In a unanimous vote, the Oldham County Board of Education rejected a proposal for a moral education program at one of its elementary schools. The Christian group Lifewise proposed to remove third, fourth and fifth grade students at Locust Grove Elementary during the school day for Bible-based moral instruction.
School board members said the proposal had been extremely contentious ahead of the vote. Carly Clem, who chairs the board, said she rejected the measure on logistical grounds and has no objection to Lifewise’s curriculum. Clem was also concerned about lost instructional time, which would have amounted to roughly 30 hours over the course of the school year.
“I don't know who we can ask to facilitate that, unfortunately, and I'm all about moral instruction. I am. It's not going against that. I'm a Christian,” Clem said. “It is more about the logistics for me.”
A law passed by the General Assembly this year created a new framework for moral education in the state, which was already legal under Kentucky statutes. The law requires schools to allow students off campus for up to one hour per week for “moral education” that parents can opt into, but gives school boards the power to approve or reject the programs themselves.
The other students remain behind for that hour and participate in “noncredit enrichment courses” like physical education, music or study hall. Some school board members feared students who stay behind will end up in study hall, missing out on instructional time too. The bill also allows schools to combine grade levels as needed for that hour.
Adam Springer, a board member who did ultimately vote to reject Lifewise, appeared sympathetic to the program in discussing the measure. He said the board shouldn’t get in the way of a parent’s ability to send their child to whatever moral education they feel is appropriate.
“Personally, I see the value of moral instruction and the benefits it can bring. I understand why parents want this,” Springer said. “I'd rather be uniting than dividing and making decisions with that respect to all students and parents and families.”
Before voting on the measure, the board requested an opinion from Kentucky’s Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman. The September decision said that school boards do have the right to reject moral education programs in the state, although they can’t do so based on an objection to the religious beliefs or an animosity toward religion. Several other states don’t have the same policy — Indiana or Ohio, for example, require school districts to accommodate such programs.
Kentucky Citizens for Democracy Executive Director Michael Slider advocated against allowing the Lifewise program, saying he was pleased with the board’s decision, but didn’t think the fight was over.
“It's probably going to be going to the state legislature next,” said Slider, a former teacher and principal. “I wouldn't be surprised in January if one of the legislators does propose to change that law to make us a ‘shall’ state instead of a ‘may’ state.”
Lifewise Academy Director for Oldham County Cassie Allchorne said she was grateful for the board’s consideration, but disappointed. She told parents who want their children to be able to attend Lifewise during the school day to “keep your hopes up.”
“God's got a good plan, and we trust Him, and maybe in future, it can be an option,” Allchorne said. “We just will have to wait and see. It's obviously not going to happen now. And we're okay with that. We're at peace with that.”
LifeWise, whose website states its goal is “reaching all 50 million public school students” with the message of the gospel, was also rejected by Warren County Public Schools. In McCracken County, the local board of education voted to allow the program to begin operating, and it is already offering programming in Marshall County Public Schools.
School board members also clarified that parents still generally have the ability to check their children out of school for up to an hour per week for moral instruction. Clem also noted she asked Lifewise organizers if they would be willing to move the program directly after school, to reduce the burden on school staff — an offer they declined.
Allchorne said it just “wouldn’t be Lifewise” to offer the curriculum after school hours.
“The whole basis of Lifewise is really founded on that Supreme Court ruling in 1952 where it states that it is constitutional for children to leave the school day for religious instruction, as long as it's all school property, privately funded and parent permitted,” Allchorne said.
Board member Suzanne Hundley said she couldn’t justify sending kids out of the classroom when districts are struggling and working hard to meet existing standards.
“There are times that we struggle to have enough time to meet the needs of all of our students, especially the ones that struggle and get behind,” Hundley said. “I don't care if it was the National Wildlife Federation that wanted to come educate kids about ducks. I don't think it belongs during the school day.”
