We closely look at the recent documentary "Off School Property" produced by Lifewise Academy, an outsized Christian nationalist provider for Released Time Religious Instruction where children are removed from a public school, in the middle of the day, and transported off campus to be indoctrinated in Christian beliefs.
The film simply lies about history and claims to be a solution to children who have emotional problems using volunteers barely vetted for the program and who have no professional training in child behavior. The film also claims that the Holy Bible is the linchpin of human civilization.
Several historical inaccuracies presented in the documentary, such as the portrayal of public schools' origins and the impact of significant Supreme Court rulings on religious instruction in schools, oversimplifies the complex history of education in America and suggests that the rise of secularism was the primary driver behind the supposed removal of the Bible from the classroom. We highlight landmark cases, including McCollum v. Board of Education and Zorach v. Clausen, that illustrate the delicate balance between religious freedom and the necessity for inclusive public education.
Contrary to LifeWise’s assertions, we find many of the founding fathers had a much more complex relationship with religion and did not intend for the Bible to be central in public education. We argue that leveraging their historical figures to support a particular religious narrative is a misrepresentation meant to legitimize their agenda and that it fails to recognize the foundational principle of a secular government meant to serve all citizens regardless of their faith or lack thereof.
The goal of the film, simply, is to sell their product of indoctrination to parents who fear for their children.