BACKGROUND

The following articles from the Bristol Herald Courier is presented in chronological order for background information.
Copyright 1997, 1998 Bristol Herald Courier

School release time is OK'd
Sullivan board votes to allow pilot program
By RICK WAGNER
Bristol Herald Courier

BLOUNTVILLE (8-12-97) Eighth-graders at Lynn View Middle School will be allowed to attend religious classes during regular school hours this fall, after a vote Monday night by the Sullivan County Board of Education.
The board agreed to allow a three-month pilot program under which the students will spend roughly an hour and a half a week at Lynn Garden Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The pastor there, the Rev. Jim Hoilman, said the whole community is needed to support the non-denominational classes.
``I'm very pleased with the vote and I'm glad they were willing to try this pilot program and honor parental wishes,'' said Sherana Arrington, a spokeswoman for the Sullivan County Release Time Steering Committee, which has worked for a year toward getting the program approved.
School board attorney Pat Hull told board members before the vote that it would have to consider any other religious group's request for a three-month release time pilot program at any county school and could legally turn down such a request only on logistical grounds, not philosophical ones.
Board member Charles Bridwell of Indian Springs, who voted for the pilot program, said he would be concerned if any religious release time program went beyond Christian education.
Arrington said the committee would be interested in expanding to other schools if the school board deems the pilot program successful, including possibly elementary schools and a full for-credit class taught to high school students.
The students participating in the pilot program will miss time in an area called ``related arts,'' which includes art, guidance, library classes, music and physical education.
``We keep talking as if these other classes aren't important,'' said board member Dana Carrier of the Bluff City area, an opponent of the pilot program. ``If it (a class) doesn't matter, we need to get the curriculum committee to put some programs in there that do matter.''
Carrier also said the program marks the first time the school system will turn over students during the school day to the complete supervision of non-school employees.
``I've got mixed feelings,'' Superintendent John O'Dell said after the meeting. ``I don't see this replicated across the county.''
Anne Bennett, also a member of the steering committee, responded that the group does not want to replicate the program at all schools but rather tailor it to fit various schools and communities. Although nine churches support the Lynn View effort, she said some areas simply do not have a church close enough. She said a block or two is probably the maximum limit to travel for release time.
O'Dell told the board he had no problem with a pilot program for the eighth-grade at Lynn View, although he said the request for the sixth and seventh grades was unworkable. The group had requested seventh-grade classes for the fall and the sixth and seventh grades for the spring.
However, O'Dell said he did have a problem with trying to implement release time across the county because of scheduling problems and longer distances to churches.
Those voting for the proposal included Larry Harris of Colonial Heights, who made the motion ``to study the value of release time, period'' and said he does not know if he would support making the program permanent.
Others voting for it were Board Chairman Alvie Bright of Lynn Garden; Jim Kiss of Bloomingdale; Bridwell; and Jack Bales of Sullivan Gardens.
Bright announced the vote as 5-2, although he never asked for no votes or passes.
Carrier said he would have voted no, while board member Jerry Greene of the Bristol area said he would probably have abstained or passed.
After the meeting, Carrier said he also is concerned that the school board has no input or control over the release time curriculum.
``We're counting these kids present, and we don't have any idea where they're at,'' Carrier said.
The Kingsport school board last year turned down a similar proposal, while the Bristol school board has not been asked to consider one.
A survey of parents of the 1996-97 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students at Lynn View Middle found more than than 80 percent of those responding supported release time, but only about half of the parents responded.
The original proposal last year was for release time programs in Lynn Garden, Indian Springs and Blountville, but that was later reduced to a trial run for Lynn Garden.


