Across America, children are leaving public, taxpayer-funded schools and being driven to churches. There, they receive “moral education” and study Bible verse. Despite claims of interdenominational teaching, adults there —who are not required to have teaching credentials — tell students that divorce is a sin, and to heed their pastors before their parents. Students are provided with flashy swag, and instructed to peer pressure other public school students into joining to save their souls.
The most successful such program is LifeWise Academy, with chapters in more than 600 schools across the country. Even though LifeWise is well-funded, with a full-time lobbying arm and significant ties to the Heritage Foundation, it was recently denied a petition to establish a program in Oldham County. This is due mostly to the efforts of local parents, many of whom came together in our grassroots organization, Kentucky Citizens for Democracy.
Oldham County may have said no, but LifeWise has grander plans. They have already announced petitions in Jefferson County and across Kentucky. If LifeWise succeeds, students in Kentucky public schools will not be studying science, or history, or math; they will be hearing sermons…