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Show SUPERINTENDENT PEARCE ADVISES ON RELEASED TIME FOR STUDENTS At a recent meeting of the State Board of Education, recommendations rec-ommendations for "released time" classes for students in the public schools were made. These recommendations were released to the county newspapers thru the office of County Superintendent Superinten-dent David R. Pearce: In the conduct ot the public secondary school program as it relates to the practice of releasing, releas-ing, students from school, at the request of parents, for the purpose pur-pose of attending classes in religious re-ligious education, the State Board of Education has authorized author-ized release of the following suggestions. The State Board believes it desirable to follow these 'suggestions carefully in order to avoid the use of public funds or property for sectarian religious instruction and also an undesirable and unconstitutional ' co-mingling" of the activities of the church and state. 1. Under no conditions should j religious education classes (so-called (so-called released time classes- be I permitted to be held in school buildings or on school property. 2. No student should be permitted per-mitted to "leave the school grounds during the school day to attend released-time classes, except upon the written request of the parent or guardian. 3. No student should be excused ex-cused from school, even upon the written request of the parent, par-ent, at a time when he should be in attendance at a regular class of the school for which credit is normally required for graduation gradua-tion or to complete the required course of study. 4. When 3 student is given permission, upon request of- the parent, to leave the school grounds to attend a class in religious re-ligious education, the school should not keep records of his attendance at such classes or use the school personnel or organization or-ganization to regulate 1 such attendance. at-tendance. 5. Records of attendance at "released-time" classes, grade marks, or other data should not be. included in the school reports to parents. 6. Credits for work taken in such released time classes should be recognized by public high schools only upon transcript' of credit from the institution conducting con-ducting such classes, and upon j evaluation on .the same basis I that similar credits from estab-' estab-' lished private high schools are evaluated. ' ' 1 7. The State Board of Educa-I Educa-I tion has authorized high schools i to- recognize not to exceed one unit of Bible history for work taken in private seminaries or schools. No credit is to be given for classes devoted mainly to denominational instruction. 8. Teachers in released-time classes are not to be considered as members of high school faculties facul-ties or to participate as faculty members in any school function. 9: Schedules of classes for high schools or registration forms of the school should not include schedules of released-time released-time classes, 10. No school publication should include pictures, reports, or records of functions of released-time classes. ' 11. Public school administrators administrat-ors should not request teachers of released-time classes to exei cise functions or assume responsibilities respon-sibilities for the public school program, which would result in a "co-mingling" of the activities of the two institutions. |