Sullivan group to work out release time details
Organizers set meeting on offering religious classes to
Lynn View Middle School students
By RICK WAGNER
Bristol Herald Courier

(8-13-97) A group of religious leaders is gearing up to offer release time classes to eighth-graders at the Lynn View Middle School this fall.
Ann Bennett, a member of the Release Time Education Sullivan County Steering Committee, said Bible verses will be used to justify and give a basis for moral behavior. She said the program to be used is widely accepted by the Christian community and many Protestants and Catholics.
``It will be an evangelical-based moral program. We will be saying Jesus is Lord,'' Bennett of Kingsport said Tuesday of the ``Right from Wrong'' program by Josh McDowell. ``It is basic moral values based on the Bible.''
The county Board of Education approved a three-month pilot release time program Monday night, with five of seven members voting for it.
Permanent release time programs are in place in Johnson County and Union County in Tennessee and Smyth County, Va. The local steering committee will meet Thursday morning to work out specifics of the program.
The Rev. Jim Hoilman, pastor of Lynn Garden Evangelical Presbyterian Church, where the classes will be held, said the classes will be based on traditional Judeo-Christian values. Students will walk to the classes.
``It involves teaching about making the right choices, moral choices, godly choices,'' Hoilman said.
Release time is allowed by a 1952 U.S. Supreme Court decision that has been upheld over the years. However, requirements include that the classes be held outside the school grounds, that school personnel neither encourage nor discourage participation and that the school have no control over how or what is taught.
Last year, it was proposed for Blountville Elementary, Indian Springs Elementary and Lynn View Middle schools, but the focus was narrowed to Lynn View when board members late last year expressed interest in a pilot program.
Kingsport school board members have turned down a similar proposal, while Bristol's School Board has not been asked.
The students whose parents give them permission to participate will miss related arts, which includes art, library science, music and physical education.
``These classes are very important, but we think release time is just as important,'' Bennett said.
Superintendent John O'Dell said related arts classes are important, but he said he would oppose any release time that interferes with core courses like math, English, social studies and science.
O'Dell said his ``biggest concern'' is if the board would try to allow release time countywide because school schedules simply would not allow it.
``I didn't feel I could make a recommendation philosophically,'' O'Dell said. ``I probably could argue that one either way. ... I do think parents should have some input to say what their children should learn, but I don't think they can say their child will not learn to read or do math. That is child abuse.''
School board member Charles Bridwell of Indian Springs, who voted for the pilot program, and Dana Carrier of Bluff City, who was against it, said they thought the board would be forced to allow other three-month pilot programs. Bridwell said any group that ``claimed to be a religious group'' could get a pilot.
Board attorney Pat Hull responded: ``We can't just implement one program for one group that desires to do it.'' Hull said logistics, not philosophy, would be the only reason to turn down or delay other release time pilot programs.
``That issue has been brought up in every town where release time has been proposed. It just hasn't happened,'' Bennett said. Even if it did, parents would have to give permission for participation.
The church has agreed to take on the liability for any accidents. Hull said the school system still would have some liability, but no more than for students who travel during or after the school day on school-related activities.
Discipline during release time will be handled by the release time program, and students cannot be punished by the school system for being truant from release time.
``We have the option of removing truant and disruptive children from the program,'' Bennett said. ``But we hope that they (truant and disruptive children) will come, and we'll change them.''
Other churches supporting the program are Gravely Baptist Church, Lynn Garden Baptist Church, Higher Ground Baptist Church, Concordia Lutheran Church, King's Highway Temple, Oak Drive Independent, Ketron Methodist Church and Mount Calvary Presbyterian Church.
``Within the next two or three years, we are at a maximum looking at two or three more schools,'' Bennett said. ``We want to work with the schools. We are not trying to force something on them.''
Before Monday night's vote, Chairman Alvie Bright of Lynn Garden, who voted for the proposal, said: ``Vote your conscience. We're in a no-win situation.'' Bright voted for it.
``It really is a win-win situation for the schools, the parents and the community,'' Bennett said Tuesday. ``The First Amendment applies to all.''

