LINCOLN- A Nebraska state senator testified that allowing offsite religious electives could be “another tool” in addressing K-12 students’ behavior and academic performance. LB1066, introduced by Sen. Lippincott and 11 other senators, would allow a private entity approved by a public school board to offer elective courses in religious instruction. Students would be able to attend, at most, one period or one hour of such a course per day during a semester.

Lippincott said this method of instruction, or release time, could add a “valuable missing component” to Nebraska K-12 electives. “It would be no different than a kid working at the John Deere store or doing something like this,” Lippincott said. LB 1066 would allow school boards to adopt policies authorizing students to attend such courses, as long as they do not “undeniably promote licentiousness,” lack legal, moral or sexual restraints, or go against other school policies.

Parents or the sponsoring entity would be required to transport students to and from school, time that would be counted in the one-period-per-day window, but Lippincott told the Examiner the time would still be meaningful. Six states allow academic credit for such release time, according to School Ministries: Alabama, Indiana, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah.

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