A Pennsylvania-based nonprofit is bringing religion to children who attend public school during their school day. According to CBN News, the program, Bible2School, is a legal avenue for countering the culture many children experience in school, and reminds them of the love that surrounds them at all times. With the mission to inspire hope and show children their “unique value in Christ,” Bible2School is giving communities and families the chance to ensure their children never forget God’s love for them while at school.
The program works by bussing students out of school during the school day, usually during lunch or recess, to churches or other locations for Bible lessons. Parental permission is given for children to participate in the program. Bible2School is legal because it takes place off of school property, tax-payer funds are not used, and it follows the Release Time Court Rulings. The Release Time Court Rulings, which came after Bibles were no longer used in school, said that students may be released from school for a certain time period to read the Bible.
For many parents, Bible2School offers so much for their children and serves as the main religious education for some. According to the CEO, Korina Pennypacker, most of the kids, about 60%, “have no church at home” and learn about Jesus for the very first time through this program.
Erica Ringler, a volunteer with the program whose children used it too, shared that she and her husband loved that other “Christian, caring adults” were reinforcing the same truths that they taught their children at home and at church.
Another parent and volunteer, Meredith Steidler, emphasized the positive messaging sent from Bible2School and the important values it helps instill in children while they navigate an uncertain world.
“They’re just inundated with so many lies and so many worldviews and so many hard things that they might even be going through themselves. And they get to come once a week to hear about how they’re loved, how they have purpose, and it’s just fun to be able to do that with them. And it’s amazing to be able to speak truth over the lies that culture is trying to give them,” Steidler explained.
While some argue that families should homeschool or seek a private school if they want a religious education, this argument ignores the fact that many cannot afford to do so. Bible2School offers a real solution to families who wish their children’s faith had a place during their school day. As more communities establish a Bible2School program, more families will be helped and children will be given a chance to celebrate and learn more about their faith while they are away from home and church.