Students who attend LifeWise are taken from their class by school staff to the school doors. They often ride on a school bus (owned by Lifewise) to the Lifewise class location. They then return to school and are handed off to school staff again. This process gives the impression that Lifewise is endorsed by the school. What other impression would it give to students?
Lifewise policies and curricula consistently lead to instruction that divides students based on their religious beliefs. A document called "Difficult Questions From Students" details how Lifewise instructs its teachers and volunteers to respond to students' questions. If a student lives with a parent, guardian, grandparent, etc., who may not share Lifewise's beliefs, they will instruct the student to respect the adult but to obey God before their parent or guardian. This is a dangerous rule to tell students. But it also opens a broader thought. Why does Lifewise have documents like these to help instructors? It's because the tactics Lifewise uses to attract students often lead to parents enrolling their children without being fully aware of what Lifewise is. Lifewise has documented policies that tell students to disobey their parents. This should not sit right with any parent. Bible study can be accomplished without trying to separate a child from their parents or guardians.
Lifewise instructors give the message that those who do not follow Christianity are valued less than those who do. In a skit posted on Facebook from a Lifewise class in Saint Paris, OH, an instructor describes how bad kids are fighting, stealing, name-calling, and being lazy at school. The instructor continues, saying, “This is really bad,” and describes how the child doesn't go to church or read the Bible. Associating negative character traits with people because they have a different religious view than you is bullying.
The Lifewise Academy program in Continental, OH, used a drawing a student made to show what the students had learned that year. The drawing depicts an "incorrect" person saying "god fake" with the words "no muscle." Then, a larger person who is labeled "correct" says "god real" and has "big muscle." Again, teaching students to bully people who are different from them. The instructor and program director from the Lifewise program were so proud of this drawing and its message that they wanted to share it with the world. The idea that Lifewise instructors cannot determine what bullying behavior is, and then go a step further to encourage and share it, is disturbing. Sending students back to public schools with these ideas will not create a healthy classroom environment.
The "Difficult Questions From Students" document also demonizes single parents and adults who live together before getting married. Children do not need to be told their parents are living in sin or that their peers' parents are. Lifewise created these documents to instruct their staff on how to discuss these issues with students. Please read the document and be aware of what Lifewise is teaching.
