WHITEHALL — Whitehall School Board president Rachel Fekken read a prepared statement during Monday's regular meeting in response to several public comments at recent meetings directed at LifeWise Academy's efforts to launch a chapter in Whitehall.
The statement, which was attributed to the entire board, stated the district is required to follow the law regarding permissible release time activities with regard to religious instruction. It added that the district's job is to create a culture where everyone, regardless of their beliefs, feels respected.
LifeWise, which has a chapter at Reeths-Puffer, has made waves nationwide due to its providing religious instruction during school hours. The Zorach v. Clauson Supreme Court ruling from 1962 allows for such instruction if it is privately funded and does not take place on school property. Public comments in recent months have criticized the organization for what are viewed as attempts to disrupt the school day, with a smaller amount of comments speaking in favor of it.
Board member Tim Cross offered his own brief statement during the meeting, stating that LifeWise offers a morally and ethically sound curriculum for those who choose to participate and that students benefit from a focus on those areas.
Another public comment cited passage of a recent Michigan law aimed at early intervention to aid students with dyslexia and other literacy-related struggles and implored the Whitehall district to move forward with implementation of screening for them. The law requires districts to provide such screenings beginning with the 2027-28 school year.
Superintendent CJ Van Wieren stated during the superintendent's report that the district has recently purchased a special education bus for $9,000 through an auction. The bus will be used as a backup for current buses in case it's needed.
