HOUSTON — Houston ISD on Thursday voted against hiring chaplains as paid or volunteer counselors at schools in the district.
"The HISD Board hearby declines to allow chaplains to be professional or paraprofessional employees," board President Audrey Momanaee said at the meeting.
A new law signed by Gov. Greg Abbott last year allows school districts to hire chaplains in that role without having to meet qualifications other counselors would be required to meet. Under the law, chaplains would not have to be certified by the State Board for Educator Certification as counselors.
If districts choose to move forward with bringing on chaplains on their staff, they could provide mental health support and services in schools. The move could allow districts to address a shortage of counselors, but critics expressed concern about chaplains being allowed to bypass qualifications that are required of other applicants. They're aslo worried about potentially bringing religion in an official capacity into a public school campus.
Ultimately, the HISD board voted unanimously to reject the hiring of chaplains, unless they meet certain requirements.
Some of those requirements include a master's degree in counseling and guidance and being certified by the Texas Education Agency.
School boards have until March 1 to vote on the issue, as required by state law.