Two school districts in Tarrant County are adopting a Monday night policy to support chaplains in schools. Inside Keller ISD’s board meeting, NBC 5’s Education reporter Wayne Carter tells us that the decision led to some walking out and others getting kicked out.
There was anger and shouting at Monday night's Keller ISD school board meeting.
"We can't trust what you're going to say," said one parent to board members.
Most parents speaking Monday were strongly against Keller ISD's proposed policy to allow chaplains to work in Keller schools.
"You are going to see an exodus of students, families, and teachers," said one speaker.
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The board president repeatedly ejected parents who spoke out of turn, sometimes even after asking them for clarification of what they were saying.
Board member Ruthie Keys, who was against the policy, walked off the stage, calling it her last straw and insinuating she was resigning her seat.
Keller ISD said they're working to determine if her words were official.
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The state required this vote. They passed a new law giving religious leaders more freedom and the ability to be paid for mental health services. But districts could opt out.
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD also took up this issue Monday night and opted in with different parameters.
A Grapevine-Colleyville ISD trustee said "just because you are a chaplain, that does not qualify you to be a counselor. We will hire counselors based on the certifications and requirements just as we always have."
GCISD shared their policy with NBC 5, which stated: "The Board of Trustees does not permit the district or its campuses to employ an individual to serve as a chaplain, but the district or its campuses are permitted to employ an individual considered a chaplain in an open position if the individual otherwise meets all criteria for the open position."
The Jewish community has been strongly opposed to this legislation across Texas, but Emily Bourgeois, for the Union for Reform Judaism said they consider the policy adopted by GCISD, to be one of the best they've seen, so far in Texas, especially since it reinforces the qualifications of school guidance counselors and is something they hope to continue to see.
The majority of speakers at both meetings were against any changes to current policies, but some were supportive of them.
"I'm just here to say if I had it my way. It would be God first and everything. I think it's a great compromise," said one speaker.
Some parents say the state and district would face lawsuits over violating the separation of church and state.
About 100 chaplains drafted a letter against the statewide law, saying it harms public schools.
"There is no requirement in this law that the chaplain refrain from proselytizing while at schools or that they serve students from different religious backgrounds.
The National School Chaplain Association told NBC 5 they supported the Texas law.
"School chaplaincy, just like chaplaincy in other U.S. institutions, is perfectly legal and consistently upheld by the Supreme Court. School chaplaincy programs follow specific regulations that prohibit proselytizing, offering services based on consent. Simply put, chaplains don’t represent religion or the church, they represent God."
Keller ISD board members insisted current counselors would not be replaced with chaplains, despite concern from parents that it would.
"While SB 763 allows a school district to employ chaplains if it chooses to adopt such a policy, that’s not what Keller ISD’s adopted resolution allows, and the Trustees were clear about that this evening," said a district spokesman.
The Keller board president told parents who don't like it to vote in upcoming elections.
