(WKBN) – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a bill into law that would allow release time at school for religious instruction.
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This time is already part of the curriculum at parochial schools, but now students in public schools will be afforded the time if desired.
House Bill 57 says that school boards have to adopt a policy that authorizes a student to beexcused from school to attend a “released time course” in religious instruction for at least one period per week, with a limit of two periods for middle schoolers and two units of credit per week for high schoolers.
Parents must consent to the religious instruction, and the entity providing the instruction has to maintain attendance records and provide those records to the school district. The student assumes responsibility for any missed schoolwork…