Abstract

Released Time: A Crutch for Churches

This article focuses on the released time given to school children to attend religious instruction. There is a significant difference between the occasional excusing of children from school for a music lesson, a family festival, or even the observance of a religious holiday and releasing them each week for religious instruction. Religious instruction on released time requires the public school to organize its program so that children whose parents request it may drop their regular work periodically to attend religious classes without missing any vital instruction. No matter how few those who go may be, the children who remain, and the teaching staff, are expected to suspend all significant operations while their fellows attend the church school.