5223 - ABSENCES FOR RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION

The Board desires to cooperate with those parents who wish to provide for religious instruction for the children but also recognizes its responsibility to enforce the attendance requirements of the State.

The Board shall permit students, with written parental permission, to be absent from school during required school periods at least sixty (60) minutes but not more than 180 minutes per week to obtain religious instruction outside of school.

The time period or periods of absence shall be determined by the building principal. Requests for absence under this paragraph shall be denied if the student fails to attend religious instruction after requesting to be absent from the student's regular school. A student must be properly registered and a copy of such registration must be filed with the principal. The supervisor of the religious instruction must report monthly to the District the names of the students who are attending the weekly instruction.

The District will assume no liability for a student while attending religious instruction nor will it provide transportation for such instruction.

No solicitation for attendance at religious instruction shall be permitted on District premises. No member of the staff shall encourage nor discourage participation in any religious instruction program.

© Neola 1998