Should school districts be required to allow chaplains? Lawmakers say no
Schools already have access to community support groups, say advocates
PIERRE — As calls for youth mentors grow louder across South Dakota, faith leaders could be tapped by public schools to help guide kids through adolescence.
That’s the idea behind legislation Rep. Al Novstrup carried to the floor of the state House this week, proposing that school boards enlist chaplains to counsel students. However, the well-intended House Bill 1054 couldn’t overcome opposition from a majority of the Aberdeen Republican’s colleagues, who were concerned about mixing religion with state-run schools and parental rights.
The necessity of the bill also proved to be a talking point during debate on the House floor Wednesday.
“Our school districts can already do this. They’ve been doing it,” Yankton Republican Rep. Mike Stevens said, referring to the ability for school districts to establish partnerships with community nonprofits that local school boards and administrators deem appropriate and necessary.
Highlighting Stevens’ point, Rep. Brian Mulder told his colleagues that a youth-focused ministry group he helped establish in 2008 does volunteer work in dozens of middle and high schools across the region.
“They’re having an impact in schools right now with adults and students developing ministry teams,” the Sioux Falls Republican said.
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Novstrup said his measure was aimed at boosting volunteerism in schools. Pointing to his own grandchildren and the school they attend in Sioux Falls — All City Elementary School, it’s ranked one of the state’s top elementary schools.
“The reason it’s the best is because of community involvement — parental involvement,” he said, adding that the school requires parents to commit to a certain number of volunteer hours.
While that commitment might not be possible for all schools, Novstrup said that chaplains could help provide valuable support services to school children. He cited several examples where chaplains were already supporting schools, from preventing suicides to organizing clothing drives and finding food for children.
“This is the opportunity we have today to send good people into the schools and organize these things,” he said.
He emphasized that it was not religious. Chaplains might serve as mentors.
Sioux Falls Chaplain Dane Johnsen testified earlier in the week that he wanted to provide a resource for school children who need additional support, saying it would give schools another tool in a toolkit.
The measure saw opposition from the School Administrators of South Dakota during the same committee hearing. Rob Monson, the group’s executive director, said he has traveled around the state asking schools what they need.
“What I have never heard when I visit these schools is, ‘I could sure use a school chaplain,’” he said.
The bill required criminal background checks for chaplains, but lawmakers who killed the bill on a 49-18 vote suggested that hurdle might not be enough to protect students.
Stevens, an attorney, said districts could open themselves to liability.
Rep. Erin Healy argued the bill would undermine the rights of parents to ensure their children are receiving instruction in beliefs they agree with.
“Families, not the government, families should be responsible for their children’s religion,” she said.
“This bill,” she added, “doesn’t strengthen religious freedom. It threatens it.”
To be consistent, let's hope that when it comes to the 10 commandments being required in schools:...-“Families, not the government, families should be responsible for their children’s religion,” she said.
Every year we always have a bunch of legislators trying to push religion into public schools or public money into religious schools. Just STOP already!