Houston ISD's board managers have put the brakes on uncertified chaplains acting as school counselors. This move comes as a direct response to Senate Bill 763, signed by Governor Greg Abbott in June last year, which mandated school boards across Texas to decide by March 1 whether their campuses should hire chaplains to offer mental health support. The Houston Chronicle reported that although the law provides for the engagement of chaplains in mental health services, HISD has chosen to only hire those who meet the professional qualifications already established for counselors.
HISD's resolution indicates a clear preference for candidates with the proper certifications. "The HISD School Board hereby does not permit hiring chaplains to serve in the capacity of counselors or mental health or behavioral health professionals, except that they, like all applicants, remain eligible for hire if they meet all qualifications for the desired positions and are deemed the best candidates," the resolution asserts, according to Houston Chronicle.
Backing up the district's resolve, Christi Brewster, a former North Forest High School nurse, spoke to KTRK, emphasizing the potential risks of uncertified personnel dealing with mental health crises. "Because you can really make a misstep and say the wrong thing to a child in a crisis. I always have resources. If we didn't have one available (counselor), I always had a wonderful administrative staff," Brewster said.
Houston area clergy, while supportive of chaplain involvement in schools, recognized their role should not overlap with that of certified counselors. "I get to be with kids and help them on their spiritual journeys, but my job is not to be their therapist, and my job is not to be their counselor," Rabbi Josh Fixler of Emanu El of Houston mentioned, as reported by KTRK.
Moreover, HISD's decision to keep chaplains out of certified counselor roles was strongly advocated for by community members at last Thursday's board meeting, who feared the intertwining of one religious viewpoint with the diverse beliefs of their district, as per reports from the Houston Chronicle.
The board's resolution may set a precedent in Texas, where the debate over chaplains in public schools is robustly alive.
