For more than 45 years, elementary students across America have had a legal right to attend elective offsite Bible classes during their public-school day. “Released time” laws allow students to attend religious training opportunities of their choice.
Bible2School (B2S) is one such program. Located in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Idaho and Texas, B2S isn’t extracurricular; it takes place during the school day and, according to the Supreme Court, is a protected Constitutional right in all 50 states.
Kori Pennypacker, the CEO of Bible2School, is joining me on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly to discuss religious freedoms afforded to children in public school, which is more than most parents realize.
For example, did you know that public school students are allowed to:
- Pray in school.
- Wear religious clothing.
- Talk about God in class assignments.
- Freely share their faith with others.
- Start a religious club on campus that enjoys the same rights and resources as other clubs.
Some Christian families are withdrawing their kids from public school because of political agendas, cultural shifts, and the indoctrination of students. Kori urges Christian parents who leave their children in public school not only to protect their kids from harmful cultural influences but to prepare them for the real world. Parents often underestimate what their children can understand and accomplish, especially in terms of being bold witnesses for God.
Focus on the Family’s Bring Your Bible Day, observed on Thursday, October 2 this year, is an annual celebration that empowers Christians to live out their faith. How? Two simple steps: bring your Bible to school and share what God means to you with others.