A piece of legislation that would install chaplains in Texas’ public schools awaits to become law with Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature.
Online legislation database LegiScan describes Senate (SB) Bill 763 as “allowing public schools to employ or accept as volunteers chaplains” to assist students.
Per a report from The Christian Post, the predominantly Republican Texas House of Representatives passed the Senate-approved measure along party lines with a 89-58 vote earlier this month.
Should Abbott, a Republican, affix his signature to the bill, it’ll go into effect as of the upcoming academic year, The Christian Post reported.
Among those pleased with its passage in both chambers of the Texas Legislature is the National School Chaplain Association (NSCA), the publication reported.
“This is a great win for Texas!” the organization wrote on Facebook.
To qualify for the position, the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) reported, all chaplains are required to have an endorsement from an organization that’s recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBP) or the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).
Citing a major Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) media outlet, CBN reported State Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant), one of the SB 763’s GOP sponsors said the bill looks to address mental health problems and other issues.
The proposal, however, isn’t without its critics. Texas Freedom Network (TFN) had opposed SB 763 as it made its way through the state House and Senate, according to The Christian Post.
“Texas students, who are a diverse community with varied religious views and cultural practices, deserve to enjoy true religious freedom at public schools without being forced to learn according to the religious right’s belief system,” TFN’s Shan Schaffer said in a statement that was run by the publication. “Finding your own spiritual journey is a deeply personal one that should be guided by a child’s personal connections, not forced upon them by strangers that were not directly given trust by the child or their parent.”
CBN reported it’ll be up to the school districts whether to hire chaplains for their campuses.
