Texas school employs full-time religious mentor to counsel students after law allows districts to recruit chaplains, data shows [Video]

TEXAS — Last year, Texas passed a law allowing school districts to recruit chaplains using school safety funds. So far, only one school has employed a full-time religious mentor to counsel students, according to staffing data from the Texas Education Agency.

The largest 25 school districts in the state already rejected the legislation, which encompasses almost two million students and about a third of Texas public school students, according to tracking done by the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.

While Arlington ISD is on the list of districts that rejected the measure, the city’s public charter network, Newman International Academy, was the lone school district to hire a chaplain during the 2023-24 school year.

Newman International Academy staff said that Matthew Daniels rotates through its eight campuses as the network’s chaplain, but has previous experience as an educator. The website describes him as the District Family Engagement and Mentorship Coordinator.

The …