LifeWise Academy is a Hilliard-based religious instruction program that launched in 2019 and now enrolls 50,000 students in 29 states. (Photo by Megan Henry, Ohio Capital Journal.)
A bill that would require school districts to implement mandatory religious release time policies and require teachers to disclose students’ sexuality to their parents is headed to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s desk for his signature.
During a marathon day of sessions, the Ohio Senate voted 24-7 pass House Bill 8 and the Ohio House voted 57-31 in favor of the bill’s changes. Once DeWine receives the bill, he will have 10 days to sign HB 8 into law or veto it.
State Reps. DJ Swearingen, R-Huron, and Sara Carruthers, R-Hamilton, introduced HB 8 last year. The bill was known by supporters as the “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” while opponents called it the “Don’t Say Gay.” bill.
“What we’re trying to do with the Parents’ Bill of Rights is preserve that critical relationship between a parent and their child in the school system,” Swearingen said.
HB 8 would require public schools to notify parents in advance of material with sexual content and give them the opportunity to request alternative instruction.
It would also prohibit sexual content from being taught to students in kindergarten through third grade. HB 8 defines sexuality content as “oral or written instruction, presentation, depiction or description of sexual concepts of gender ideology.”
The Senate Education Committee added amendment to the bill regarding the religious release time last week.
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Ohio law currently allows school district boards of education to create a policy to require students to take a religious education course during the school day, but this would change the wording in the Ohio Revised Code from “may” to “shall” – which means. would be a mandate for Ohio school districts.
The United States Supreme Court upheld the declassified time laws in 1952 Zorach vs. Clauson In this case, a school district was able to have students leave school for part of the day to receive religious instruction.
Religious release time instruction must meet three criteria: the courses must take place off school grounds, be privately funded, and students must have parental consent.
Two central Ohio school districts, Westerville and Worthington, recently rescinded their religious release policies. Both districts were previously permitted LifeWise Academy for public school students off campus for Bible classes during school hours.
LifeWise Academy is a Hilliard-based religious instruction program that you can enroll in 50,000 students in 29 states – of which approximately 160 Ohio School Districts.
Some changes were made to HB 8 in the Senate Education Committee, including an amendment that would require school districts to work with religious release time organizations to choose a time to offer the course during the school day.
Another amendment would require a criminal background check for any religious release instructor or volunteer. The amendment came at the request of Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens, R-Kitts Hill, Brenner said.
Discussion on the Senate floor
A lengthy, nearly hour-long discussion about HB 8 took place on the Senate floor.
State Senator Louis W. Blessing, III, R-Colerain Township, was the only Republican in the Senate to vote against the bill, likening it to pro-life legislation passed by the Statehouse that then gave Ohioans a constitutional amendment for abortion rights.
“I fear there is a similar dynamic at play that will continue to pass legislation that tests the boundaries of religion and public education, so that we end up with a pivot from court to ballot or both,” he said.
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State Sen. Andrew Brenner, R-Delaware, said parents have the right to make decisions about their children’s education.
“It requires disclosure to a student’s parent or guardian if a student requests to be identified as a gender other than their gender at birth,” Brenner said.
Sen. Bill DeMora, D-Columbus, said HB 8 “has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.”
“It’s another example of a solution looking for a problem,” he said. “It puts students who seek help from teachers and school counselors at risk. We must trust that school professionals will involve parents when necessary.”
State Senator Kent Smith, D-Euclid said this bill would pit children against counselors, counselors against parents and parents against children.
“It can break the teammate relationship that has worked so well between the child, the parent and the counselor,” he said.
State Sen. Michele Reynolds, R-Canal Winchester, said a religious release policy promotes religious freedom.
“This legislation ensures that parents who have freedom and can integrate faith-based learning into their child’s education, or can opt out, they do not have to participate,” she said.
Senator Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, said it’s ironic that the bill is known as a ‘Parents Bill.’
“If you haven’t felt comfortable telling your parents about your sexual orientation or gender identity until now, chances are there’s a good reason for that,” she said.
Discussion on the floor of the house
The House had a lively 30-minute discussion on the bill before voting, and three Republican state representatives voted against the bill: Jamie Callender, Gayle Manning and Andrea White.
“You are mixing religion and education in public schools,” said state Rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst. “We make this extremely difficult in the public school system. By imposing religious exemptions on public schools, you are interrupting the mission of our constitutional duty to ensure we provide them with an education.”
The intent of the bill is to get parents and teachers working together, Carruthers said.
“The amendment also says religious,” she said. “That also means that if they want to learn Hebrew, if they want to learn any other religion that is possible, it says religion. It doesn’t say anything else. It is, I think, also tolerant.”
Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, questioned why religious organizations can’t offer programming before or after school for release time.
“If the real intent here is to support families, and if the real intent here is really to grow the faith community, then believe me, we will have a much larger audience if you offer before and after school care,” Russo said . “You don’t have to do this in the middle of the school day.”
Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky.
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