吃瓜大本营

No matter what state law may say, school staff can鈥檛 impose religion on students.

AUSTIN, Texas 鈥� Allowing chaplains in public schools would violate the state and U.S. constitutions, according to a letter sent to Texas school districts and charter schools today by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Texas, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The letter follows the passage of Senate Bill No. 763, which requires all school boards to vote on whether to adopt a policy to hire, or accept as volunteers, chaplains who will 鈥減rovide support, services, and programs for students.鈥� The civil-liberties groups warned in their letter that they will closely monitor school boards鈥� implementation of the legislation and will take any action that is necessary and appropriate to protect the rights of Texas children and their parents to be free from government-imposed religion. Although SB No. 763 purports to authorize public-school chaplains, today鈥檚 letter informs districts that permitting chaplains to assume official positions鈥攚hether paid or voluntary鈥攊n public schools will lead to religious coercion and indoctrination of students in violation of the First Amendment. And because chaplains are generally affiliated with specific religious denominations and traditions, in deciding which chaplains to hire or accept, schools would inherently give unconstitutional preferences to particular faiths. The letter further explains that courts have repeatedly ruled that it is unconstitutional for public schools to invite religious leaders onto campus to engage in religious activities, such as prayer and religious counseling, with students. The civil-liberties groups monitoring school boards鈥� responses to the new law issued the following statement regarding Texas鈥檚 school-chaplain law: 鈥淎llowing chaplains in public schools is unconstitutional. The First Amendment guarantees families and their chosen religious communities鈥攏ot government-imposed religious leaders鈥攖he right to educate their children about matters of faith. 鈥淭exas鈥檚 public schools are religiously diverse, and all students should feel safe and welcome in them. Opening the schoolhouse doors to chaplains would undermine this critical goal. We will not hesitate to defend the rights of students and families against school districts that take up the Legislature鈥檚 misguided and unlawful invitation to install clergy in official positions.鈥