WORTHINGTON, Ohio (WCMH) — Worthington City Schools unanimously voted to rescind its religious release policy Monday night.

The school board has been considering its religious release policy since October. Currently, the policy allows absences for religious instruction during the school day. Effective Dec. 31, the board will no longer have a policy in place.

Those in favor of the policy said it was about parents’ choice rights, and those against it said it was about keeping public schools and religion separate. Worthington’s board of education had its first reading of the rescission policy on Nov. 25, indicating they would likely move forward with the decision.

Board member Amber Epling-Skinner said she spoke with teachers, who let her know the program is distracting and often requires teachers to assist.

“The teachers that I talked to are also concerned about the fact that some of the things that are happening during recess and lunch are things that they can’t get during the school day,” Epling-Skinner said. “With a lot of the kids going out and going to these programs the teachers at these schools are then kind of scheduling around these things. And the students who are left behind … they are having to wait and things are being adjusted.”

At Monday’s board meeting, one primary concern emerged: Will the decision even matter?

The worry had to do with pending legislation in the Statehouse, which could require all public schools in Ohio to have a religious release policy. These bills are on a tight deadline if they were to pass, as they would have to be approved by the last legislative sessions of this General Assembly, which are scheduled for Dec. 18 and 19.

If legislation does pass requiring public schools to have policies, students could return to Worthington schools without the opportunity for religious programs, only to have them re-implemented shortly after. Board president Nikki Hudson mentioned concerns about the pending legislation when the district last weighed the proposal in November, leading the board to postpone the vote until Monday night’s meeting, the last scheduled for 2024.

Hudson was absent from Monday’s meeting, but the four remaining board members weighed her lingering concerns and came to a compromise. Initially, the school board meeting’s agenda proposed an immediate removal of the policy. When it came to vote, Worthington school board members unanimously approved amending the removal to Dec. 31. With winter break beginning Dec. 20, board members agreed there was little need to rush the date.

Board members weighed how much time they might have if the policy is state mandated to reintroduce a policy, as well as if it was worth waiting for the legislation to be clear. They were considered some schools would be starting from no policy at all, and estimated the new law would give districts 30-90 days to prepare a new policy.

“If it does pass from between when we were to rescind it and then it would pass, we would be able to look at our practices and procedures again in order to minimize disruption and ensure the safety of our students,” Epling-Skinner said.

Currently, the only program taking advantage of Worthington’s RTRI policy is LifeWise, a religious group that provides biblical education to students during the school day. LifeWise CEO Joel Penton previously voiced his disappointment when Westerville schools similarly rescinded its policy in September, and urged lawmakers to pass the RTRI legislation when he heard about Worthington’s decision.

“We are incredibly disappointed by the Worthington School Board’s decision to deny students access to Bible-based character lessons during school hours. This program was already well underway for the current school year, with plans to serve four additional schools in January,” Penton said.