COLUMBIA, S.C. — Two things people say you should avoid talking about at the dinner table are religion and politics.
On Tuesday night, Richland Two board members brought both to the table to have a conversation about Religious Release Time in the school district.
To an audience with standing room only, Richland Two board members went back and forth mulling over the idea of letting students out of class for religious instruction.
This all started about a month ago after a ministry group approached the district about a partnership. The proposed program would start with middle school students and would allow for one hour of instruction each week during the school day. The ministry group would provide transportation to students to bring them on and off their school campus for this religious instruction period. Any classwork these students miss would have to be made up.
“As your elected official, I have a right to listen to everybody. I don't make a decision for one or two people, I make a decision for what's going to be in the best interest of all of the students in Richland Two," said school board member Tamika Washington.
“The reality is that we are obligated as a school district to help parents do things that will help their children receive the education that their parents want," said board member Joe Trapp in the discussion.
Most stakeholders attending the meeting came to hear the board’s discussion about religious release time and express their own thoughts and feelings as well.
Belinda Robins supports release time and says she feels that this program would benefit students.
“It seems like an excellent program, you have to have parent permission, so it shouldn't be an issue," Robins stated.
Others, like Rabbi Jonathan Case of Beth Shalom Columbia, do not feel the same.
"The problem with this is, there's only one group in our community that can afford to do religious release time," Case said.
No policy has been created yet, and no votes took place Tuesday night.
Religious Release Time has already been added to Richland Two’s next board meeting agenda.