Many Simpson countians can remember when their local schools allowed daily prayer in classrooms and at all school events. Christian students were allowed to form Bible clubs and participate in Bible instruction at school.
Except in private schools, most of that freedom has gone away now under federal mandates to protect the freedoms of students who are of other or no religions.
One man who would like to see Christian instruction come back into Simpson County’s public schools is retired Magee High School science teacher Dick Wendt. He is now employed as a school bus driver for the district and does some volunteer coaching.
Wendt says that he is disturbed over the language and behavior he hears and sees from his young bus riders, some of elementary age.
“The morals and the whole culture are going down the drain,” he said.
About a year ago Wendt heard about LifeWise Academy, a Bible education program that can be provided for local public school students all over the country. It has been widely publicized on CBS News, ABC, Fox News, CBN, NBC and in various major newspapers.
Though the LifeWise program serves students off school property and is privately funded and parent-permitted, individual schools are asked to cooperate by providing the time for interested students to leave their school during the school day for the Bible study sessions. The curriculum is based on the Bible and study materials provided by LifeWise. At the end of five years of participation, students will have studied through the entire Bible.
LifeWise has commissioned a number of independent studies on the effect of religious instruction on students.
Joel Penton, founder and CEO of LifeWise, cites statistics that 76 percent of Americans favor the teaching of moral and character education to public school students, while 56 percent support teaching public school students biblical values.
Other statistics show that religious education as part of the school day increases student attendance, decreases suspensions and provides other benefits to academic success and behavior.
Penton says, “Decades ago our nation systematically removed Bible education from the public school day. With LifeWise Academy, your community can bring it back.”
He emphasized that this is not an effort by the school, it’s an effort by the community.
Penton also says, “Protected by a Supreme Court ruling, LifeWise works with public schools to integrate a Bible class into their weekly schedule. The LifeWise plug-and-play model is flexible so that any community can offer Bible education to its public school students during school hours for those who want it.”
The first step in starting a LifeWise program in a community is to go to the program’s website, lifewise.org, and register support in a particular school district. Simpson County is listed on the site, with its 10 public schools. To start a program in a specific district, 50 people must register as supporting the program, though they are not committing to fund or volunteer to work unless they choose to do so. So far, 57 signatures have been collected in Simpson County.
When individuals register their support, they are asked to give some basic information about themselves and asked whether they would like to volunteer for the steering committee, which is made up of citizens who will guide the program’s set up after appropriate training from LifeWise. Formation of this committee is the second step in the process of launching a program.
Wendt, a member of Overflow Church in Magee, has volunteered for the steering committee. At least three area churches must be represented on the committee, though committee members are not committing their churches to any specific support.
Wendt emphasized that the Bible studies are held off-campus in a designated facility such as a private building or a nearby church. The local LifeWise group must provide transportation and a driver. Bible teachers are volunteers who are trained on-line and in person by LifeWise.
He said, “This is a good place for retirees to get involved on the steering committee, as bus drivers or as Bible teachers.”
To learn more about the program, read Penton’s book During School Hours, and read more about the results of the program, visit lifewise.org. Dick Wendt can be contacted at 601-519-9516.
