Religious Expression in Ohio Schools

Students in grades kindergarten through 12 will be excused for up to three religious expression days per school year to take holidays for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief systems, or participate in activities conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church or other religious or spiritual organization. No academic penalty will be imposed on a student who is absent for such reasons in accordance with this policy and all requirements of State law. The number of hours for which a student is absent on an approved religious expression day is not considered in the calculations for determining absence hours for the purpose of parental notification under Ohio Revised Code 3321.191(C)(1).

Students are provided with alternative accommodations with regard to examinations or other academic requirements due to an absence for a religious expression day in accordance with the following procedures:

1. The parent/guardian must provide the school principal with written notice of up to three specific dates for which alternative accommodations are requested within 14 days of the start of the school year, or within 14 days after the date of enrollment if transferring or enrolling into the District after the start of the school year.

2. The principal will approve the request without inquiry into the sincerity of the student’s religious or spiritual belief system. The Principal may contact the parent/guardian whose signature appears on the request to verify the request; if the parent/guardian disputes signing the request, the request may be denied.

3. If the approved absence creates a conflict, the principal requires the appropriate classroom teachers to schedule a date and time for an alternative examination or other academic requirement that may be before or after the originally scheduled time and date.

Students are permitted to participate in interscholastic or other extracurricular activities on days they are absent for approved religious expression days.

The District develops a non-exhaustive list of major religious holidays or festivals for which a religious expression day will not be unreasonably withheld or denied. The list is non-exhaustive and may not be used to deny a student’s request for accommodation for a holiday or festival of the student’s faith or religious or spiritual belief system that does not appear on the list. The list will include a statement to this effect. A student will not be denied a request under this policy for a religious expression day because it is not included on the list.

This policy and the list of holidays developed by the District are posted in a prominent location on the District website.

Further information about this policy can be provided by:

Title: Superintendent

Address: 6417 Cincinnati-Zanesville Road NE, Lancaster, OH 43130

Phone number: 740-536-7384

Attachments Available to Download:

• Religious Expression in Schools inlcuding ORC Link
• Religious Expression in Schools inlcuding ORC Link (RTF)