ASHLAND — A national group with the stated goal of “protecting separation of church and state” took aim at Ashland City Schools, penning a letter to the district’s superintendent regarding his testimony on a bill before the state legislature.
The Freedom from Religion Foundation wrote a letter to Supt. Steve Paramore on July 17. The organization took issue with Paramore’s comments on Ohio House Bill 445, which Paramore testified on as a proponent.
(Below is a copy of the letter the Freedom from Religion Foundation wrote to Paramore.)
HB 445 focuses on released time for religious instruction. Namely, the bill would require opportunities for that type of instruction in public school districts across the state.
Released time for religious instruction is a long-standing practice and has been ruled constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The practice consists of students being excused from a period of a public school day to receive religious instruction. Parents can “opt in” to let their students participate. The religious instruction must take place away from school property, and cannot receive any type of promotion, funding or resources from the public district.
House Bill 445 had several organizations and individuals testify as proponents. With the exception of Paramore, however, each organization that offered testimony was a Christian nonprofit.
The list included representatives from Lifewise Academy, The Bright Project, Ohio Christian Education Network and First Liberty.
Paramore’s testimony included the following statement:
“… let’s proliferate this idea that there would be mandatory time in a school day to celebrate God’s love of his people and our duty to serve our neighbors.”
(Below is a copy of Paramore’s proponent testimony on HB 445.)
It’s that statement the Freedom from Religion Foundation, based in Wisconsin, took issue with, according to one of the organization’s legal fellows, Hirsh Joshi. Joshi said the statement is unconstitutional.
“Public schools cannot promote or otherwise suggest release-time religious instruction beyond mere allowance. Your official-capacity testimony did just that. Therefore, we ask you to cease further official-capacity promotion,” the Freedom from Religion Foundation letter stated.
Paramore responds
Paramore, for his part, said HB 445 is the only bill he’s testified on in his official capacity during his time as superintendent of Ashland City Schools.
Paramore clarified his testimony on HB 445 doesn’t mean he’s promoting Lifewise. He said he doesn’t send out emails telling parents to enroll their children. He also said Lifewise doesn’t operate on school grounds or receive district resources.
“I think a big reason why Lifewise is very successful in our district is because we have a strong Ministerial Association and we’re a large faith-based community,” Paramore said.
“I think that’s a great thing. I think that’s an asset to have. I think it shows a lot of support for students beyond just academics. We’re charged with taking care of these children and if I have another avenue that will benefit children that isn’t costing district dollars, I’d be ignorant not to at least entertain it.”
He said he doesn’t press his religion upon other people. Still, Paramore said his view is that the United States is “one nation under God,” like students say in the Pledge of Allegiance each day.
“We’re all created in His image, and we want kids to have opportunities to be around other people that feel that way and want to share their good work with them, and that’s what this release time allows,” Paramore said.
Anecdotally, he said Lifewise has also been a boon for the district, helping with student behavior and attendance.
He said he is proud of the board for having a policy that allows released time for religious education.
But, Paramore said at the end of the day, it’s a parent’s choice if their child participates.
What does released time for religious instruction look like in Ashland City Schools?
At Ashland City Schools, released time for religious instruction is permitted via board policy 5223, which has been in place since 2007. It allows students to receive up to 120 minutes of religious instruction with parental consent.
Board policy 5223 also states, “No staff member shall encourage or discourage participation in any religious instructional program.”
Paramore said only one organization offers release time opportunities for students in Ashland City Schools: Lifewise Academy.
According to previous reporting from Source Media Properties, the program was founded in 2019. As of last September, it operated in 12 states. The curriculum walks students through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelations, over a period of five years.
Lifewise has been in Ashland City Schools since 2022, Paramore said. A board agenda from Oct. 24, 2022 lists “Lifewise” as part of the superintendent’s report.
During the 2023-2024 school year, Lifewise served 424 kindergartners through eighth graders in Ashland City Schools, Paramore said. It handles its own transportation and has its own teachers involved with the program.
Ashland City Schools isn’t the only Ashland County district offering Lifewise. The program has chapters in Hillsdale Local Schools, Loudonville-Perrysville Exempted Village Schools and Mapleton Local Schools, according to its website.
Paramore said if other organizations wanted to offer similar opportunities from different religions, the district would have to allow that too, per board policy.
Constitutional concerns
Joshi said the Freedom from Religion Foundation found out about Paramore’s testimony to the state legislature from a complainant. The foundation’s website has a space for those concerned to offer up complaints. Joshi said foundation policy does not allow him to share complainants’ identities or a number of complaints.
According to Joshi, the issue was Paramore acting in an official capacity to promote release time.
As a private citizen, a superintendent can make such a statement, Joshi said. But when they represent a school district, they cannot encourage or promote participation in the program, which Joshi said Paramore’s testimony did.
“What is really disturbing about this is that it’s essentially betrayal,” Joshi said. “It’s the fact that he’s using this government body position of his, this tax-supported position of his, to go against the secular school that he is running.”
Joshi added he thinks Paramore should be more cognizant of what he’s saying in his capacity as the leader of a public school district.
The letter also states the district “has a duty to regulate religious release-time promotion by its officials when acting in the scope of their official duties…”
It also offers examples of teacher terminations that came from violating the principle of separation of church and state, or for assigning religious material to students.
The letter called on Paramore to respond with steps the district would take to “comply with the First Amendment.”
Paramore responded to the letter. Joshi said his response did not outline steps the district would take to do so.
“He didn’t really respond to our concern about official capacity testimony,” Joshi said.
Paramore said he doesn’t take personally accusations that he’s acting unconstitutionally.
“I absolutely am following board policy,” Paramore said. “I’m sure there’s all kinds of statements that anybody could come after an educator or administrator about being unconstitutional.”
Joshi declined to comment about whether the Freedom from Religion Foundation would take further steps. He did add, however, that in this type of situation, citizens have recourse. They can speak out about their feelings on Paramore’s testimony, Joshi said.