Release time's impact gauged
Sullivan organizers claim success as pilot program ends
By RICK WAGNER
Bristol Herald Courier
(11/24/97) A pilot program allowing selected students at a Sullivan County middle school to attend Bible classes during school hours in a nearby church ended this week.
However, organizers already are planning to ask the Board of Education next month to allow the program to be extended for the rest of the school year.
The ``release time'' program, approved by a split vote of the Sullivan County Board of Education, ran from Sept. 4 to Nov. 20 at Lynn Garden Evangelical Presbyterian Church. It was open to all eighth graders at Lynn View Middle School.
All told, the program drew 30 participants from an eligible pool of 75 Lynn View eighth graders, said Sherena Arrington and Anne Bennett, Kingsport residents who are members of the Sullivan County Release Time Committee.
However, one student did not attend regularly and eventually dropped out, while another moved away, Arrington said.
``We're getting really great feedback from parents and students,'' Arrington said. ``The students are asking to have an extension of the program.''
The students miss ``related arts,'' things like art, guidance, library time, physical education and music.
``I really want to go back,'' said participating 8th grader Tobias ``Toby'' Carr, 13. Asked about the missed two periods a week, he said that was ``nothing, really'' and amounted to mostly gym and art. ``It's OK for us to miss one day a week.''
Greg Light, whose daughter, Heather, participated in the program, said he has ``no concerns'' about the missed classes and that his daughter enjoys the class and has done well in it.
Heather Light said that ``teachers are very understanding'' and missing the time, which she said for her includes study hall and physical education, has no effect on grades.
``It gives people who can't make it to church on Sunday ... a chance to come and do this during school,'' Heather said. ``It's fun to learn about the Bible with your friends.''
Principal Dennis Houser could not be reached for comment Friday.
To evaluate the program, organizers compare pre-tests and post-
tests to determine what students learned, as well as talk with students, parents and school administrators.
Superintendent John O'Dell said he plans to make a recommendation to the board on the extension request. At the Aug. 11 board meeting where the pilot program was approved, he said the board would have to grapple with philosophical issues but emphasized the program could work logistically at Lynn View but could not at many other schools.
``I've asked Jack Barnes (director of middle and high schools curriculum) to get me as much information as he can about it,'' O'Dell said.
Arrington predicted the school board may be more receptive to extending the program than it was to approving it initially. Arrington said about 60 to 75 percent of the participating students were involved in church or formal religious study outside the group, which the rest were not.
``I think it will be easier because it's got a proven track record now,'' Arrington said.
However, one school board member who voted against it said he was still opposed, and a member who voted for it said he has serious concerns after attending one of the release time sessions.
``I voted against it,'' said board member Jerry Greene of the Bristol area, who along with board member Dana Carrier of the Bluff City area voted no at the Aug. 11 school board meeting. Voting for it were Chairman Alvie Bright of Lynn Garden and members Charles Bridwell of Indian Springs, Jim Kiss of Bloomingdale, Larry Harris of Colonial Heights, Jack Bales of Sullivan Gardens.
``I still feel as I did before. I'm a firm believer in Bible teaching,'' Greene said. ``But we need those kids in our (regular school) classes as much as possible.''
Greene said he would prefer churches provide after-school programs, which is what O'Dell said four churches in Bluff City recently decided to do for Bluff City Elementary School. Bennett said many churches across the county already provide such programs.
``That's an entirely different need,'' Bennett said. For instance, Bennett said that 28 of 75 eligible students stuck with the program at Lynn View but that only nine of 175 eligible 4th, 5th and 6th graders attend an after-school ``children's Bible drill'' program she teaches for Indian Springs Elementary School students.
Bridwell said he ``reluctantly'' voted for the pilot program but said he had reservations that were reinforced when he attended a release time session at Lynn View on Nov. 13.
``What I observed was a strong evangelical approach,'' Bridwell said, saying the class was ``almost giving an altar call. What they did was strong in that direction.''
However, Bennett emphasized the program is non-denominational and includes some Catholic students. Certain questions about beliefs are met with the response to ``ask your pastor,'' parents or read the Bible.
``This is not to say we compromise the gospel at all,'' Bennett said.
Carr said, ``We're all just there for the same reason, to talk about and love God and Jesus.''
Bennett said that the organizers, as well as students, learned from the eight 90-minute sessions. For instance, she said organizers learned that many of the participants needed more basic knowledge that what was in the curriculum.
``We had one child say, `Ten Commandments? I've never heard of the Ten Commandments,' '' Bennett said.

