Public Schools Must Put Students First and Say No to Offsite “Moral Instruction”

Public schools are for everyone.

As a special education advocate and a mother, I am deeply concerned by the increasing pressure on public schools to approve released-time religious or “moral instruction” programs, such as those being introduced across Kentucky and other states.

At first glance, these programs may sound harmless—an “optional” opportunity for students to leave campus for faith-based lessons. But when you look more closely, the risks to student safety, equity, and inclusion become clear. School boards and districts must remember their responsibility: to serve all students, not just some, and to prioritize education, safety, and inclusion above outside agendas.

Why This Is Harmful to Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities already face daily barriers to access, inclusion, and safety. IDEA and Section 504 exist to guarantee equal opportunities, but programs like LifeWise threaten to undermine those protections:

• Loss of Instructional Time: Many students with disabilities require additional supports, therapies, and instructional time. Pulling them from class for religious programming jeopardizes their academic progress and services.

• Exclusion and Stigmatization: Students who cannot attend—whether because of disability, parental choice, or religious difference—are left behind. This creates a divide between peers, breeding stigma and reinforcing the painful idea that some children belong while others do not.

• Safety Risks: Children with communication or behavioral challenges may not be safely supervised during transitions to and from offsite programming. Leaving campus removes them from the trained staff and supports they rely on.

• Lack of Accommodations: Religious programs are not bound by IDEA. There is no legal requirement that these programs provide the supplementary aids, related services, or accommodations that schools are required to ensure. This leaves children with disabilities vulnerable to exclusion and neglect.

Why This Harms Minority Students

Public schools are one of the few spaces where children of all backgrounds are supposed to learn together. Introducing sectarian programming undermines that unity:

• Students of minority faiths or non-religious families are pressured to choose between exclusion and assimilation.

• Students who opt out may face bullying, ridicule, or stigmatization for “not participating.”

• These programs reintroduce the same segregation and division that public schools have worked for decades to overcome.

Why This Harms Teachers and Schools

Released-time programs are not just a burden on families—they are a burden on schools:

• Administrators and Teachers Put in Difficult Positions: Coordinating with outside religious programs puts staff in roles they were not trained or hired to fulfill. This diverts time and attention away from academic priorities.

• Instruction Time Diminished: Related arts, electives, and academic classes are disrupted to make space for programming that is not educationally mandated.

• Creates Division in Schools: Teachers are asked to adjust schedules, re-plan lessons, and manage logistics for students who leave and return mid-day, often without resources or guidance.

The Responsibility of School Boards

It is time for school boards and district leaders to draw a clear line:

• Put Student Safety First: Students must remain under the care of trained, accountable school staff during school hours.

• Protect Inclusion: Every child—regardless of disability, faith, or background—has the right to feel valued and included in their school.

• Respect Teachers and Schools: Protect teachers from unnecessary burdens, and protect schools from being entangled in religious programs that compromise neutrality.

• Stand Up to Legislation: Even if state legislation makes these programs legal, school boards are not required to implement them. Public education must remain neutral, equitable, and focused on learning.

Public schools are one of the last true spaces of inclusion in our communities. Families rely on them not just for academics, but for a sense of belonging and fairness.

It is time for school boards to stand up for their students—especially students with disabilities and minority students—and say no to offsite religious or “moral instruction” programs.

The role of schools is not to divide children, but to bring them together.

The role of schools is not to impose beliefs, but to uphold rights.

The role of schools is not to burden teachers, but to support them.

Our children deserve nothing less.