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Resident tells board Lifewise religious classes on campus during school day would violate Arizona Constitution
Summary
A community member urged the Casa Grande Union board to block Lifewise from offering religious classes during the school day, citing Arizona Constitution Article II §12 and Article XI §7 and raising concerns about fairness, exclusion and lost instructional time.
During the public‑comment period at the Casa Grande Union High School District meeting on July 14, Bill Applegate urged board members to oppose any proposal that would allow Lifewise, a Christian program, to hold religious instruction on campus during the school day.
"The Arizona constitution is crystal clear," Applegate said, citing Article II, Section 12 that prohibits appropriation of public money or property for religious worship, exercise or instruction and Article XI, Section 7 which bars sectarian instruction in public schools. He argued that hosting Lifewise on campus during school hours would both violate those provisions and risk favoring one religion over others, pointing to the district's duty to keep public schools welcoming to students of all faiths and none.
Applegate also raised practical concerns about fairness and classroom disruption, saying students pulled from instruction for religious programming "miss valuable learning time" and that social pressure could stigmatize students who do not attend. He urged the board to preserve the separation between public school instruction and sectarian activities scheduled during instructional hours.
The board received the comment as part of the public‑comment period; no formal motion or board action regarding Lifewise was recorded at the meeting.
