Ft. Wayne Ends Released Time Classes In Favor of After-School Program

Today's Ft. Wayne, Indiana Journal Gazette reports that a lawsuit filed this summer challenging the released-time religious education program in a Ft. Wayne school (see prior posting) has now apparently become moot. The challenged Weekday Religious Education program had been operating in Ft. Wayne schools for 60 years and for 20 years in East Allen County schools. But now the program --that offered 30-minute per week classes to 3rd, 4th and 5th graders in trailers on or near school grounds-- has ended as a result of both the lawsuit and a concern that too much time was being taken from academic subjects that are on standardized tests. In place of the released time classes, Associated Churches starting in fall 2011 will offer a once-per-week 2-hour after-school program of religious studies and character building. The group will also help schools offer character-building and values-based assemblies in the schools.