KATY, Texas — The Katy ISD Board of Trustees met to discuss allowing chaplains to counsel students with an official vote set for Monday.
The new state law passed last year requires all Texas school districts to vote on the measure by March 1.
Katy ISD’s board has an option to continue allowing chaplains to volunteer on campuses or they could approve a plan allowing chaplains of any faith to counsel students.
A new law signed by Gov. Greg Abbott last year allows school districts to hire chaplains in that role without having to meet qualifications other counselors would be required to meet. Under the law, chaplains would not have to be certified by the State Board for Educator Certification as counselors.
If districts choose to move forward with bringing on chaplains on their staff, they could provide mental health support and services in schools. The move could allow districts to address a shortage of counselors.
However, critics of the measure point out that chaplains do not have to be licensed or accredited unlike those that work in prisons or for the military.
That's something that the Houston ISD Board focused on when they voted to deny the measure back in January.
Critics are also worried about potentially bringing religion in an official capacity into a public school campus.