A new religious release program for public school students is entering Marysville schools, and this one emphasizes Satanic studies.
The Hellion Academy of Independent Learning (HAIL) program will begin in Marysville’s Edgewood Elementary School in December as a part of the district’s permitted release time for religious instruction. The program is put on by the Satanic Temple, the only Satanic religious organization recognized as a church by the IRS and Federal Court System.
Release time religious instruction programs began in the early 20th century to allow students religious instruction for a short period in the middle of the school day. At the Edgewood elementary school in Marysville, Ohio, where the Temple will start a program, the evangelical LifeWise program removes students for 55 minutes each week.
The program is known for the “big red bus” which transports students from school to offsite locations for instruction, such as local churches or community centers.
In recent years, release time programs have experienced a revival, particularly in Ohio. LifeWise began with two districts in 2019, and by 2023 the program grew to 325 programs in 12 states, its CEO told Fox News. Its growth coincides with a conservative movement against “woke” education, which has resulted in book bans and activists papering school boards with open records requests.
