray areas here. Mom and her boyfriend are living in sin, and my parents divorced and didn’t repent, so they are in danger of going to hell. Imagine the damage these messages send to children from all kinds of homes. They may come from a very loving home with two moms or two dads, and yet now they are supposed to see that they are sinful because of their love for each other.
The constant “othering” and dividing people into the “saved and unsaved” leads to nothing but division and an excuse for bigotry against the out-group. This program and others like it stand against everything public schools try to teach young people.
Free Thought Now (website) “The alarm must be sounded: LifeWise Academy’s disturbingly rapid growth.” April 8, 2024. (The link here.)
Media Matters (website), John Knefel, “Two Project 2025 partners are promoting LifeWise, an organization reinstalling Bible education for the public school system across the nation.” April 5, 2024. (The link is here.)
Website: Parents Against LifeWise Academy
Freedom From Religion Foundation (website), “FFRF stops LifeWise from recruiting in Ohio schools,” May 2024. (The Link is here.)
Ibid.
Ibid.
We should not have to deal with this in public schools. Best policy is, no religion or religious groups allowed in public schools