Michigan school district vows to reinstate Bible classes despite complaint from secular group

A school district in Newaygo County, Michigan has vowed to reinstate an optional Bible study that was canceled recently following complaints from a secular group.

Fremont Public Schools had suspended the Bible Release Time program for Daisy Brook Elementary students earlier this year after it received a complaint from the Michigan Association of Civil Rights Activists (MACRA). The group argued that the Bible classes violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment by unlawfully promoting Christianity.

However, Fremont Superintendent Ken Haggart said that there has been an overwhelming demand from parents to bring the Bible study program back, and he promised to reinstate the classes this coming fall.

"We temporarily canceled the program while we reviewed parts of the program," said Haggart, according to MLive. "We believe that we were doing nothing wrong," he added.

Haggart said that there will be some adjustments to the Bible study program, including making sure that the flier that advertises the classes is correct as well as changing how the flier is distributed.

Bible Release Time was initially canceled in 2015 after a complaint from MACRA because the classes were held during school hours in the elementary school's gymnasium. Haggart said that some adjustments were made to the program, and there had been no complaints until the district received another complaint from MACRA earlier this month.

This year, the classes were held each month during the students' lunch period at Fremont Wesleyan Church. A pastor and an assistant transport the students to the Bible class in a church-owned bus. Parents are required to sign a permission slip before their children could attend the classes.

"Bible Release Time is a program permitted by Michigan law, whereby children are released from school classes during school hours to attend religious instruction at a nearby location. Pastor John Perkins will be conducting the Bible Release Time Class in Newaygo and Kent Counties," the permission slip states.

Under state law, public schools are not allowed to administer, create, organize or promote "Bible Release Time" class or any program that serves a religious purpose. However, the law allows for two hours a week of "released time Bible study" during school hours as long as it is not conducted on school grounds and only provided to students with parental permission.

Haggart said that the program has been going on for several years, and some parents were dismayed when they heard about its suspension.

"We're excited to bring the program back. It's a great program for many of our kids who live in Fremont," he remarked.