Chaplains in Kansas public schools? That violates basic separation of church and state | Opinion

An unwise bill that would allow public schools in the Sunflower State to hire chaplains should be voted down.

Kansas House Bill 2732 would permit public schools to employ chaplains to “provide support, services and programs for students.” Unlike the bona fide counselors they might replace, the chaplains, according to the bill’s language, would “not be required to obtain any form of teacher license issued by the state board of education.” The only requirement for school chaplains would be to pass the same criminal background check required of all school employees.

Public schools are not allowed to promote religion over no religion, or to prefer one religion over another. Yet school officials could presumably choose to hire chaplains who are of their preferred denomination to proselytize and counsel children of other denominations, religions or no religion during school hours. Religious instruction has no place in our public schools, and students should not be made to feel disfavored or “othered” for not belonging to the same religion or church as school officials.

If H.B. 2732 were to pass, it would also invite schools to launch headlong into costly, unwinnable lawsuits. We’re already seeing this play out in Texas, where a similar bill — which acted as the framework for the Kansas chaplain bill — was passed last year and school districts are now voting on whether to commence chaplain programs. Those that hire chaplains to proselytize students during the school day can look forward to lawsuits from students and parents represented by groups such as the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the nonprofit organization I represent that promotes the separation of church and state.

School chaplain programs are being championed by the National School Chaplain Association. Its parent organization, Mission Generation Inc., has a stated goal of “reaching the largest unreached people group inside of the public schools around the world“ in order to “influence those in education until the saving grace of Jesus becomes well-known, and students develop a personal relationship with him.” In Mission Generation’s own words, the organization works to exploit the “massive lack of school counselors throughout public schools” by filling the void with religious chaplains to “win” and “disciple” school-age children. Notably, the bill’s sponsor said he would prefer school districts to follow chaplain guidelines provided by the National School Chaplain Association instead of the state board of education.

Kansas state Rep. Bill Rhiley, who introduced the bill in early February, wants chaplains to function as “trusted biblical advisers and godly counselors” in schools, in the words of The Kansas Reflector’s Tim Carpenter. Rhiley argues that chaplains are the solution to the mental health challenges faced by students nationwide, but Rhiley’s legislation would lead to proselytizing impressionable children while they are at school and without parental supervision. Rhiley said: “In this era of conflict, discord and loneliness, the role of chaplain has never been more critical. … Chaplains will be in schools as a moral compass and a moral spiritual guide.”

In contrast, Tim Graham, a representative from the Kansas National Education Association, said that mental health issues are all sufficiently covered by licensed school psychologists, counselors and social workers. H.B. 2732 does not even assign chaplains as mandatory reporters of child abuse, decree training on how to preserve confidentiality or require parental consent for chaplains counseling students.

The Kansas Legislature should outright reject this imprudent, unconstitutional bill and keep its public school system secular and inclusive of all students.

Ryan D. Jayne is senior policy counsel for the FFRF Action Fund, the lobbying arm of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit with approximately 40,000 members across the country, including hundreds in Kansas.