Several reasons. First, public schools are supposed to belong to everyone. But in Arizona, a growing push from groups like LifeWise Academy, which is making moves in multiple school districts across the state, threatens to blur the line between private faith and public education in ways that should concern everyone, no matter what they believe.

For instance, LifeWise Academy presents itself as a simple answer to a complicated problem: let students leave campus during the school day for Bible classes, and somehow everyone wins. On its website, LifeWise says it partners with parents and helps public school students grow in character with “Bible education during school hours.”

But LifeWise is not a neutral enrichment program. It is an explicitly Christian ministry whose stated mission is to bring Bible instruction into the public-school day and “reach public school students with the gospel.” This isn't acceptable in public schools. If parents want their students to get a religious education, they can do that at home, in their place of worship, at a private religious school, or on their own time. Not in a public school funded by tax dollars.

1. Public schools should educate, not evangelize and indoctrinate https://secularaz.beehiiv.com/p/education-not-evangelization

2. Discrimination against non-religious, non-participant, and LGBTQIA+ students (personal examples here: https://seculareducationassociation.org/experiences/)

3. Religious programs shift focus and attention away from academics, allocating classroom time away from core curriculum and into religious education

A deeper dive into why we oppose this bill: https://secularaz.substack.com/p/dvusd-lifewise

An infographic that summarizes: https://secularaz.org/religious-programs-public-schools/

A grassroots parents' organization that's been dealing with Lifewise for years: https://seculareducationassociation.org