Cumberland County Schools
Step 7 of 10
Recruit Your Team (Step Descriptions)
Signatures

31

People who signed Lifewise's petition

State Law

North Carolina is a
"No-Statute" state

Learn more about state laws.

Location Map Fayetteville, NC 28306 Cumberland County
Lifewise Local Program Website Link (opens in a new tab)
District Poverty Rate 21.9% (data source)
Non-White Students 75.7% (data source)
NCES Link NCES District Info
Last Updated September 2, 2026
North Carolina State Law

There is no state statute regulating released time for religious instruction, federal rulings still apply. "No-Statute" states function in theory the same way as "May-Law" states. School districts may create a policy allowing students to be released for religious study, or they may choose not to coordinate with released-time programs and require the students' legal guardians facilitate the process.
Read more about "May" and "Shall" state laws

States with no statute for released time religious instruction are treated like "may" states. Released time programs would need to request approval from the local school board. School districts should not allow a released time program to operate in the district without a specific released time policy.

The federal case laws that mandate how released time functions should be followed. Zorach vs Clauson states:

School districts in states without a statute mandating a released time policy can choose not to allow released time or to coordinate with religious organizations seeking to remove students from school during the school day.

School districts should always have a policy indicating whether they coordinate with released-time religious instruction programs. Not having a policy at all and leaving it up to the released time program should never be the operating standard. This will open the district up to misinterpretation of its intent.

It is suggested that parents approach the school board and request that a released time religious instruction policy be implemented, even before a religious program approaches the district.

This does not encompass all legal requirements, and other legal opinions may exist. Please use this as a guide only.

What Can My School District Do?

All school districts, regardless of whether they are required by law to allow released time, should implement good policy and be prepared for when a released time program may approach the district. The time to set the policy is before an active program is pressuring the district. Research polices the district can implement to protect teachers' and students' instruction time. Set polices that limit disruptions to students and the ability for proselytization to occur, impacting other students of faith or no faith. A more detailed write-up on school board policies can be read here.

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Schools in the District (88)
School Step Description Grades Period Signatures
Alderman Road ElementaryStep 5 Recruit Your Team 128
Alger B. Wilkins High SchoolStep 5 Recruit Your Team 128
Anne Chesnutt MiddleStep 5 Recruit Your Team 128
Armstrong ElementaryStep 5 Recruit Your Team 128
Alma O Easom ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Ashley ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Beaver Dam ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Benjamin J Martin ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Bill Hefner ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Brentwood ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
C Wayne Collier ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Cape Fear HighStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Cliffdale ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
College Lakes ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Cross Creek Early CollegeStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Cumberland International Early CollegeStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Cumberland Mills ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Cumberland PolytechnicStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Cumberland Road ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
District No 7 ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Douglas Byrd HighStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Douglas Byrd MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
E E Miller ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
E E Smith HighStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
E Melvin Honeycutt ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Eastover-Central ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Ed V Baldwin ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Elizabeth M Cashwell ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Ferguson-Easley ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Gallberry Farm ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Glendale Acres ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Gray's Creek ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Gray's Creek HighStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Gray's Creek MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Hope Mills MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Howard L Hall ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Howard Learning AcademyStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Ireland Drive MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
J W Coon ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
J W Seabrook ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Jack Britt HighStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
John R Griffin MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Lake Rim ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Lewis Chapel MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Lillian Black ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Long Hill ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Loyd E Auman ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Lucile Souders ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Luther Nick Jeralds MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Mac Williams MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Manchester ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Margaret Willis ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Mary Mcarthur ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Montclair ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Morganton Road ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
New Century International ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
New Century International MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Pine Forest HighStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Pine Forest MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Ponderosa ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
R Max Abbott MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Raleigh Road ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Ramsey Street HighStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Reid Ross Classical HighStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Reid Ross Classical MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Rockfish ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Seventy-First Classical MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Seventy-First HighStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Sherwood Park ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
South View HighStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
South View MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Spring Lake MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Stedman ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Stedman PrimaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Stoney Point ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Sunnyside ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Teresa C Berrien ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Terry Sanford HighStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Vanstory Hills ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Walker-Spivey ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Warrenwood ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Westarea ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Westover HighStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
Westover MiddleStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
William H Owen ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
William T Brown ElementaryStep 5 Draft a Plan 128
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Launch Steps History
Step
Description
Signatures
Date
Step 7
Recruit Your Team
31
August 8, 2026
 
Associated Organizations
Org Type Org Name Address Website
Tpusa Cumberland County Activism Hub ,
Tpusa Fayetteville Christian School ,
Tpusa Jack Britt High School ,

 



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