IKDA Religious Objections to Activities

IKDA 

Religious Objections to Activities       

(See IF and IKD)

The board recognizes parents have the fundamental right to direct the religious upbringing of their children. Furthermore, Kansas law supports the ability of a parent or person acting as a parent to request their child not be required to participate in a school activity which is contrary to the religious teachings of their child. To assist district staff in consistently accommodating these rights, the board adopts the following policy.

For the purposes of this policy, terms shall have the following meanings.

“Activity” shall be deemed to include, but may not be limited to, any academic assignment, curricular lecture, presentation or planned classroom discussion; classroom project; subject-specific instruction; direct exposure to assigned reading material (whether read to or by the class or assigned to the student for independent consumption); or assembly. This term shall not be interpreted to apply to an entire course of study, except when a course of study is an elective course not required for graduation and alternative courses are available for the student’s enrollment and participation at the time of objection.

Parents or persons acting as parents shall be notified in advance and given the opportunity to opt their child out of any activity addressing topics that are known to be or are reasonably ascertainable to be contrary to the religious beliefs of the parents, persons acting as parents, or students themselves.

A parent or person acting as a parent (or a student eighteen years of age or older) may request that the student be excused from participating in activities for religious reasons. The parent, person acting as a parent, or adult student must complete the district opt-out form for religious objections, stating the specific activity, the portion of the curriculum in which the activity exists, and the reasons for the request. The request may be granted, or denied, or partially granted and partially denied.

A parent or person acting as a parent seeking to remove their child from activities contrary to the child's religious teachings must complete the district's Activity Participation Opt-Out Form regarding religious objections which is available in the school office. Parents and persons acting as parents desiring to opt their children out of activities due to religious reasons must return the completed and signed form to the principal. The form must be submitted within a reasonable amount of time prior to the scheduled activity in order to allow time for the principal to consider the request. The completed form shall be kept on file in the school office, and the principal shall receive a copy.

The principal shall review the request and determine whether the request should be granted or denied. The principal shall notify the parents or persons acting as parents of the decision within a reasonable amount of time after the request is submitted. If the parents are dissatisfied with the principal's decision, they may appeal in writing to the superintendent.

If the opt-out request is granted, the school may provide an appropriate alternative assignment or academic activity aligned with the same learning goals without penalty to the student.

Opt-out requests must be submitted annually and are valid only for the school year in which they are submitted.

Nothing in this policy shall be interpreted to allow a parent, person acting as a parent, or adult student to opt a student out of entire courses which have been deemed required graduation requirements by the board or by the state of Kansas, except as otherwise provided by law. Parents and persons acting as parents of middle or high school students are encouraged to assist students in monitoring available course offerings and their descriptions near enrollment periods in order to make appropriate course selections in line with state required graduation requirements while still accommodating the child’s sincerely held religious beliefs.

IKDA - RELIGIOUS OBJECTIONS TO ACTIVITIES 

Sample Only: Retype, remove from policy book and maintain in the school office. 

Activity Participation Opt-Out Form

I, ________________________ (parent/guardian) request that my child, ________________________, be excused from participating in certain activities for religious reasons. From what activity do you wish your child to be excused? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Identify where in the curriculum the activity exists. (Please identify the grade level, class, building.) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 For what reason do you wish your child to be excused. (Please state the particular religious objection to this activity, including the religious teaching you believe this activity violates.) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I understand that I am requesting the school to excuse my child from certain activities and that my request is subject to review and determination by the school. I further understand that if my request is granted, the school may provide an appropriate alternative assignment or academic activity aligned with the same learning goals without penalty to the student.

Parent/Guardian Signature___________________________ Administrator Signature___________________________

Date Received ______________

Policy Reference: IF and IKD

Adoption Date: 06/08/2009; Revised 12/2025