Upcoming Webinar: A Jewish Response to Chaplains in Public Schools

October 3, 2023

The JCRC is a leader in a coalition of Jewish and interfaith organizations from across Texas in organizing a response to the Chaplain Senate Bill. This bill allows school districts to replace highly qualified school counselors with religious clergy. Join Jewish activists at this webinar to raise awareness and learn how you can be a part of a statewide organizing strategy to prevent untrained chaplains from serving as counselors in our schools.

Each public school district and charter school in Texas is required to vote on whether they will allow religious chaplains to serve as counselors in their schools.

These chaplains would have:

• NO accreditation, experience, or training requirements
• NO restrictions on proselytizing or attempts to convert students
• NO requirement for the consent of parents before counseling their children
• NO counseling training, background, degree, or licensing required

School counselors are required to have a master’s degree in counseling, pass a school counselor certification exam, and have at least two years of teaching experience. Without these credentials, religious chaplains will not be equipped to support students dealing with serious mental health issues like anxiety, depression, eating disorders, self-harm, or suicidal ideation.

We believe this bill could be especially harmful to Jewish students, who, as a religious minority, could be subjected to proselytizing and told things contrary to their families’ religious beliefs.

Join us at this webinar on Wednesday, October 11, at 6 p.m. Register here.

This program was made possible through collaboration with the ADL, Keshet, SOJOURN, The Union for Reform Judaism Religious Action Center (RAC-TX), Jewish Federations from across the state, the National Council of Jewish Women, Faith Commons, JCRC San Antonio, Jewish Family Services, the Women of Reform Judaism, and many others.

Questions? Contact Lisa Epstein, Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, at epsteinl@jfsatx.org