NEW HANOVER COUNTY — The New Hanover County Board of Education discussed a consent form for religious-based excused absences Tuesday, ultimately deciding to send the form to policy committee due to its relation to the district’s current guidelines on excused absences.
The form is meant to create consistency amongst county schools for how religious absences are handled. The discussion follows a recent state law change requiring school districts to draft policies for the absences.
Earlier this year, New Hanover County was weighing a memorandum of understanding with LifeWise, a Christian Bible study program, before the law passed. The MOU would have coordinated transportation and pick-up times for LifeWise to provide religious instruction during school hours, though off campus. This contract is no longer being pursued due to the new state requirement.
Per the new law, the district is required to allow a one-hour minimum and up to four hours maximum of excused absences for religious instruction each week. The Supreme Court has already ruled in favor of this allowance in Zorach v. Clauson in 1952, but the state legislation codified it in the state budget passed in June.
The law allows parents or other authorized individuals to check their kids out of school during an elective period and receive an excused absence upon their return.
The draft of the consent form will include student information, a parent or guardian signature, the requested date of the absence, time the student will leave and return and a signature from the principal approving the absence.
As discussed during Tuesday’s meeting, principals cannot deny the exemption based on what religious activity is occurring and cannot ask what religion the student is. Rejections only occur if the requested time overlaps with core educational instruction — math, science, social studies or English.
A note indicating a child is taking part in religious instruction must be provided every time a student is picked up from school.
Superintendent Chris Barnes said at the meeting parents should still factor the importance of uninterrupted and consistent educational time when making their decisions. He added students may lose momentum if they leave in the middle of the school day and then come back.
“I know that this is what the law says, but I encourage families to also focus on the importance of consistent attendance as well,” Barnes said. “There are other times available for this type of thing after school, weekends and things like that. So this is an opportunity that we are providing and supporting, but we also know the value of making sure our kids have an uninterrupted instructional day.”
Some board members expressed concern the new policy indicates electives are unimportant.
“I don’t think we want to send the message that physical education, art, music, that’s not important,” Chairman Pete Wildeboer said. “We teach a lot of great things in there that are very, very important also.”
David Perry added concern over the First Amendment because the policy prioritizes religion without saying parents could take their children out of school for a secular activity as a part of an excused absence.
Aside from secular versus religious instruction, Tim Merrick questioned what would qualify as a religious exemption.
“We have to allow religion,” Merrick said. “But now we’re going to say, ‘Oh, your religion isn’t a real religion or your idea of what is necessary for spiritual growth is not approved by us.’ That’s a really slippery slope.”
The policy committee will review the form at its next meeting in September and come back to the board for final vote.
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