HUTTO — Hutto Independent School District’s board of trustees are pondering if schools should participate in a state bill passed at the recent Texas Legislative session.
Senate Bill 763 allows public schools to employ or accept volunteer chaplains to provide support, services and programs to
students.
Trustees received a presentation about the bill from Cara Malone, assistant superintendent of human resources, during a workshop Thursday, Feb. 8. The board will decide whether to opt into SB 763 at its Feb. 22 meeting.
“The board will have a resolution that really has two choices on it,” Malone said. “Either a resolution that says you will resolve to employ chaplains and accept volunteers as chaplains, not just volunteers, or not permit a district campus to employ or accept a volunteer as chaplain.”
Malone said if a Hutto campus employed chaplains in counselor capacities, students would not be required to use the services.
However, Hutto ISD administration recommends the board to not permit schools to employ chaplains at this time.
“Interestingly, there really has not been a definition of chaplain outlined in Senate Bill 763,” Malone said. “Also with that, there have been no training standards for chaplains that are allowed in school.”
Based on her research, Malone said there would be concerns of chaplains performing counselor duties that they do not have training for such as providing mental health care and advising upperclassmen on college admissions.
Other professions that allow for chaplain assistance, such as hospital, prisons or the military, require chaplains to train, Malone said.
Malone’s presentation listed preferring one religion or denomination over another as a concern from opting into SB 763.
Board President Billy Logiudice touched on the concern as something trustees need to weigh when making the decision.
“We don’t get to pick and choose who and what kind of chaplain (is employed),” Logiudice said. “It might not be a chaplain you might agree with or not agree with. When I think about is this in the best interest of all students, maybe it is for some but maybe it’s not for others.”
SB 763 went into effect Sept. 1, with school boards having six months to opt in or out. The deadline for Hutto ISD to make its decision is March 1.
“
We don’t get to pick and choose who and what kind of chaplain (is employed). It might not be a chaplain you might agree with or not agree with. When I think about is this in the best interest of all students, maybe it is for some but maybe it’s not for others.
-Hutto Independent School District Board President Billy Logiudice
Cara Malone, Hutto Independent School District’s assistant superintendent of human resources, gives presentation on Senate Bill 763, which allows public schools to employ or accept volunteer chaplains during a Feb. 8 workshop. Screenshot from Feb. 8 Hutto ISD board meeting
