U' S' Supreme Court

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U. S. Supreme Court

• The Zorach v. Clauson decision, which upholds
  the religious freedom to have released time,
  states but the First Amendment does not
  provide that in every and all respects there
  shall be separation of Church and State. The
  people of the United States are a religious
  people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme
  Being,

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U. S. Supreme Court

• and therefore, when the state encourages
  religious instruction or cooperates with
  religious authorities by adjusting the schedule
  of public events to sectarian needs, it follows
  the best of our traditions,

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U. S. Supreme Court

• for it then respects the religious nature of our
  people and accommodates the public service to
  their spiritual needs

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U. S. Supreme Court

• and to hold that by reason of the First
  Amendment, a state may not so do would be to
  prefer those who believe in no religion over
  those who do believe.

Kingsport (TN) Times-News Associated Press Photo
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ACLU, Religious, And Human Rights Organizations

• In its officially published documents, the ACLU
  and 35 other religious and human rights
  organizations, including the Christian Legal
  Society, the National Association of Evangelicals
  and People for the American Way, have formally
  agreed that Released Time is a viable means of
  religious instruction during the school day.

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Who oversees curriculum?

• Control of Curriculum and Delivery
  11 Churches in Lynn Garden, across
  denominational lines, oversee curriculum
  content and instruction for pilot program.
  Parents
  review materials and have personal communication
  with RTCE teachers as well as pastors.

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What about differences in doctrine?

• 11 churches in Lynn Garden, of various
  denominations including United Methodist,
  Evangelical Presbyterian, Baptist, Lutheran,
  Christian, Apostolic, and several independents
  have agreed on curriculum which has been used
  successfully in 40 different denominations.

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How Released Time Fits The Mission Of Public
Education

• Mission Statement of the State Board of Education
• To ensure that Tennessee schools are among the
  best in the nationto accomplish this mission,
  the Board has identified the following key result
  areas early childhood education primary and
  middle grades high school technology
  accountability school leadership and
  school-based decision making

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Response

• Released Time provides for direct accountability
  to parents
• Released Time keeps the school board accountable
  to parent choice in the education of their
  children
• Released Time provides for school leadership and
  school-based decision making

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How Released Time Fits The Mission of Public
Education

• Current values-driven curriculum which attempt
  to address the teen risk behaviors common among
  our youth during the school day
• Character education from a secular point of view
• D.A.R.E - Drug education from a secular point of
  view

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How Released Time Fits The Mission of Public
Education

• Sex education from a secular point of view
• Guidance classes and counseling from a secular
  point of view
• Since the State authorizes such value-driven
  curriculum, should not Christian and religious
  students receive such training according to the
  teaching of their faith? Released Time can best
  address social and moral issues.

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Why Do Schools Need Released Time?

• Called good, in the best of our traditions- and
  endorsed by the Supreme Court, provides First
  Amendment religious liberty
• Provides direct representation for taxpaying
  parents in the education of their children
• Provides voluntary choice

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Why Do Schools Need Released Time?

• State acknowledges parental authority over
  children and that the state is the servant of
  people.
• Provides equal opportunity for all students to
  attend
• Prevents the state from favoring those with no
  religious beliefs over those with religious
  beliefs
• Improved student grades, attitudes, and behavior
  - positive for school

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Why Do Schools Need Released Time?

• The Warning From Pearl, Mississippi
• In the wake of a school year riddled with
  violence, public officials are weighing in on
  behalf of religious freedom in public schools.
  In Mississippi, a superintendent is speaking with
  authority on the need for religious freedom on
  school campuses

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Why Do Schools Need Released Time?

• Pearl District Superintendent, Bill Dodson,
  observed, When you take religion out of the
  schools, other things take its place. It gives a
  sign that religion is not important.
• In October 1997, Pearl High School student Luke
  Woodham killed two classmates and wounded seven
  others in a shooting rampage at his school.

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Why Do Schools Need Released Time?

• During its last session in Nashville, the State
  Legislature made 10 million in grants available
  to school districts to spend on safety. As
  students now head back to school, they are being
  greeted by police in the halls, drug-sniffing
  dogs, metal detectors, and classes on nonviolence
  in an effort to ensure schools are safe.
• -USA Today, 8/17/98

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Why Do Schools Need Released Time?

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  reports 60.5 of Tennessee teens have had sexual
  intercourse, and 40.4 have used drugs. Biblical
  training during the school day offers children
  the moral foundations they need to combat
  pressures of drugs, cheating, lying, stealing,
  premarital sex, violence, and suicide.

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Recommendations for Sullivan County

• Reinstate the Lynn View Released Time program.
• Develop a county-wide policy which will address
  logistical concerns and guidelines for any future
  proposals, whether at Lynn View or elsewhere.

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National recommendations

• Establish federal law codifying U. S. Supreme
  Courts Zorach vs. Clausen released time decision
  to clarify standard questions.
• Include policy statements in bill which clarify
  legal and policy issues which often provide
  confusion to legislators and school boards.
• Use Tennessees proposed 1999 HB 1209, SB 973 as
  guidelines for national legislation.

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For additional information on released time
religious character education or the Sullivan
County Released Time Christian character
education program, see our web site

• www.
• Isbc.org/rt