[§302A-1139]  Religious education.  (a) The department shall provide for the release of, and shall release, any pupilin any public school from attendance at the public school for a period not toexceed sixty minutes each week during the school year, on such days and duringsuch school hours as the department shall designate, for the purpose ofreceiving religious instruction from the religious organization of the pupil'schoice when the release is requested in writing by a parent, guardian, or otherperson having custody or control of the pupil.  Actual attendance at thesessions of the religious instruction shall count as attendance at the publicschools for all purposes where attendance forms the basis of computation.

(b)  The privilege of this release shall bewithdrawn by the department in case the pupil does not actually attend thesessions of religious instruction.  No teacher of the public schools shallparticipate in religious instruction during the school hours for which theteacher is employed to teach in the public schools, and no public funds shallbe used directly or indirectly for religious instruction, at any time when itsuse would otherwise be required in connection with the regular program of theschool. [L 1996, c 89, pt of §2]