Berea City Schools Superintendent Tracy Wheeler recently discussed the district’s policy on Released Time for Religious Instruction (RTRI), which allows students to attend offsite religion classes with parental consent. The policy was adopted in 2015 and permits students to be excused from school for religious instruction as long as they make up missed work and the sponsoring entity provides transportation and assumes liability.
LifeWise Academy of Hilliard, Ohio, plans to offer offsite Bible classes to BCSD students, focusing on traditional Christian beliefs. Some community members expressed concerns at a board meeting, citing potential disruptions to the school day and the impact on the community.
Despite these concerns, Wheeler emphasized that the district must adhere to Ohio Revised Code provisions allowing students to attend religion classes during the school day. The decision to participate in religious education is ultimately up to the families, as the outside religious sponsor is not affiliated with Berea City Schools.
Discussions about the district policy will continue at the next Board of Education meeting on July 8. The district remains committed to following state laws while respecting the rights of families to choose religious education for their children.
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