Close vote on release time is expected
By RICK WAGNER
Bristol Herald Courier

BLOUNTVILLE (1-12-98) Some Sullivan County Board of Education members predicted they will have a close vote today on whether to continue allowing some Lynn Garden 8th graders to attend Bible-based classes at a church during the school day.
An informal survey of the seven board members found one in favor, two opposed, one undecided but leaning in favor, one undecided but leaning against and two others undecided.
The program, called released time, in August was approved 5-
2 for the 8th graders for the first half of the school year at Lynn View Middle School, but school board members Jim Kiss of Bloomingdale and Charles Bridwell of Indian Springs said the vote could be closer this time.
In the program, the parents of eighth graders may choose for their children to miss 90 minutes of ``related arts'' class time a week _ things such as physical education, art, music or study time.
``I don't know just yet. I probably won't make up my mind until the meeting. But I think it will be a close vote,'' Kiss said Thursday of the meeting, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the large meeting room of the health and education building off the Blountville Bypass.
``I think it will be 4-3, anyway. That's my gut feeling,'' Kiss said. ``I'm still on the fence. I don't know which way I will go.''
Bridwell late last year expressed concerns about what he called the evangelical nature of the classes after attending one and said he since has talked with many people, both pro and con.
``I guess I'm leaning toward not voting for it,'' Bridwell said Thursday. ``I could imagine it might be a 4-3 vote, one way or the other.''
Bridwell said he is struggling with his decision because of his Christian beliefs and questions posed to him by people on both sides of the issue.
For 12 weeks this fall, 8th graders at the school could go to Lynn Garden Evangelical Presbyterian Church one day a week for 90 minutes and have Bible-
based, religious instruction through Josh McDowell's ``Right from Wrong'' program.
Released time is allowed under a 1952 U.S. Supreme Court decision. Members of the Released Time Education Sullivan County Steering Committee, which includes Ann Bennett of Kingsport, said it involves more than 200,000 children in 30 states. In the region, Smyth County in Southwest Virginia, Johnson County in Northeast Tennessee and Union County north of Knoxville have released time, and state Sen. Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, supports it.
``We think the pilot program evaluation stands on its own,'' Bennett said of the written evaluation, which includes words of support from students, teachers and parents that indicate participating students improved in disciplinary areas, disposition and school studies. Of 75 students eligible, 30 started the program. One moved away and one dropped out, the evaluation and Bennett said.
Board Chairman Alvie Bright of Lynn Garden said he would vote to continue the pilot program for the rest of the school year. He faces re-election this year.
``I think probably what will be proposed is to continue the pilot program. That will give a little more time to gather information,'' Bright said.
``I know the guys in the Bristol area, and they won't support it. They didn't before,'' Bright said. ``People in this are over here are really positive about it.''
Jerry Greene of Bristol and Dana Carrier of the Bluff City area said they would vote against continuing the program, as they did last year.
``I'm in favor of Bible teaching, but I think kids aren't in the classroom enough as it is,'' Greene said. ``I don't see why they (released time supporters) can't do it after school.''
Carrier agreed.
``I just don't feel it's our place to do that kind of thing. The people in Bluff City are doing it after school, and I understand it's very successful,'' Carrier said. ``I support the one after school.''
However, Bennett said that after-school programs and released time meet different needs and that many children cannot attend after-school programs because of a lack of transportation or extra-curricular activities.
``After school programs and released time just meet different needs,'' Bennett said. ``We think after-school programs are good, also. They don't meet the need of as many students.''
Larry Harris of Colonial Heights, who faces re-election this year, said he was undecided but leaning toward voting for the continuation until the school year's end, while Kiss and Jack Bales of Sullivan Gardens said they were undecided on the matter and Bridwell said he leaning toward voting against the continuation.
``I don't know what response I will have,'' Bales said Friday. ``I can't tell you what my response would be until I get all the factors involved.''
The vote on the original pilot program request in August 1997 was 5-2, with Bales, Bridwell, Bright, Harris and Kiss voting for it and Carrier and Greene voting against it.
Superintendent John O'Dell said he has not decided what his final recommendation will be. Last year, he did not make a definitive recommendation but pointed out that logistical concerns would make it difficult to have released time in other grades and in other schools.
``I'm not sure,'' O'Dell said when asked what his recommendation would be. ``I've talked with the folks down at Lynn View, but I don't know.''
Bennett said the steering committee will be very flexible in working with the school, possibly changing the grade level or levels for future proposed programs.
Further, she said released time is limited because of a lack of qualified instructors, churches located within walking distance of schools and churches willing and able to take on the financial responsibility and accident liability of holding the classes.
``We want to be very flexible with the school, and we want to meet the needs as best as we can,'' Bennett said.

