FL may copy a Texas law bringing chaplains to public schools, despite First Amendment concerns

Florida is one of about a dozen states considering allowing chaplains to provide support services to students in public schools. The trend stems from a first-of-its-kind law the Texas Legislature passed last year authorizing schools to pay for religious figures to work in mental health roles.

The Texas law went into effect in September, requiring more than 1,200 school districts to vote by March 1 for or against allowing chaplains to be employed or accepted as volunteers in counseling roles. The forced vote has escalated culture wars in Texas school boards, but many have chosen to approve chaplains as volunteer in a limited capacity only, according to Florida Phoenix partner The Texas Tribune.

“It appears that these bills in other states including Florida are following this example of Texas, even though I would say it has not been a big success in Texas because many, many school districts have looked closely at what the legislature authorized and decided to reject the idea of chaplains in public schools,” said Holly Hollman, general counsel to the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.

The committee organized a letter against the law signed by more than 100 Texas chaplains who work in military or health-care settings.