Understanding “Released Time” at Public Schools

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During the legislative session earlier this year, there was discussion about released time at Arkansas’ public schools.

Legally in America, public schools may set aside released time during the school week for students to voluntarily attend religious classes off-campus. Released time programs have been in operation for over 100 years in the United States.

Released time makes it possible for students to be excused from school so they can attend Bible studies or other religious classes during normal school hours.

In 1952, the U.S. Supreme Court case Zorach v. Clauson solidified released time programs in America after multiple lawsuits and another court case put it in jeopardy. In a 6-3 decision, the Court found that a New York Education Law permitting release time did not violate the First Amendment. As long as these programs are voluntary — with written parental consent — operate off school grounds, and are privately funded, they are constitutional.

Since the Zorach case, thousands of students have participated in released time programs all across the country. There are estimated to be hundreds, if not thousands, of released time programs in operation, serving more than 350,000 students in first grade through high school.

In 2007 the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette wrote about released time programs in Arkansas and elsewhere around the country, noting, “Even the Arkansas American Civil Liberties Union agrees it’s allowable.” Volunteers in Gravette, Arkansas, have taught a Bible to students for over 70 years in multiple ways, including released time. Other released time programs exist in Arkansas, either independently or through organizations like School Ministries or LifeWise that provide curricula to local groups.

While released time is legal under federal court rulings in Arkansas, the state has no law formally acknowledging released time or explaining how public school districts extend released time to students. As a result, many Arkansans don’t know that released time is available during normal school hours.

H.B. 1139 by Rep. Brit McKenzie (R — Rogers) and Sen. Joshua Bryant (R — Rogers) would have fixed that problem.

This good bill would have written released time into state law and clarified how public schools may excuse students for released time during school hours.

Unfortunately, the House Education Committee rejected H.B. 1139 in April after some 40 minutes of public testimony.

Family Council appreciates Rep. McKenzie and Sen. Bryant sponsoring this good bill, and we hope to work with state and local policymakers in the future to promote released time programs and pass a measure writing released time into Arkansas law.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Here is What Public School Students Learn in Elective Bible Courses

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Recently, we have written about how Arkansas law lets public schools offer elective, academic courses on the Bible — and how enrollment in these courses has grown this year.

In 2013 Arkansas passed Act 1440 letting public schools offer elective, academic courses that study “the Bible and its influence on literature, art, music, culture, and politics.”

The law says the course must be objective and nonsectarian, and it must meet the same academic standards as other elective courses offered in public schools. Anyone wishing to teach the course must be licensed to teach in the State of Arkansas. In 2019, the Arkansas Legislature passed Act 1016 making technical clarifications to Act 1440 of 2013.

The Arkansas Department of Education’s academic framework provides an outline for these classes and what students learn from them.

Under the framework, the academic study of the Bible is a one-semester English elective course.

Students learn about the Bible and its influence on literature, art, music, and culture.

As part of the course, students demonstrate “an understanding of narratives, poetry, and epistles contained in the Bible and how these biblical genres have influenced literature, art, and music.”

Students are also expected to:

  • Recognize the variety of literary devices in biblical text;
  • Identify major characters of the Bible;
  • Identify themes expressed in the Bible, making comparisons with modern society today;
  • Analyze poetry and songs of the Bible, making comparisons with modern poetry and music;
  • Compare different translations of the Bible;
  • Analyze the influence of the Bible on art and literary works;
  • Examine the influence of the Bible on historical and modern day political and social movements;
  • Analyze the Bible’s influence on the creation of American institutions and law.

The academic framework also notes that the Bible courses must be taught objectively.

This year lawmakers passed Act 400, the Religious Rights at Public School Act by Sen. Mark Johnson (R — Little Rock) and Rep. Alyssa Brown (R — Heber Springs). This good law affirms public school students’ and teachers’ religious liberties, and it highlights the freedom that schools have to offer academic courses on the Bible under state law.

It’s good that Arkansas’ students have the opportunity to enroll in academic courses on the Bible. After all, no single book has been more influential on our civilization.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Arkansas Department of Education Offers Guidelines for Academic Bible Classes

Religious Freedom, ,

Recently we wrote about how the State of Arkansas lets public schools students learn about the Bible academically in elective classes.

In 2013 Arkansas passed Act 1440 by Rep. Denny Altes (R — Fort Smith) and Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R — Branch) to let public schools offer elective, academic courses that study “the Bible and its influence on literature, art, music, culture, and politics.”

The law says the course must be objective and nonsectarian, and it must meet the same academic standards as other elective courses offered in public schools. Anyone wishing to teach the course must be licensed to teach in the State of Arkansas.

In 2019 the Arkansas Legislature passed Act 1016 by Rep. Joe Cloud (R — Russellville), Rep. Jim Dotson (R — Bentonville), and Sen. Bob Ballinger (R — Ozark). Act 1016 helped make technical clarifications to Act 1440 of 2013.

This year lawmakers passed S.B. 223, the Religious Rights at Public School Act by Sen. Mark Johnson (R — Little Rock) and Rep. Alyssa Brown (R — Heber Springs). This good law affirms public school students’ and teachers’ religious liberties, and it highlights the freedom that schools have to offer academic courses on the Bible under Act 1440 of 2013.

Under laws like these, the Arkansas Department of Education has written an academic framework for schools to use in structuring their Bible course.

The department’s academic framework says,

Academic Study of the Bible is a one-semester English elective course that is designed to strengthen students’ understanding of the Bible and its impact upon American culture. This nonsectarian, nonreligious, academic course integrates the study of the Bible as a piece of literature with art, music, literature, culture, and politics in order to understand the relationships between the Bible, society, and culture. As an English Language Arts elective, it is expected that students will develop and apply literacy skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The Academic Study of the Bible course does not need Arkansas Department of Education approval.

The academic framework also notes that the Bible courses must be taught objectively.

Over the past 12 years, different school districts in the state have chosen to offer academic courses on the Bible under this type of official state framework.

This year, Arkansas Department of Education data shows 264 public school students enrolled in courses to study the Bible academically.

It’s good to see Arkansas’ schools offering these academic courses on the Bible to students across the state. After all, no single book has been more influential on our civilization than the Bible.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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