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Board suspends Released Time for Religious Instruction policy, schedules Jan. 7 review
Summary
At its Dec. 10 meeting Tecumseh Local's board unanimously moved to suspend Policy 5223 (Released Time for Religious Instruction) and place the item on the Jan. 7, 2025 agenda for further review, after public comment urging rescission and concerns about petition signatures from outside the district.
The Tecumseh Local Board of Education voted Dec. 10 to suspend Policy 5223 (Released Time for Religious Instruction) and place it on the board’s Jan. 7, 2025 agenda for further review. The motion, made by Mr. Stafford and seconded by Ms. Martin, passed in a unanimous roll call vote.
During public comment prior to the vote, resident Carol Strayer urged the board to rescind the policy and flagged two concerns: that students who do not participate should not be penalized academically or be sent to study hall, and that petition campaigns sometimes include signatures from people outside the district. Strayer asked the district to verify petition signers’ residency, citing an example from Ravenna where many signatures were out of district.
The board’s suspension places the policy on the agenda for Jan. 7, allowing trustees to review state guidance and community input before taking further action. No final policy change was adopted Dec. 10.
The board’s action was procedural; a full policy review and possible subsequent vote are scheduled for the January organizational meeting.
