Several religious schools shared that they want to be exempt from state regulations on certifications and licensure.

Christian schools: Exempt us from certifications and licensure

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education, Government

Several religious schools shared that they want to be exempt from state regulations on certifications and licensure.

Several religious schools shared that they want to be exempt from state regulations on certifications and licensure.

Leaders of private christian schools clashed with legislators Wednesday in the Senate Education Committee over a bill that would require licenses and certifications for religious early education centers.

Senate Bill 69, sponsored by Sen. David Wilson, R-Lincoln, would exempt sectarian or religious institutions from the Delaware Child Care Act.

In 2021, the General Assembly enacted Senate Bill 169, to update and expand the definition of child care to include early education programs for children below the grade of kindergarten that are operated by public or private schools, including sectarian or religious institutions. 

This law takes effect on July 1, 2024. 

Wilson, who voted for SB 169, said the law had unintended consequences.

It had unintentionally impacted private schools because now they would have to follow mandates and be licensed by the state, he said

“Please know these private schools do not accept state funds,” he said.

Aaron Coon, head of school at Dover’s Calvary Christian Academy, said if the legislators don’t pass SB 69, all 335 students at Calvary will be put at risk of not having a school.

“The facility requirements in the regulation are not possible in our facility, which means we would have to buy a new facility or used facility and make a large move,” he said. “That is not possible right now financially or within the timeframe allotted.”

He also said the regulations in the Delaware Child Care Act conflict with some of Calvary’s religious beliefs as a church and a school, especially in the hiring process. He did not expand on that comment.

“These points among others will force us to close our doors, contributing to Delaware’s child care and unemployment crisis,” he said. 

Sen. Kyle Evans Gay, D-Arden, and Senate President Pro Tempore Dave Sokola, D-Newark, said the bill did not clearly define what a religious institution is. 

“What would prohibit someone from saying ‘I’m a sectarian or religious organization?’” Sokola  said. “I don’t know if we have a good definition in the code around that.”

Gay also said the bill is a step backwards at a time when the state has continued to legislate in recent years with the idea that educating and ensuring the well-being of Delaware’s youth is pivotal. 

“That concerns me because health and safety regulations, especially for children zero through five, who in many cases cannot speak for themselves, especially with the risks associated with making sure we have background checks and all the pieces, this bill concerns me,” Gay said. 

Duane Miller, head of school at Greenwood Mennonite School, pointed out that besides licensing and certification requirements, religious early education centers still have other health and safety rules.

“We do training on detection of child abuse with mandatory reporters and the fire marshal, the health department, they do inspect us,” he said. “So we welcome the health and safety component.”

He also highlighted that his school receives zero funding from the state.

“Part of our mission is hiring quality teachers that are like-minded with us in religious beliefs,” he said, “And we would kindly ask that we would be allowed to continue with that tradition and mission by being exempt.”

He ended his testimony by telling the legislature that safety and health of Greenwood’s students are top priority, but it’s in the hiring practices outlined in the Delaware Child Care Act that create issues.

“As written, this bill could potentially put children in danger, and I don’t think that’s the intent,” Gay said, “so I think that we really need to look at the language and understand what the problem is we’re trying to solve and whether we’re willing to make a change to do it.”

Patricia Dailey Lewis, chief executive officer of the Beau Biden Foundation – a group that aims to protect children from sexual predators – testified that licensure and oversight increases the protection for children, and policies, procedures, practices and training further ensure that students are safe.

Lewis responded to Wilson’s assertion that religious schools are safer by reminding him that the recent school shooting in Tennessee that left six dead, including three children, was at a private religious elementary school. 

“Schools, regardless of their religiosity, are soft targets,” she said. “I have been with parents at the medical examiner’s office with a child who was deceased, in a daycare they chose, a daycare that did not keep their children safe, a child care center that did not have oversight and licensure and professional standards.”

SB 69 was not publicly voted on, since Senate committees do not vote in public. They will sign the back of the bill with their votes, which are reported hours later on the state’s bill tracker.

Also Wednesday, the committee heard House Bill 81, sponsored by Rep. Kim Williams, D-Marshallton, and chair of the House Education Committee. 

That bill could force charters to privately contract their own buses to bring students within a district to the schools.

By law, charter schools are allowed to request their authorizing district to provide transportation to them. 

Delaware code currently allows charter schools to request their authorizing district to provide transportation to them. 

Cab Calloway School of the Arts and the Charter School of Wilmington, for example, are authorized by the Red Clay Consolidated School District, so it has its students picked up and dropped off by Red Clay buses. 

HB 81 would give districts the option to shift transportation burdens to their authorized charter. 

Kendall Massett, executive director of the Delaware Charter Schools Network, previously said the association is neutral on HB 81.

“The bill is actually just a clarifying bill to make clear something that is already allowable in the law,” she said.

There was no public vote for this bill, either.

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