Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Religious Instruction Public Schools topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident says Lifewise Academy should not hold religious instruction on campus during school hours
Summary
A resident urged the board to block Lifewise Academy from conducting religious classes on campus during the school day, citing provisions of the Arizona Constitution and concerns about fairness, inclusion and lost instructional time; the comment was received during public comment with no board action taken.
During the meeting's public-comment period on June 10, resident Bill Applegate urged the Casa Grande Elementary District governing board to prohibit Lifewise Academy from holding religious classes on campus during school hours.
Applegate began by citing the state constitution: "The Arizona constitution is crystal clear. Article 2 section 12 states that no public money or property shall be appropriated for or apply to any religious worship exercise or instruction," and he also referenced "Article 11 section 7" as barring sectarian instruction in public schools. He said Lifewise is "a Christian Bridal program" that teaches a specific interpretation of scripture and argued that hosting the program during the school day would "favor 1 religion over others" and therefore be unconstitutional.
Applegate framed the issue as one of inclusion and classroom time. He told the board that even if attendance were optional, "the social pressure on students to conform is real" and that pulling students out of class for religious instruction would "mean lost learning time".
Board members did not take action on the matter during the meeting. As the board's public-comment disclaimer announced earlier, under state law the board may not discuss items not on the agenda and may only respond by directing staff to study the matter, responding to criticism, or scheduling the matter for a future agenda.
Applegate concluded by urging the board to "uphold the constitution, protect the integrity of our public schools, and ensure that every student in Casa Grande feels equally respected and included."
