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LifeWise Academy is an interdenominational American educational program founded in 2018 as a free program that provides Bible education for public school students during school hours under released time laws.[1] LifeWise Academy states that it is aligned "with historic, orthodox Christian beliefs as expressed in the Nicene Creed."[2]
LifeWise Academy was founded in 2018 by Joel Penton, a former Ohio State defensive lineman,[3][4] as a division of his nonprofit ministry Stand for Truth.[5] The organization was inspired by the weekday religious education program in his hometown of Van Wert, Ohio, in 2012.[3] It is a division of a division of Stand for Truth that promotes Christianity in public schools.[6] Penton has described public schools as a "mission field."[7]
The organization is based in Hilliard, Ohio. As of 2024, the organization operates with paid employees in 30 states,[8] and by the end of the year is projected to be in over 600 public schools districts in 30 states.[7]
LifeWise Academy programs receive funding from local churches,[9] private donors[5] bringing in $6.5 million in fiscal year 2023,[10] and $13.8 million in fiscal year 2023.[11]
Being an ecumenical organization, LifeWise Academy states that it is aligned "with historic, orthodox Christian beliefs as expressed in the Nicene Creed."[12] With regard to varying theological opinions in Christianity, the Lifewise curriculum informs its "teachers to say there are different churches and that sincere Christians have different views on these topics" and because of Christian denominational differences, it focuses on common teachings that are shared by the major Christian denominations.[13] The founder Joel Penton noted that Lifewise Academy had teachers from various Christian denominations, including evangelicals and Catholics.[13]
In December 2023, Lifewise Academy purchased a 23,000-square-foot facility in Hilliard, Ohio to serve as a training and conference center.[14]
LifeWise Academy operates under released time for religious instruction laws which were upheld in the 1952 US Supreme Court ruling, Zorach v. Clauson.[1][15] This ruling allowed a school district to allow students to leave school for part of the day to receive religious instruction.[15] However, three requirements needed to be met: classes are off school property; it's privately funded; and students participate with the permission of their parents.[3] Release time programs are traditionally locally run and managed, whereas LifeWise Academy is a franchise model working with local steering committees to advocate for the program in their districts, including running for school board.[10]
Programs are staffed by a director, teachers and volunteers, who help transport students and assist in classrooms as needed, paid by LifeWise Academy.[1]
LifeWise Academy's curriculum is based on The Gospel Project, a Bible study program produced by LifeWay Christian Resources[16] designed for elementary schools as a five-year program covering the full Bible.[1] High school programs offer high school or college credits. In Ohio, the instruction can't take place during a “core curriculum” subject,[1] often meeting at the same time as art or music classes, library periods, or during lunch.[9]
Implementing LifeWise programs have divided communities with some parents feeling it was inappropriate for public schools to implement religious studies.[17][18] Other concerns include the possibility for children unenrolled in the program not receiving instruction during the time other students attend LifeWise's programs and that the program is unequitable for children of other faiths.[19] Non-evangelical Christians have expressed concern about messages found in LifeWise materials, particularly around topics like marriage, divorce and the LGBTQ community.[7]
In 2021, Doug Garand, a Catholic priest of St. Augustine Parish in Napoleon, Ohio urged parishioners not to participate in or financially support the program, fearing the LifeWise curriculum could draw children away from the tenets of their Catholic faith.[13] Peter Marcis, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Napoleon, Ohio regretted that "all clergy in the community were not brought together to work out the details."[13] On the other hand, Karissa Rutkowski, coordinator of Catholic religious education at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Van Wert, "has never been told that someone who participated in the LifeWise classes stopped going to the parish religious-education program as a result."[13]
In 2022, Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools rescinded their released time policy, citing student instructional time as the primary concern.[14] The program has since been blocked by at least four other districts.[20]
A Fall 2023 study by Indiana consulting firm Thomas P. Miller & Associates found that schools that use LifeWise have improved attendance and fewer suspensions.[21] The validity of the study has been questioned by Honesty for Ohio Education.[22]
In 2023, objection letters were dispatched to around 600 school districts in Ohio by atheist organization Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), expressing concerns about the endorsement of LifeWise's released-time Bible classes.[23] The organization had been contacted by Ohioans who were concerned about how large-scale released time religious programs can negatively impact educational goals and that students have a First Amendment right to be free from religious indoctrination.[24] The letter highlighted the goal of LifeWise to convert students, and reported a complaint that a student not participating in the program was assigned additional homework.[25] Other complaints have documented instances of LifeWise volunteers promoting the program in school classrooms, assemblies, and in paperwork sent home to parents.[10]
Also in 2023, Parents Against LifeWise was formed by parents who had seen detrimental effects for their children who did not participate in the program. Initially they raised awareness about increased bullying, unsupervised "study hall" during LifeWise programming, disruptions to curriculum, and lack of background checks. They also found that a LifeWise worker was a former teacher whose license was revoked on allegations of sexting with a minor. LifeWise fired the worker, blaming the worker for a lack of disclosure.[26] LifeWise is suing an administrator of the group for putting training materials and curriculum online.[7]
Following the objection letters, Ohio Attorney General David Yost released a statement reaffirming his stance of the legality of LifeWise programs as long as they follow Ohio law.[27][18][28] Lieutenant governor Jon Husted has promoted the program within his official capacity as an elected official.[29] LifeWise has supported the 2024 bill introduced by Ohio representatives Al Cutrona and Gary Click that would require schools to permit released time religious education, also supported by First Liberty Institute and Ohio Christian Education Network.[30][7]
The socially conservative Family Research Council praised LifeWise Academy for its expansion and repeating Lifewise claims that students in the program performed well on exams and had better class attendance.[31] LifeWise was a sponsor for Turning Point USA's 2024 summit.[7]
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