Wake school board approves religious instruction policy
CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Wake County school board has approved a policy allowing students to receive religious instruction during school hours, a move district leaders said is necessary to comply with a new state law.
Board members acknowledged they were adopting the policy to meet requirements established by legislation passed by Republican lawmakers in the General Assembly. The law requires school districts to allow between one and four hours of religious instruction per week during school hours.
Wake County selected the minimum requirement of one hour per week. Under the policy, students could leave school for religious instruction with parental permission.
During board discussions, opponents raised concerns about student safety, oversight, and the potential impact on classroom learning.
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"Parents need to be aware of the risk that they are subjecting their children to by sending them off campus with inadequately background-checked volunteers," one speaker said.
The Rev. Suzanne Parker Miller of Pastors for NC Children said she is concerned about the influence of Christian groups seeking a role in public education and the administrative challenges the policy could create for schools.
"And with the added disruption of having to pull people out of school and sign them in, and we don't know if they're correct, signing them out, signing them in, having to make sure that all of that process is happening correctly and safely to protect our children. How is that not creating administrative burden on our schools when this program is not supposed to create burden on our schools?" Parker Miller said.
WCPSS Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor said participation would require parental permission and that anyone coming onto campus to pick up students would have to be designated by parents and follow existing school procedures.
It is about making sure that we are in compliance.- Dr. Robert Taylor, WCPSS superintendent
"But there is already legislation that determines who can come on a school campus. And if there's anything in their background in terms of being a sexual offender, or being banned from the campus, and those things are still in place. So when, we will certainly make sure we get out all of the logistics and information about this policy, what parents are able to do, so that we will be in compliance and they will know what their rights are," Taylor said.
Taylor said district leaders understand some parents' concerns but emphasized the district's focus is complying with state law.
"What we share with everyone is that the General Assembly will make laws, and people will both agree and disagree. We're not necessarily in a position to make those decisions, but it is about making sure that we are in compliance," Taylor said.
The board also considered an amendment that would have required students to turn in work due during time spent away for religious instruction. The proposal was voted down after the district's attorney raised concerns that students using the religious instruction exemption could be treated differently from students with other excused absences.
