By Caitlin Sievers | AZ Mirror
LifeWise Academy and its far-right supporters are pursuing an aggressive campaign to change state laws across the country to force public schools to excuse students from classes to attend its Bible education program. Now that campaign has come to Arizona.
Lawmakers in the Arizona House of Representatives on Tuesday advanced a bill that would change state law to compel school districts to excuse students from class to attend privately-funded off-site religious education programs, with parental permission.
School districts in Arizona can already decide on their own to approve absences for such programs, but through a change of wording from “may” to “shall” in House Bill 2266, districts would have no say.
“House Bill 2266 is a positive step that reflects the state’s commitment to respecting religious liberty and the diverse needs of families,” Liz Easton, a LifeWise Academy board member, told members of the House Education Committee. “It allows parents to make an important choice about their children’s education and whether or not to include religious education as part of their school day, requiring schools to have a policy acknowledges that parents can prioritize their children’s education according to their beliefs.”
