HENRY Co., Ohio (WTVG) – Ohio students can leave the school building during the day for religious classes, per an Ohio law that was passed earlier this year.
Before April, it was optional for school districts to allow students to leave during the day for religious classes. But Ohio legislators changed the law to make it a requirement.
This allows students to be released from school for classes in any religion.
“Religious means religion and we can’t dictate what they’re being released for,” said Superintendent Richie Peters with Liberty Center Local Schools.
This law is paving the way for more and more districts in Northwest Ohio to begin integrating religious programs.
One nationwide organization is popping up in several local school districts. It’s called LifeWise Academy.
One of these districts is Bowling Green City Schools. The Director of the district’s LifeWise program, Hannah Davis, said she is still working out all the details with the district’s superintendent to hold classes beginning this fall.
“We are bible based, so this is a Christian faith-based organization and we’re going to cover the Bible’s stories,” Davis said. “It’ll also include moral education, character education such as gratitude, joy, peace patience.”
Bowling Green’s program will begin at Kenwood Elementary for grades 1-5, Davis said. Davis said she hopes to expand this to other elementaries, the middle schools and the high school in the future.
Bowling Green will join Maumee, Oregon, Sylvania, Washington Local, and many others, which are listed on the LifeWise Website as ‘in the process’ of initiating programs.
Other districts, like Liberty Center Local Schools, have offered this program for years. Its LifeWise Academy has more than 400 students enrolled in the district.
“Since 2021, we have been releasing our students during the school day once a week, for about 45 minutes each time,” Superintendent Peters said.
The district began with K-4 and expanded all the way to 10th grade.
The law says students can’t miss any core curriculum subjects, meaning they’re typically released during lunch, recess, or study hall.
A parent must also give written permission for enrollment, and the classes cannot be on school property or use any public dollars.
Each district differs in where the classes take place. Many buses go out to a local church. Because Liberty Center’s school population is so large, the organization bought a building right near the school’s property that students just walk to with supervision.
Michigan has a similar law that has existed for several years, which allows religious release for no more than two hours per week.
According to a LifeWise spokesperson, the organization anticipates serving 613 schools across 303 districts in Ohio and 33 schools across 21 districts in Michigan.
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This article was published by WTVG on 2025-08-22 18:46:00
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