Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt signed House Bill 1425 into law last week.
The law authorizes school districts’ boards of education to “adopt a policy that excuses a student from school to attend a released time course for no more than three class periods per week or a maximum of one hundred twenty-five class periods per year.”
The legislation defines a “released time course” as “a period of time during which a student is excused from school to attend a course in religious or moral instruction taught by an independent entity off school property.”
The measure came with stipulations declaring that a student’s parent or legal guardian must provide “written consent prior to the student’s participation in the released time course” and prohibiting the use of school district funds or staff to provide the instruction.
Additionally, independent entities where students go during “released time” must keep attendance records and make them available to school districts.
Parents are responsible for providing transportation for “released time” courses and students are responsible for any schoolwork they miss when they leave campus.
In a statement, Alliance Defending Freedom said, “Parents have the right and responsibility to guide the upbringing and education of their children. And many parents consider religious instruction an important part of their child’s education. “