MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Several Waco-area school districts voted no on Senate Bill 11, a state law requiring a vote on dedicated prayer time during the school day.
- Several Waco-area school districts — including La Vega, Waco, Temple and Killeen ISDs — have voted against adopting Senate Bill 11 ahead of a March 1 deadline.
- Senate Bill 11 requires every Texas school district to vote on whether to implement dedicated voluntary prayer and Bible reading time during the school day.
- Districts that voted no cited existing student religious freedoms, including already-protected rights to pray individually or in groups and an existing moment of silence policy.
- Local parent Cory Duncan said the decision should be left to parents, adding that prayer should be an individual choice rather than something designated by schools.
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Several school districts in the Waco area have voted against adopting a policy under Senate Bill 11, a state law requiring every school district to vote on whether to implement dedicated prayer and scripture time during the school day.
The La Vega ISD school board met early Saturday morning and voted no to Senate Bill 11 ahead of the law's March 1 deadline.
"Because our students and our employees under board policy already have the right to do that," La Vega ISD Superintendent, Dr. Sharon M. Shields, said.
Waco ISD voted no this past Thursday, saying in a statement,"
"Waco ISD respects and fully supports the religious freedom of our students. Many families within Waco ISD value prayer and faith as important aspects of their lives, and we honor the important role those beliefs play in our community. Students already have the protected right to pray individually or in groups, read religious texts, and participate in faith-based student organizations, as long as their participation is voluntary and non-disruptive. These rights are guaranteed under longstanding federal and state law and remain firmly in place."
Temple ISD called the proposed resolution restrictive, noting the district already observes a moment of silence. The Temple ISD Board of Trustees voted in January not to adopt a resolution under SB11, saying in a statement:
"The proposed resolution was far too restrictive, especially considering that every campus in Temple ISD has been observing a moment of silence for many years now."
Killeen ISD also voted no at a school board meeting last week, saying in a statement:
"In making their decision, trustees expressed their desire to uphold the current religious freedom of all students and staff and not infringe on those rights."
Local parent Cory Duncan said the decision should ultimately be left up to parents.
"It's hard when you're implementing something that really does cross that church and state line," Duncan said.
Duncan added that the existing moment of silence may already address the need.
"I think with the existing moment of silence, I don't know if there's a reason to designate that time …give the option for prayer if that's what a student wants to do, but I do think it has to be an individual choice and led by the parents versus the schools," Duncan said.
Districts that have chosen to implement the policy must hold prayer time outside of regular class time and in a location away from students who opted out.
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