Religious program decision delayed
By RICK WAGNER
Bristol Herald Courier

BLOUNTVILLE (1-13-98) Sullivan County's Board of Education faced an avowed atheist arguing against the released-time religious program and a room full of people for it Monday night.
But a question of procedure, not pros and cons of the actual program, delayed until next month the decision on the future of the Bible-based instruction. It has been allowed during the school day for eighth-graders at Lynn View Middle School since August.
``Will you in fact allow atheism to be taught on a released-time schedule?'' asked Carletta Sims of Hawkins County, the only member of the public to speak in opposition to released time. She said she is an atheist and member of the American Atheist Organization, and she also asked if the board would let Islam and other religions have released time.
``I respect the right that they want to go to church. That's OK,'' Sims told the board, although she cited what she called inconsistencies and inappropriate biblical subject matter for children. ``It is up to each individual to enjoy religion as they see it.''
At the meeting packed with supporters of the Bible-based program taught at Lynn Garden Evangelical Presbyterian Church, the board was set to vote on a motion to allow the program to continue through the end of the school year.
Board member Larry Harris of Colonial Heights made the motion to approve the extension of the pilot program from Feb. 5 through May 14, with participating students missing 90 minutes of related arts classes _ art, study hall, physical education and music _ each Thursday.
However, Harris a few minutes later moved to delay the vote until the next board meeting _ later set for Feb. 3 at 4 p.m. Harris' action came after board member Dana Carrier of Bluff City asked if board procedure required a two-thirds vote to approve any item not on the agenda. Superintendent John O'Dell said it did, after referring to the written rules and board attorney Pat Hull.
A two-thirds vote would have required a 5-2 vote, although the board appeared headed to a vote of 4-3 or possibly 3-4.
``It was really supposed to be an agenda item,'' board Chairman Alvie Bright of Lynn Garden told reporters after the meeting. ``We didn't say what shape, form or fashion.''
The board agreed last month the matter would come up for a vote at the January meeting, but it was handled as part of the superintendent's report instead of a separate agenda item.
Paul Bentley, who serves on the committee that put together the released-time program, emphasized an evaluation of the program that cited improved attitudes, attendance and Bible knowledge among participants.
``We believe the results of the program require a vote to continue,'' Bentley said.
However, board member Charles Bridwell of Indian Springs _ who last year voted for the pilot program and played a crucial role in a 5-2 vote has since called the program too evangelical and Monday night expressed serious misgivings about the program, including the evaluation from the supporters, which Bridwell said did not match up with what input he got from some teachers and others.
Also, Bridwell said some who did not participate in the program were chastised by supporters of it. He also said he never got details of the program or even an outline of what would be studied, but released-time spokeswoman Sherena Arrington said she sent an outline to Bridwell more than a year ago.
The board in August voted 5-2 to approve the original pilot program, with Carrier and Jerry Greene of Bristol voting no. Those who voted for the original pilot program were Bales, Bridwell, Bright, Harris and Jim Kiss of Bloomingdale.
O'Dell did not make an outright recommendation. Instead, he suggested the board consider three options: extend the pilot program for the rest of the school year; enlarge the program to serve more students but have it only once a month; or discontinue the program completely.
``I think it should be our choice,'' released-time student David Navalta told the board. ``It is not taking away from our school studies. It is added learning.''
After the board's decision to delay the vote, supporters of released time outside the meeting questioned Carrier's motives in bringing up the procedural matter. However, Carrier said after the meeting that if he had planned a scheme to kill the program, he would have waited until after the vote to make his point of order.

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please call: (423)378-4863
Tennessee Released Time Christian Education
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