FL House members clash on requirements for volunteer chaplains in public schools

Bible on a school desk in a classroom. (Getty Images)

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Lawmakers in the Florida House debated Wednesday on the appropriate requirements to allow volunteer chaplains to provide support services to public school students. They are set to vote on, and most likely approve, the measure on Thursday.

Democrats proposed that beyond passing background checks, chaplains volunteering in schools should have bachelor’s or master’s degrees in areas such as theology or divinity. But lawmakers in favor of the bill ( HB 931) said that decision would be left up to each school district. Under the bill school districts can decide if they would host volunteer chaplains and the scope of their services.

“We’re passing a bill, again, with absolutely no guardrails. I sat here, in the same position because we didn’t trust school districts to pick books. So now, we’re going to trust them to put guardrails in for us. No. If we’re going to do this put guardrails in place for goodness’ sake,” Democratic Rep. Robin Bartleman of Broward County said on the House floor.

She continued: “You’re advertising these people on a school website and telling parents these are people you can go to for help with no disclaimer that they have no clinical service hours, no degrees and no experience in mental health counseling.”

Both the House and Senate sponsors, Republicans Rep. Stan McClain and Sen. Erin Grall, have positioned volunteer chaplain proposals as alternatives to mental health counselors.

The Republican-controlled House shut down other amendments to prevent the chaplains from attempting to convert students to any religion or to complete sexual harassment and assault prevention training. In response to most concerns Democrats raised regarding how the program would work, McClain said the responsibility would lie on the state’s 67 school districts.

“Probably in a little while you’re going to think I’m a broken record, but if the school district decides to do the program, they can also set requirements for chaplains,” he said.

Parents would have to consent before their children would meet with a volunteer chaplain under the proposals.

The move that’s also being considered by about a dozen states follows the passage of similar legislation in Texas last year authorizing schools to pay for chaplains to work in mental health roles. As it did in Texas, the Florida bill has garnered criticism from civil rights and First Amendment advocates, who say it would lead to indoctrination in public schools.

“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, wrote Kara Gross, legislative director and senior policy counsel at the ACLU of Florida, in a statement Tuesday. “If passed, this bill will likely create public education environments ripe for religious coercion and indoctrination of students. Florida’s public schools are religiously diverse, and all students should feel safe and welcome in them.”

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