Pressure from the American Civil Liberties Union and some parents has forced Nampa high schools to change student instructions on released time for religious classes.
The issue surfaced after the Nampa high schools adopted a seven-period school day for this academic year.Students who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are allowed to attend seminary classes and only take six academic classes.
There are LDS seminaries near 64 high schools in Idaho. State law says students in the ninth through 12th grades may be released from school for up to one hour, five days a week, for religious education.
Students who don't attend seminary must take seven academic classes unless they get special permission to take a non-credit study hall.
Some parents said seven academic classes were too difficult and could force student grades down.
"Nampa schools keep saying they're following the released time law, but that's not the issue," Nampa parent Phyllis Smith said. "The issue is, students who don't take seminary have an extra class."
In an agreement with the ACLU, Nampa high schools will give all students the opportunity to schedule a study hall or seminary class. Options will be explained in a student registration book. The changes will take effect in September.
Louis Uranga, ACLU cooperating attorney, said the district has been unfair to students who do not choose seminary.
"It was both unnecessary and unconstitutional to offer a no-credit religious period and not offer students a study hall or other uncredited, non-religious alternative," Uranga said.
Although the ACLU counts the move as a victory, Nampa officials say little has changed.
Superintendent Gary Larsen said study hall has always been an option. It just has not been outlined in the student registration manual.