Learning Across Church and State: Student Experience of a Released Time Program

Abstract

This article examines student perceptions of religious Released Time Educational (RTE) programming. Through interviews and surveys, we found that students made little distinction between public school attendance and RTE attendance and that many believed their RTE program to be part of their school. Moreover, many students found it to be a compelling and important element of their education, even though they also found it to be not very rigorous. The students’ impressions of their own schooling and education offer crucial insights into the ways in which students navigate their own education across church and state.

Notes

All proper names in this study are pseudonyms. Jake, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

The Center for Christian Learning is also a pseudonym for our research site.

“Legality,” Bible Education at Released Time. www.releasedtime.org/legality (accessed October 30, 2013). Different versions of this language appear all over online resources, but they all contain the same basic information.

Everson v. Board of Education, 330 U.S. 1 (1947).

McCollum v. Board of Education, 333 U.S. 203 (1948).

Zorach v. Clauson, 343 U.S. 306 (1952).

Zorach v. Clauson.

Lanner v. Wimmer, 662 F. 2d 1349 (10th Cir. 1981). The test has three elements: (1) whether the program has a secular purpose; (2) whether the program has the primary effect of advancing or inhibiting religion; and (3) whether the program creates excessive entanglement between the state and religion.

For state-by-state laws and guidelines, visit www.releasedtime.org/stateinfo

For information about the Jewish Released Time program, visit www.jewishhour.org.

For information about the LDS Released Time program, visit www.seminary.lds.org.

The name of the county is a pseudonym and basic data was taken from publicly available U.S. Census Bureau data.

Mr. Grant (CCL teacher), interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Ninety-four percent of CCL students expressed a desire to take a CCL class again. Two students said they were not sure. Only one student did not want to take another class. Wolford asked the seniors to presume they could still take classes at ACHS in order to not confuse the data.

Forty-five percent of non-CCL students who have not taken a CCL class expressed a desire to take one.

The study was approved by the Stanford University Institutional Review Board. Approved 12/13/2013, #29265.

This is true if we count “agree” and “strongly agree” together and do the same for “disagree” and “strongly disagree.”

The precise wording of these questions was “how important is each subject to your idea of a well-rounded education?” and “how important is each subject to your education?” Students were asked to respond according to a 1–5 Likert scale.

Cassidy, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Sally, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Mark, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Jake, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Jake, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Lilly. interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Lilly, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014..

Jason, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Jason, interview.

Cassidy, interview.

Gina, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Gina, interview.

Gina, interview.

Cassidy, interview.

Karlee, interview.

Ashley, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Survey response.

Survey response.

Karlee interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Halle, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Halle, interview.

Frank, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Sally, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

May, interview.

Frank, interview.

Drew, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Mr. Grant, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Mr. Grant, interview.

Mr. Grant, Facebook message to Wolford, March 13, 2014.

Ibid.

Mrs. Liedle, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Mr. Grant, interview.

Ibid.

Ibid.

Ms. Day, interview with Wolford, February 10, 2014.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ari Y. Kelman

Ari Y. Kelman is the Jim Joseph Professor of Education and Jewish Studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Education.

Zoe Wolford

Zoe Wolford is a graduate of Stanford University and is currently a Teach for America teaching fellow. E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected]