A statement regarding the vote by the Oldham County Board of Education to deny LifeWise’s request to pull students during the school day for religious, “moral” instruction by Executive Director of Kentucky Citizens for Democracy, Michael Slider:
We are extremely pleased with the 5-0, unanimous decision by the members of the Oldham County Board of Education to deny LifeWise’s request to pull students during the school day for the purpose of religious, “moral” instruction.
Several Board members made excellent points about the logistical problems and the disruption to the school day that would be caused by allowing any organization to pull students out of the building. This issue has already been a huge disruption to the Board’s mission, which is to provide a quality education so that “graduates pursue a life of continuous learning, contribute to their community, participate thoughtfully in the American Democracy, and compete successfully in the local, national, and international economy.”
Our organization completely supports freedom of religion. If LifeWise or any other group wants to meet before or after school, as long as it does not affect the schedule and logistics of the entire school, we fully support this endeavor.
I extend my sincere gratitude to all the individuals and organizations that have partnered with us throughout this process. You have all shown that you take your civic responsibility seriously. The fight against the powerful forces of those who would push their own religious agendas on the rest of us is far from over, but your courage to speak out, even when it was uncomfortable to do so, has been an inspiration to us all.
Sincerely,
Michael E. Slider
Executive Director – Kentucky Citizens for Democracy
And from our Executive Director, Anita Davis:
Thank you to all who helped raise awareness, signed our petition, attended board meetings, emailed their board representative, and gave moral support. You made a huge impact- your voices were heard!
We would like to thank Michael Fox, the parent from Locust Grove, who first questioned the program implementation. He stood alone for several weeks and persisted in asking the right questions and doing research. Our group is honored to have joined him in the effort to keep LifeWise and others from disrupting the school day. One man standing up…what a model of courage and tenacity.
We also are indebted to our local faith leaders who wrote, called, emailed, and spoke about their opposition to LifeWise. Having their wisdom and expertise on this was crucial. They, too, showed a level of courage that we need to appreciate. Too many faith leaders are silent these days.
Groups like the Secular Education Association, Respect Public Schools, Reclaim Our Schools, Honesty for Ohio Education, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State jumped in and provided us guidance and research materials. They helped us scale up quickly. Good people doing great work.
The school board members made the right decision. Their vote protects instructional time, prevents unnecessary school disruption, avoids potential liability issues, and keeps the focus on the OCS mission. Art, music, technology, and library classes are valued, and teachers can focus on teaching and learning.
I ask that you join me in thanking them for their vote. They cited the numerous emails and contacts from community members and the impact of that. Acknowledging that your voice was heard is important.
We know this school year is protected, but KCfD will be monitoring legislative efforts by Senator Tichenor and others. We may need your voices and advocacy again. Until then, thank you for being part of what one current researcher is calling the “small and mighty”, grassroots groups making a difference in their communities.
Sincerely,
Anita Davis
Associate Director – Kentucky Citizens for Democracy
contact@kycitizens.org
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