Released time courses; authorize for public school students to attend off campus religious or moral instruction for credit.
Impact
The bill seeks to affect state laws regarding student attendance and parental rights in education. By allowing students to participate in these released time courses, it recognizes and accommodates the diverse educational choices families may wish to pursue. Notably, the bill distinguishes public schools from charter and virtual schools, which are exempt from these provisions. Through this, the legislation aims to reinforce the rights of parents regarding the type of education their children can receive.
Summary
Senate Bill 2156, introduced in Mississippi, proposes amendments to Section 37-13-91 of the Mississippi Code of 1972. The bill mandates that local school boards adopt a policy for excusing students from school to attend released time courses, which can encompass religious or moral instruction. Students would be allowed to attend for no more than three class periods per week or 125 class periods in a school year. Importantly, these courses would grant students elective credit, so long as the program adheres to religiously neutral criteria set forth by the school board.
Contention
A potential area of contention surrounding SB 2156 could involve debates on the neutrality of the criteria used to evaluate released time courses. Critics might raise concerns about potential biases in how school boards assess these programs, particularly regarding the qualifications of independent instructors, which need not include licensure or certification. Additionally, the bill's implications for how students’ absences are handled during these courses and the responsibility of school districts versus independent entities to maintain oversight and liability could provoke discussion among stakeholders in education and law.