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Board adopts emergency tweak to religious‑policy language; Lifewise release‑time plans remain pending
Summary
Board voted to waive three readings and update policy language that treats returned religious materials under existing school rules; district staff said Lifewise expressed interest in release‑time religious instruction at Echo Hills but logistics remain unresolved.
The Stow‑Munroe Falls City School District Board of Education on May 5 voted to waive its usual three readings and to amend portions of board policy related to religious activities and returned items, citing recent legal review and concerns about potential lawsuits.
Administrators said the change clarifies that any materials, snacks, clothing or other items returned to school in connection with outside religious programs will be subject to existing school policies, classroom rules and the student code of behavior. The board declared the amendment an emergency and approved the revision by roll call.
During public comment, residents raised separate but related concerns about release time for religious instruction (RTRI). Evelyn Kremier said Lifewise Academy — which provides religious instruction to students during the school day — has posted that it is “already in the process of launching Lifewise” in the district and that she opposes religious instruction that pulls students from specials such as physical education, art, music or library. Kremier said she supports release time if it does not deprive students of required specials classes and suggested limiting release time to lunch periods.
Dr. Gould told the board staff had met with Lifewise in the fall and that Lifewise has expressed interest specifically in Echo Hills. He said the organization and the Echo Hills principal have been in contact but that the district has not finalized administrative guidelines because state legislation and implementation details are still in flux. Dr. Gould said Lifewise was considering using a church across the street from Echo Hills so that students could walk and no transportation would be required.
Board members discussed logistics including time of day, whether lunch/recess would be involved, and who would provide food. Dr. Gould said those logistics — including child nutrition and scheduling — would require additional participants at the table and that the district would not move forward until those questions were resolved. He reiterated that the district must follow state rules about release time; during public comment a resident noted Ohio law permits release time but not removing students from core classes.
The meeting record shows two formal votes: first, a motion to declare the proposed policy language an emergency and waive the board’s three‑reading rule (the motion carried on a roll call with board members voting aye). Second, the board voted to adopt the revised language in the policy as displayed; that motion also passed by roll call.
Administrators said they will draft administrative guidelines and bring the item back for further procedures now that the policy language has been amended. They also said ongoing legislative developments around release time could require adjustments to district practice.
