RTRI Information

RTRI = Release Time for Religious Instruction

Sample Letter to share with Oldham County Schools Board Members and Staff.

The Kentucky Citizens for Democracy has shared the following emails with Oldham County Schools board members and the superintendent.

We encourage Oldham County residents to sign this petition, which will be shared with the school board before the August 25th meeting.

We request that the Oldham County School Board reject the offer to enter into a partnership with LifeWise Academy, which is asking to offer release time for religious instruction (RTRI) during the school day. 

Background: 

Senate Bill 19 from the 2025 legislative session amended 158.200 Moral instruction.

Section 2 amends KRS 158.200 regarding moral instruction. It provides that a local board of
education “may provide an opportunity for pupils to attend moral instruction.” Section 2
further provides that pupils shall be “excused for up to one (1) hour on no more than one (1)
day each week” which includes travel time. The student’s parent or guardian must consent to the student receiving the moral instruction and the moral instruction cannot take place on school property. The bill does not define “moral instruction.” – KDE Legislative Guidance

Note the exact language. “may provide”

Kentucky Citizens for Democracy has concluded that the proposal to enter into an agreement with LifeWise Academy is egregious for the following reasons:

• Religious instruction is not the mission of the public schools. 
• The Board is supposed to advance public education. LifeWise Academy’s founder and supporters are proponents of school choice and vouchers. 
• The LifeWise Academy’s mission is to reach the “unchurched” using public schools as its “mission field”. We oppose using schools in this manner.  
• LifeWise Academy model sees children 4 to 14 as impressionable and targets for religious instruction. We see this as a form of indoctrination using the public schools as a vehicle. 
• Data presented to the Board by the proponents of LifeWise Academy is not peer-reviewed and fails basic research methodology.
• The proposal to pull children from related arts is unacceptable as is pulling students from lunch or recess. Devaluing these is not acceptable.
• The curriculum was developed by an arm of the Southern Baptist Convention. This religious instructional model reflects one strand of the many branches of religious belief structures. This is inherently discriminatory. 
• The adoption of this program would lead to school culture problems: bullying or coercion to attend for those children who are opted out. The use of incentives, which LifeWise Academy reportedly uses, is also problematic. 
• The LifeWise Academy’s guidance on how to handle difficult questions from children is controversial and troubling. It’s an affront to families in our community who have different or no religious beliefs. Responses regarding LGBTQ and transgender persons, as well as unwed or divorced parents, are equally as troubling. 

Kentucky Citizens for Democracy believes that this proposed partnership is in conflict with the democratic principle of the separation of church and state. Church attendance in the US is falling and religious right leaders are working to find ways to advance their agendas and numbers. Public schools have a different mission. As stated from the Oldham County School District Strategic Plan’s Student Pillar: Students access learning in a safe and supportive environment, feel valued as individuals, and contribute to a culture of belonging where differences are accepted. 

The LifeWise Academy proposal is contradictory to that stated mission. 

We encourage Oldham County residents to sign this petition, which will be shared with the school board before the August 25th meeting.

This map, provided by Respect Public Schools, shows where LifeWise is attempting to enter public schools. Please use this link for their live map.

This specific video from the Secular Education Association dives deeply into the financial motivations of LifeWise Academy. The entire educational series can be found here.

Important resources

How LifeWise Gets Into Public Schools – An Investigative Record From One Kentucky District — and a Pattern Repeated Over and Over

Respect Public Schools – “Use this website to learn about LifeWise Academy. Use the MAP to find all the locations LifeWise is operating classes and track the progress of LifeWise in your school district.”

Secular Education Association – “We are committed to upholding the separation of church and state in public education by providing oversight, information, and advocacy to engage our communities.”

Honesty for Ohio Education – “Ensuring every student in Ohio has the freedom to learn and grow in a welcoming, supportive environment.”

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Further Reading and Information on Release time for religious instruction (RTRI)

• “LifeWise says it is creating options for families. It is also working to strip the right to refuse its program from local school districts across whole states.” Read more: The Big Red Bus – What kids are learning at LifeWise Academy. Slate.com
• “We don’t want (LifeWise) to disrupt our children’s school day, and that’s what (LifeWise is) doing,” Knoch Anthony said. “These girls are pressured to try to get other kids to join, so now my kids are asked to proselytize, and that’s not part of the school day.” Read more: LifeWise Academy draws criticism from some Ohio parents, support from religious organizations – Ohio Capital Journal
• “We urge districts to think twice before letting religious programs pull students out of public schools during the school day.” Read more: Here’s why LifeWise is an unwise choice for public school districts – Akron Beacon Journal Editorial Board
• “Who audits the LifeWise program? Who selects their administrators? Shouldn’t the LifeWise creators, administrators, teachers, etc. be checked out and licensed? There are so many questions left unanswered for a program that should never be legal in the first place.” Read more: LifeWise Academy is Christian Nationalism – The Times Leader
• “By working together, we can ensure that our schools remain inclusive, secular, and focused on providing a high-quality education for all students.” Read more: LifeWise and other religious programs a risk to Ohio families, public schools – The Columbus Dispatch
• “I possess zero animus for Lifewise Academy and believe those who have founded it and those who believe in its mission have done and do so with pure motives. I just do not believe that it is right or good for that mission to be implemented during the school day in a nation that was founded upon and once prided itself on the principle of a clear division between church and state.” Read more: Lifewise is Unwise – Ty Roth
• “On top of missing out on “real” educational opportunities, he said she is being ostracized and judged by other students.” Read more: Protesters speak out against LifeWise Academy’s Bible-based education program – NBC4i
• “An Ohio-based religious organization that pulls public school students from buildings during the day to teach Bible classes has fired a recently hired director after learning of a past sex-texting scandal involving students.” Read more: LifeWise fires NE Ohio school director over past allegations involving students, sex-related texts – Cleveland.com
• “Some examples of discrimination provided to us are teaching that unmarried parents are sinning, LGBTQ+ individuals are going against God and instructing children to obey God over everyone, even their parents.” Read more: Concerns loom over religious instruction program – Review Times
• “Coyle said this means students who don’t participate in LifeWise are missing out on classroom activities, too. “So, we see the goal being to disrupt the public school day,” she said.” Read more: Special Report: What is LifeWise? – Toledo Free Press