Bill would allow chaplains in schools

BOISE — A bill that would allow school districts to utilize chaplains advanced to the Idaho House.

On Tuesday, House Education Committee members voted 10-4 in favor of House Bill 410, which would enable public school districts and charter schools to employ or accept volunteer chaplains to work in a school. Under the legislation, chaplains would not have to be certified or credentialed by the State Department of Education, but would be subject to criminal background checks.

Bill sponsor Rep. Dale Hawkins, R-Fernwood, emphasized the bill would be optional for districts, and said mental health was a motivator for bringing the bill.

“This bill does nothing more than allow local districts upon their approval and vetting of an individual who they would choose to come into their system and operate as a chaplain,” Hawkins said. “It doesn’t force any district to do this. With what we see going on in the world today, I think that this might be a pretty good opportunity.”

Hawkins could not provide an answer when asked if chaplains are allowed in public schools during the hearing.

Scott Graf, chief communications officer for the Idaho Department of Education, said in an email the department does not know of any school districts using chaplains.

“We are not aware of any Idaho districts using chaplains in their schools,” Graf said. “A legal analysis would need to be performed in order to determine the legality of a district doing so under current law.”

Another spokesperson for the agency said the bill sponsor did not ask it to weigh in on the legislation.

Texas and Florida have passed similar legislation — with several other states introducing bills — that allow chaplains to take on counseling and other responsibilities in public schools without the same qualifications as trained support staff — practices that have been challenged by the ACLU, which argues it violates the separation of church and state in public education.

Rep. Monica Church, D-Boise, expressed concerns about how the bill might conflict with existing Idaho education laws regarding student mental and emotional affairs.

“I don’t pretend to be an expert, but I feel that chaplains kind of speak from off the cuff,” Church said. “The current law would require the chaplain to have lesson plans of any potential discussion about emotional support, spiritual guidance, crisis intervention of any kind to be available online for the public before ever speaking to those.”

Passed in 2022, HB 733 requires all school instruction on social, emotional, mental and behavioral wellbeing to be displayed on the school’s website in an easily accessible location. Parents and guardians must also consent to evaluations and questionnaires concerning their child’s behavior, psychological status, trauma, attitude, or social and emotional status.

Hawkins argued that the bill would also benefit teachers in addition to students in seeking support.

“I think we’re shooting way beyond the principle of what we’re talking about here,” Hawkins said. “There’s almost a chaplain in every area of life … we’re just giving the opportunity for school districts to have the same thing.”

Two people testified at Tuesday’s hearing.

Hauns Snyder, ordained minister and founder of Satanic Idaho, testified in favor of HB 410, saying he was excited to share the organization’s values as someone who could be hired as a chaplain under the proposed bill.

“Many fellow satanists and I are eager to introduce satanic values into schools, serving as chaplains throughout Idaho,” Snyder said. “These values include empathy, compassion, respect, justice, plurality and equality, principles that we believe will provide essential life skills and pure mentorship for Idaho students.”

Members of the Satanic Temple, which describes itself as nontheistic, and associated organizations like Satanic Idaho have advocated for equal representation of their religious group in the face of conservative Christian campaigns.

Quinn Perry, deputy director for the Idaho School Boards Association, testified against the bill, expressing concerns that the optional proposal could become mandatory if passed.

“One large concern we have is that it’s very easy to change one word in this bill and issue it as a mandate to school districts,” Perry said. “We routinely hear from elected leaders like you all that we want our public schools to be focusing on reading, writing and arithmetic. This bill is a great example of the chaos and distraction it will force school leaders to divert their attention to instead of tackling the very real, serious problems that face both our students and our public education systems.”

Rep. Kyle Harris, R-Lewiston, challenged the idea that the bill would become mandatory.

“What part of this bill leads you to believe that this would actually be a requirement for school districts to adopt?” Harris asked.

Perry replied, “I acknowledge in the bill that it is optional for the time being, the concern is that you could very quickly make it a mandate.”

The bill will go to the full House for further consideration.

Schwicht may be contacted at newsroom@idahopress.com.