WESTERVILLE, Ohio ( WCMH ) — The Westerville City School District has rescinded a policy that allows absences for religious instruction during the school day.
In a 4-0 vote, with one abstention, the Westerville school board voted to halt the practice, with members saying previously that pulling students from the school day was a disruption and distraction for all students.
Before Monday’s vote, a Bible-based education program called LifeWise Academy took about 300 Westerville elementary school students out of recess and lunch once a week for religious instruction. It was the only religious education-based group operating in the Westerville school district and had been in the district for two years…