Board alters controversial policy, still receives criticism

by Sheldon Ocker

Oct. 15 board of education meeting

Following six months of sustained criticism from parents and others in the community, the Revere Board of Education altered its policy that allows students to leave school to take religious instruction.

Most impactful is the board’s decision to redefine ‘’core curriculum’’ classes, which usually refers to such courses as mathematics, history, science, social studies, foreign languages and English. A provision of the Ohio statute that lets students leave school for religious training states that students are not permitted to miss core curriculum classes.

Revere amended its policy to include as core curriculum “all graded courses.’’ This prevents students from missing art, music, physical education and band and leaves lunch period, study hall, and in lower grades, recess, as the only times students can exit the building for religious instruction.

In other changes to the policy:

The sponsoring entity must provide the board with the results of criminal record checks and enter into a memorandum of understanding with the board concerning the time students can depart and return to school and what transportation arrangements the entity is making, if any.

The sponsoring organization also must assume liability for students, keep attendance records and make them available to the board immediately. Only one day a week will be set aside for religious instruction outside school buildings.

Before the board unanimously approved these provisions, community members spoke to the issue.

One woman who identified herself as a longtime resident quoted a letter from the president of the Westerville board of education, outlining problems the district has had with LifeWise Academy, which is the state’s only provider of religious instruction during school hours (LifeWise will be the Revere provider).

According to the letter, 300 Westerville students [a district of 14,500, compared to 2,800 at Revere] have taken advantage of the policy for several years, but LifeWise has “brought contention and anger to our community,’’ and the policy was rescinded in September.”

Another resident who said she has two children in Revere schools, criticized the board.

“Right now, you’re publicly passing policies,’’ she said, “but we’re not seeing the public debate,’’ and “I’m worried that our board has become less than transparent.’’

One woman said that children should not miss recess because it is an important time for learning and gives kids a mental break from classroom work.

Board members Natalie Rainey and Courtney Stein defended the policy on the grounds that parents rightfully decide whether their children participate in the program.

In other business:

• The board ratified a new curriculum to teach elements of the Holocaust to eighth-graders and will use Gerda Weissmann Klein’s All but My Life as the primary textbook.

• Curriculum Coordinator Marcia Roach informed the board of new curriculum tools for Spanish and French, which will be reviewed and acted upon at the next board meeting.

• An automated external defibrillator will be placed in each school building, and staff, administrators, coaches and trainers will receive instruction on using the devices to revive a victim of heart failure.
• The board added Cuyahoga Community College as a partner in the College Credit Plus program that already includes University of Akron, Kent State and Stark State, among others.

• The board approved two overnight trips: the annual Bath Elementary fifth-grade trip to the Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center and the Revere High girls varsity and junior varsity basketball trip to McDowell High School in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 30.