Ocean City public voices safety, legal and partisan concerns about Lifewise Academy; board says proposal not before it

Ocean City residents urged the Ocean City School District to reject or scrutinize a program called Lifewise Academy, citing safety, legal and partisan concerns, during public comment at the board meeting.

The matter matters because Lifewise is described by speakers as a religiously affiliated, volunteer-run release-time program that would remove students from district supervision during instructional hours. Residents said that, if allowed, the program could create safety and liability risks for the district and raise constitutional issues about government endorsement of religion.

Board President Barnes said the proposal has not been presented to the full board. “The proposal for Lifewise Academy is not before the board and has never been before the board,” Barnes said during his president’s remarks, adding that proposals of that type are handled by the administration under the superintendent’s guidance.

Multiple speakers in the public-comment period directly challenged the program’s staffing, vetting and affiliation. Dr. Jean Marie Mason, who identified herself as a former public-school administrator and Ocean City resident, said Lifewise relies on volunteers “because very few are public certified teachers” and that background checks are handled by third-party vendors rather than the fingerprint- and FBI-based checks used for district employees. “This program ... puts our board at great risk,” Mason said, citing reports she said she collected from parents in Ohio and Indiana.

Christine Stanford, who said she lives in Upper Township, told the board she found examples where Lifewise participants met in a facility where “a felon convicted of attempted child assault works,” and said corporate oversight of local Lifewise chapters is thin. “The background checks are not on the same level as required by certificated teachers in New Jersey,” she said.

Ocean City resident and parent Nina Maron argued Lifewise’s staffing and curriculum do not match the district’s requirements for certification, training and safety. “Under Lifewise release time, the students will leave the school regulated premises to receive substandard supervision and exposure to unregulated curriculums,” Maron said, adding that transitions between district property and off-campus sites could expose the district to legal liability.

Andrea Meeves, who said she lives in Lower Township, framed the issue in constitutional terms. Citing the Lemon test from the 1971 U.S. Supreme Court case Lemon v. Kurtzman, Meeves said any program that permits religious instruction during school hours must be offered on equal terms for other religions, or risk violating the Establishment Clause. “In inviting Lifewise ... you would have to do it for all religions,” she said.

Caroline Cook, an Ocean City native, raised concerns about Lifewise founder and leadership networks, saying the program has ties to the Heritage Foundation, and urged the board to keep “partisanship out of our schools.”

Board members and administrators did not vote on Lifewise Academy during the meeting. Barnes reiterated that the district administration — led by the superintendent — is responsible for vetting and handling external program requests and said any formal proposal would be brought forward through those channels. No administration motion or timeline for such a proposal was presented at the meeting.

The public-comment speakers requested transparency about any contacts between Lifewise and district officials and demanded documentation on curriculum, staff vetting and transportation safety before the district would consider a partnership or release-time arrangement. The board’s public materials and the meeting record did not include a formal Lifewise contract, curriculum, or administrative recommendation at the time of the meeting.

Members of the public who raised concerns asked the board to clarify next steps and to require that any private program operating during school hours meet the same credentialing, background-check and safety standards that apply to district employees.