As a former educator fpr the Everett Public Schools, I was alarmed to read that the Christian LifeWise program, is being held off-campus for kids during the school day in some local elementary schools (“Everett off-campus Bible program draws mixed reaction from parents,” The HErald, April 19).

Here’s why: Although it is billed as taking time out from recess and lunch only, I am left to wonder, when do kids eat? Do they get mid-day playtime? Loading a group of kids on buses, teaching a lesson, and transporting them twice in the short time period kids are allowed for lunch and recess, seems less than do-able without without losing some in-school instructional time.

Although this 30-60 minutes a week may not seem like much, elementary teachers are under tremendous pressure from parents, administrators, and state and federal testing requirements to teach increasingly complex curriculum on a variety of subjects within very limited class time. A midday off-campus program can’t help but impinge on this.

To those who encourage this program, I would point out that we live in a culturally diverse community. I wonder if you would also encourage off-campus programs to take kids mid-day to study the Torah, the Quran, or tenets of the Hindu religion?

If Lifewise wants to operate these programs, that’s fine, but they should be done outside of the school day. And if parents want their kids to learn about Christianity, they should take them to church on Sunday, or send them to Christian schools or to programs like LifeWise outside of school. It is not the role of the public Sschools — or our school tax dollars — to facilitate this kind of specific religious programming at the expense of uninterrupted instructional time and social and religious equity in the classroom.

Ann Morgan

Everett