NEW HANOVER COUNTY — A local push to establish a Bible study program during the public school day has split the New Hanover County Schools community since the proposal was brought up at a school board meeting a month ago. On Monday, two members of the program’s steering committee explained why they thought the program — run in conjunction with the nonprofit LifeWise Academy — is a benefit to the school district.
“It’s pretty common knowledge that our school students have a lot of stress right now … anxiety, depression and social isolation are rising in our public schools,” Wayne Polston said. “So a lot of people, especially in the church community, are concerned about that — what can we do to help?”
READ MORE: NHCS entertaining MOU with Bible study program, district says board member made connection
Polston and his wife, Carolyn, are two members of the New Hanover County LifeWise chapter. LifeWise provides Christian curriculum to local community groups, who organize the transportation of students to and from an off-campus facility — typically churches — where the lessons commence.
The program operates in more than 30 states and several districts in North Carolina, though the nonprofit did sue a Massachusetts school district alleging restrictions on the program violate the First Amendment.
However, a local community activist group NHC Educational Justice began a petition to push back against LifeWise potentially coming to the school district and has more than 1,000 signatures as of March 25.
To be clear, the New Hanover County Board of Education has yet to approve a memorandum of understanding with LifeWise, though if implemented, parents would be able to opt their children into the program at no cost. Participants would be picked up at school once a week during an elective period to attend the program and transported back using LifeWise or other church partners’ vans.
Carolyn Polston pointed out the Bible is the “best-selling” book of all time — around 80 million are printed every year.
“Just my opinion, but when they took the Bible out [of the classroom] 70 some years ago, that’s when we started this downward slide with all the mental health,” Carolyn said. “Certainly there are a lot of other factors, I’m not saying that’s the one and only factor, but I just think putting the best selling book in history back in front of students can’t be wrong.”
Per the nonprofit’s website, the LifeWise curriculum uses teachings from The Gospel Project, a “Christ-centered, chronological Bible studies” program designed for all ages. Each LifeWise lesson includes review of a Bible passage and a “Living LifeWise character trait,” focusing on three areas:
- Head: Knowing and understanding what the Bible says
- Heart: How the Bible story connects to the big picture of the gospel
- Hands: How students can actionize the lesson they learn
The community interest list to begin a LifeWise program has already garnered 677 signatures. The Polstons told Port City Daily they’ve received solid interest and no shortage of volunteers and pastors that want to contribute to the program.
LifeWise has a steering committee to oversee the program’s startup made up of representatives from at least three different churches, Polstons confirmed three churches are involved for a local LifeWise launch but would not share the names.
“We prefer not to [say],” Carolyn said. “When we do that we get people speculating on who’s going to host the first program.”
Nor would it reveal other steering committee members, other than chair Alissa Sivils, a mom from Carolina Beach; Carolyn said they would prefer to streamline communication through the three of them.
However, the potential MOU has elicited scrutiny and criticism fromeducation activist Sandy Eyles. Eyles shared multiple responses from her petition with Port City Daily.
Much of the objections point to the concept of separation of church and state, referring to the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. Founding father Thomas Jefferson interpreted in an 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptist Association as affirming a “wall of separation between Church & State.”
Some critics of that view argue the Constitution intended to prevent the sanction of a national church but was never supposed to prevent a relationship between the two. The Supreme Court adopted “separation of church and state” phrase in the 1947 case Everson v. Board of Education, though recent rulings have strayed from this interpretation and focused more on the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause.
LifeWise skirts First Amendment concerns; the 1952 Supreme Court decision Zorach v. Clauson found allowing public school students to leave school for part of the day to receive off-site religious instruction did not violate the Constitution. The caveat was that the classes were held off school premises, didn’t use government funds, and participation is granted through parental permission.
Still, people argued students shouldn’t be pulled from academic studies — even electives such as art, gym and music — to study scripture, which can be done outside school hours.
One comment from the opposition petition came from Stella M — the document doesn’t reveal last names — who called the curriculum indoctrination and believes Christian education has no place in public schools.
“I would rather my student have more mandated curriculum instruction time than to be put on a bus, driven to a building, take a potty break, have a 10-15 minute Sunday School class (at best), be out back onto a bus, driven back to school, and go find a class where now my student has to reset into a true school setting. How is this beneficial to anyone except the participation numbers/statistics of Lifewise?”
Though the board of education did vote unanimously to draft an MOU with LifeWise for further review, Democratic board members Tim Merrick and Judy Justice said they would prefer the program take place after school.
Port City Daily asked the Polstons if they would be amenable to make their LifeWise chapter an afterschool program; they said no, because LifeWise stipulates the program occur during school, otherwise it faces unfavorable logistics.
“If you do that after school, you’re competing with not only sports, other extracurricular activities, jobs, you’re also — if you do it after school — we also eliminate those students who have no other form of transportation because they can’t get home afterwards,” Wayne said.
Other commenters of Eyles’ petition were concerned about student safety, though the Polstons noted LifeWise provides liability insurance that covers students from the moment they enter a LifeWise van to when they exit upon return. Volunteer community members will be responsible for loading and unloading; teachers will also undergo background checks and the steering committee will work with partnered churches on security measures.
Board member Pat Bradford also took some flak for her rumored involvement in bringing LifeWise forward. In Port City Daily’s initial reporting, NHCS spokesperson Anita Baggie said an “interested parent and NHCS board member Bradford shared contact information with Barnes and a LifeWise representative.” Bradford said she may have forwarded an all board group email request or infomercial to the super or provided his number.
Eyles has also claimed Bradford’s church, Global River Church, is involved in the LifeWise program. Port City Daily asked Bradford for a response; she didn’t confirm whether her church was involved and said she won’t be pulled into the issue.
“This is not a burning issue in our district despite those who attempt to make it one; the burning issue is being forced into choosing between essential services for students to balance this 26/27 budget,” she wrote.
Port City Daily asked the Polstons about Bradford’s involvement; they said they were unaware of any.
The program is awaiting a decision from the school district — which has indicated the MOU won’t taken up until after the budget cycle — before it can start looking for a program director. The steering committee will dissolve once a program director is brought on to oversee any employees — paid through private donations and grants — and volunteers.
Port City Daily asked the couple how much money they would need to run one LifeWise program, but was directed to the LifeWise team. A spokesperson told PCD the national average is $40,000, though this can vary depending on the number of students enrolled and other factors such as transportation needs.
The Polstons explained they imagine the LifeWise chapter starting with one school — not necessarily restricted to an elementary school like Superintendent Chris Barnes suggested in last month’s school board meeting. The program would need to ensure another facility with enough dedicated volunteers were in place before another school was brought into the fold. The first school will most likely be chosen based on the amount of community demand, according to Polstons.
The steering committee members also addressed the ability of other religious programs being able to compete with LifeWise. Superintendent Barnes told the board if the MOU with LifeWise was signed, he would expect the door to be open for similar initiatives.
Carolyn pointed out other religions don’t have as big of a presence as the Christians: “How many other religions are going to have enough parent opt-in and enough facilities close by to transport children to that spot?”
Even still, Wayne said he would welcome another religious program if they taught kids similar characteristics — courage, good judgment, integrity, kindness, perseverance, respect, responsibility and self discipline.
“Are they not accomplishing the same thing that LifeWise is trying to accomplish?” Wayne asked.
[Ed. Note: A previous version of this article stated the NHC Educational Justice petition has more than 400 signatures; it has garnered more than 1,000.]
Reach journalist Brenna Flanagan at [email protected].
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