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SOUTHLAKE, Texas - The Carroll Independent School District will not allow volunteer chaplains in its schools and will only hire chaplains to serve as counselors if they have the proper certification.
A new state law allows school districts to bring volunteer chaplains into the schools to provide behavioral or mental health support.
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The law requires each school board to take a vote on whether it will hire or accept volunteer chaplains.
The trustees in Southlake decided all chaplains must be hired employees, not volunteers. They must also have a master’s degree in counseling and hold a counselor certificate from the state.
Many North Texas school districts have taken a similar approach.
Fort Worth ISD’s trustees decided not to authorize volunteer chaplains.
Fort Worth ISD rejects plan to allow unlicensed chaplains in schools
Fort Worth ISD formally voiced its opposition to letting unlicensed religious chaplains work in its schools.
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD said it will continue staffing counseling positions as it always has with qualified professionals. The district also updated its policy regarding campus volunteer roles and rules.
But a few have gone in the opposite direction.
Keller ISD’s school board voted in favor of allowing volunteer religious chaplains to provide services to students.
Keller ISD votes to allow chaplains in school at contentious board meeting
Keller's resolution, which allows volunteer chaplains to provide services for students "as assigned by the board," was met with opposition from several public speakers.
Keller is one of several districts where a Christian Conservative PAC has spent more than $500,000 to help candidates with like-minded values win school board seats.
Although some people voiced opposition to the decision, supporters said they welcome the idea of providing more spiritual guidance to students.