The poll, conducted by RMG Research, surveyed 1,000 registered voters on behalf of LifeWise Academy, the Bible lesson ministry designed for school children.
Among the survey results, 41% and 35% respectively said they “strongly favor” or “somewhat favor” teaching moral and character education to public school children. Getting closer to the issue of Bible lessons, 56% agreed biblical values teach children to be good citizens.
The poll’s questions about character development are important to the ministry because the LifeWise Bible lessons include a “Living LifeWise” lesson on good character traits such as showing respect, demonstrating love, and being kind.
With a parent’s permission, LifeWise Academy invites students to its off-campus Bible time during the school day when children are doing extracurricular activities outside the classrooms.
The ministry, which started in Ohio in 2019, uses the Christian Standard Bible, or CSB, for the lessons.
On the more controversial topic of mixing public schools and Bible lessons, a survey question that directly asked respondents about teaching students Bible lessons found 29% and 27% respectively said they “strongly favor” or “somewhat favor" that, a total of 56%.
In a related question, 71% agreed that character education helps classrooms teachers and the schools.
Jonathan Butcher, who studies education policy at The Heritage Foundation, tells AFN Heritage conducted a similar survey in the past about character development in the classroom.
“In the survey that we did just a few years ago, we also found that when you asked parents if they believe that schools should teach character and virtue, 80% of parents said yes,” Butcher recalls.
However, Butcher adds that instilling those biblical values begins in the home especially since many public schools are undermining those values.
“So I think it will always be a clarion call,” he says, “for families to be watchful over what their children are learning in school."
