SB474: OK Students Allowed to Miss Regular Lessons for Religious Courses

Extra work for schools? Managing students in off-site religious classes

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What does SB474 want to accomplish?

SB474 requires schools in Oklahoma to create a policy that lets students leave school to take religious or moral classes taught outside of school.

The policy must include getting written permission from parents, making sure no school resources or money are used, and protecting the school from being responsible for these classes.

Students can earn extra credit for completing these classes, as long as the classes are reviewed fairly. This law starts right away after being approved.

Who benefits from this law?

✔️Students: They can attend religious or moral classes outside of school and earn extra credit for them.

✔️Parents: They can choose to allow their children to attend these classes, with written consent.

✔️Independent Religious or Moral Instruction Providers: They get a chance to teach classes to students without using school resources.

✔️Schools: They are protected from any responsibility related to these external classes and can focus on their main educational duties.

What are some concerns people might have about this law?

⚠️Disruption to Regular School Schedule: Students leaving school for these classes could miss out on regular lessons and activities.

⚠️Potential for Unequal Access: Not all students may have equal access to these released time courses, especially if transportation or financial issues arise.

⚠️Administrative Burden: Schools might face extra work managing and tracking students who leave for these classes.

⚠️Legal and Liability Concerns: While the law protects schools from liability, there could still be legal questions or challenges related to the implementation of the policy.

⚠️Perceived Favoritism: The policy might be seen as giving more importance to religious or moral instruction, which could lead to concerns about fairness or separation of church and state.

This bill is making its way through the legislative process. When introduced, it was scheduled to go into effect at the end of 2023. It remains in committee.

➡️Is this something that you think Oklahomans need? How will it benefit the county you live in?

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