By Madison Jones
On January 5, Pearl representative Gene Newman proposed a bill that could allow K-12 public schools to offer students an excused absence for one hour per week to participate in religious activity off campus. This activity, referred to as “released-time moral instruction,” would allow students excused time to leave campus in order to practice at their houses of worship, provided that they have written parental permission and use no state resources in the facilitation of their participation.
Newman, the Republican who represents Pearl in the 61st district, says he heard of the initiative after it was introduced in 2023 and 2024. In 2023 the bill passed the house and graduated to the Senate but died as the Senate focused their efforts on possible Income Tax elimination. The bill failed to pass the house in 2024.
After it failed to pass again in 2024, the national organization School Ministries partnered with Newman to re-introduce the bill in 2025. Created in 1990, the organization is dedicated to helping legislatures introduce laws that allow released-time moral instruction in schools across the nation. They created the language and rules for released-time moral instruction that would pass the legal test for separation of church and state, while still allowing students to practice their faith in school.
The bill failed to pass committee once again on February 5. Newman says he plans to re-introduce the bill again next session.
When asked why he felt it was important for students to have the opportunity to practice their faith during school hours, Newman said he felt it gave them a chance to use their time more productively.
“When I was in high school, and I know that was a long time ago, but I hated study hall. That was the biggest waste of time. But those types of things — people could go do other things. And I just think it's worthy,” Newman said.
This bill introduces the concept of released moral time instruction to Mississippi educators. It would require schools to provide space for released-time moral instruction without it counting as an absent hour, but it would not be mandatory for all students. Students who choose not to participate would continue with an uninterrupted school day.
Nic Nartowitz, lead policy counsel for Americans United for the Separation of Church and State said the nature of this voluntary participation would inherently impose religious pressures on all students in schools, religious or not.
“What this is really about is protecting kids from the coercive aspects of using the public school to promote religion to students or to force them to take this class … It would just make more opportunities for a public school to pressure students to participate for one reason or another,” Nartowitz said.
The released-time moral instruction legislation passed legal muster in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, but has never been addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court. Multiple states including South Carolina, Tennessee and California have passed versions of this legislation through their senate and into law.
Newman says he believes released-time moral instruction would benefit the personal development of Mississippi students.
“There are opportunities outside of school that some children can take advantage of that would help them grow spiritually and help them grow into better people. That’s all I’m trying to do,” Newman said.