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Worthington City Board debates release time for religious instruction, pauses for legal review amid pending state bill
Summary
Board members voiced concerns about Policy 50223'release time for religious instruction'citing safety, classroom disruption and scalability if many programs seek release time; with House Bill 445 pending at the Statehouse the board agreed to seek legal advice and refer options to the policy committee rather than change policy immediately.
Board President Nikki Hudson said at the start of a lengthy discussion that the board should first consider what is right for the district, then address how to respond to pending state action: "What do we feel like is right for our district?" Hudson asked as members prepared to weigh local policy against state-level proposals.
The discussion centered on Policy 50223 (Release Time for Religious Instruction). Board member Stephanie Harless said her primary concern was "the scalability of our TRI," warning that what begins as a single program could expand to multiple outside providers and create safety and disruption risks for elementary students. Jennifer Best, who reviewed the…
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