At midnight Tuesday, a Senate-passed bill requiring a version of the Ten Commandments to be posted in every classroom in the state failed to get a vote in the House in time and died.
The Senate also passed a bill to allow districts to require schools to set aside time for staff and students to pray and read religious texts, and a second bill to allow those public employee to “engage in religious prayer and speech” – followed by the coach’s decision. Those two bills failed to make it out of House committees Wednesday and are not considered likely to come up again this session.
Groups that look at church-state issues say efforts across the country to fund and empower religion — and, in particular, a particular kind of Christianity — are more numerous and powerful than before. Americans Unite for Separation of Church and State says it is looking at 1,600 bills across the country states like Louisiana and Missouri. Earlier this year, Idaho and Kentucky signed into law measures that would allow teachers and public school employees to pray in front of and with students while on duty.
“Religious freedom means that parents — not school officials or state legislatures — have the right to direct the religious education of their children. Families need to be confident that their children will not have a particular religious view forced upon them while attending our public schools. This bill violates the religious freedom of every student and family in Texas,” said Rachel Laser, President and CEO of Americans United.
Earlier this month the House sponsor of the chaplain bill, Rep. Cole Hefner (R), said in a House debate that the legislation is not about urgent religion.
“We have to give the schools all the tools; with everything we’ve been through, with mental health problems, other crises, this is another tool,” he said.
A half-dozen Democratic lawmakers rose to ask Hefner to amend the bill, saying it did not provide protections for different religions, among other things.
Hefner and the majority rejected nearly all of the changes, including one that would have required parental consent and another that would have required chaplains to serve students of all faiths and not proselytize.
They also rejected one that violated the bill’s requirement that every school district in Texas, within six months, vote on or down whether to have chaplains. The sponsor says it is unnecessarily provocative and divisive at a time when school board members in some areas need security because of fierce divisions over issues that often involve religion.
Rep. Jim Talarico (D), who is a seminary student, proposed adding a requirement that chaplains get an endorsement like chaplains in hospitals and the military. Hefner initially added that amendment, but the Senate rejected that requirement.
Talarico also suggested that parental consent is required. Hefner and the majority rejected it. Another lawmaker suggested adding that chaplains should serve students of all faiths and not proselytize. Rejected. Another suggested removing the bill’s requirement that each school district in Texas, within six months, vote up or down whether to have chaplains.
On Tuesday, Hefner on the floor of the House responded to Talarico’s complaint that people without educational or professional requirements and training could access students in public schools.
“I trust our school districts to write whatever qualifications they need,” Hefner said.
Talarico then noted that Hefner and the majority rejected amendments that would prohibit chaplains from imposing their beliefs on students and respect the free exercise of religion.
“Should we encourage enrollment in our schools?” Talarico asked Hefner.
“Here’s what I think. I don’t think it’s good that members here would defend the practices of — some inappropriate drag shows in our schools and inappropriate material in our libraries and then have the audacity to say it’s a problem .
Americans United for Separation of Church and State said they are not aware of any other bills that replace guidance counselors with chaplains.
