Westerville District Reinstates Optional Religious Instruction for Students
Westerville City Schools has once again shifted course on its approach to religious instruction. After prohibiting absences for such programs in September 2024, the district has now reinstated release time for optional religious education to comply with the new state law.
House Bill 8, which took effect on April 9, 2025, requires Ohio’s public school districts to permit students to attend religious instruction during the school day. At Monday’s board meeting, Scott Reeves, the district’s Chief Personnel and Policy Officer, explained that the policy change was necessary to align with the legislation.
The earlier prohibition had triggered a heated debate in the community. Parents packed last year’s board meeting to voice contrasting views.
Supporters saw religious programs like LifeWise Academy as valuable for families seeking faith-based education, while critics warned of classroom disruptions and unequal treatment of students.
With the policy now reversed, a district spokesperson confirmed that LifeWise Academy is resuming operations this week in two Westerville elementary schools.
Children hold the right to an education as well as the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. Any policy on release-time instruction must therefore balance both rights, ensuring that students who choose religious instruction may do so, while those who do not are equally supported in their uninterrupted access to quality education.
