SAN ANTONIO – Among the 774 new state rules that went into impact on Sept. 1 is SB 763, which permits public colleges to make use of chaplains as volunteers or as employed workforce.
Schools can use protection finances to rent chaplains to paintings along or instead of psychological well being counselors.
Emily Witt, of the Texas Freedom Network, a nonpartisan, grassroots group that helps religious freedom, person liberties and public schooling, mentioned there’s one a part of the new law that she and different civil rights groups take factor with.
“It’s very egregious to us that after the deadliest school shooting in Texas public schools, only almost a year ago, we wouldn’t be using these funds to keep our kids safe from being shot in our schools. But instead, we would be hiring religious leaders, which violates the religious freedom of Texas families and students while not actually keeping them safe,” Witt mentioned.
Chaplains around the state additionally voicing their issues.
“We are trained to provide religious and emotional support for those who request it. There’s no place for that in a public school system where children, you know, don’t have the wherewithal to be able to do that,” mentioned Cantor Sheri Allen, who helped create The Arlington Interfaith Consortium.
The chaplains employed by means of colleges don’t need to be authorized in the similar approach {that a} school counselor does.
12 News reached out to a number of school districts within the San Antonio space to determine if they have got plans to rent chaplains.
Seguin ISD instructed it already has authorized counselors to fill that want. NEISD mentioned no phrase on when this factor could be at the school board’s schedule and NISD mentioned it, too, has authorized counselors and has no plans to rent chaplains.
School forums throughout Texas can have till March 2024 to make a decision whether or not or to not rent chaplains.
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