Editor’s note: Transcript provided by CoverGov.
School district trustees from Grapevine-Colleyville and Carroll rejected establishing a student prayer period in a vote as required under a new law.
Grapevine-Colleyville trustees voted at their Feb. 23 meeting. Carroll ISD trustees did so at their Feb. 2 meeting. Each school board accepted their administration’s recommendations.
Both districts already have student prayer policies, officials with both said.
Passed by the Texas Legislature by an 88-48 vote May 23, 2025, Senate Bill 11 requires school district trustees to take a vote by March 1 on whether to establish the designated prayer period in schools. Participation is voluntary but does require written signed consent from parents or employees.
Texas law on prayer period in public schools outlines requirements should districts approve the time:
Participation requires signed parental consent with families waiving the right to sue over constitutional claims.
Prayer and religious reading must occur in spaces separated from nonparticipants.
The period cannot take place during instructional time or be broadcast to others.
The Texas attorney general must defend districts against any related legal challenge.
“With the logistical complexities of determining the students that have approval from their parents and monitoring students to ensure the rules involving separation are not violated, the administration at this time does not recommend that the board adopt such a policy,” GCISD Superintendent Rick DeMasters said. “Those things already are allowed under our current board policy.”
During the public comment period of the GCISD meeting, four residents urged trustees not to adopt Senate Bill 11. No citizen spoke in favor of the resolution.
GCISD schools “serve families who practice a rich diversity of religions, as well as those who do not practice any faith at all,” Howard Rosenthal said. “Some students may feel pressured to participate in the prayer period so that they don’t face exclusion, rejection or bullying from their peers.
“Schools should be places of belonging that welcome differences. Decisions about whether, when or how to pray and read scripture should be left to parents, students themselves and faith communities.”
Fort Worth, Hurst-Euless-Bedford, Mansfield, Lake Worth, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw, Castleberry, Arlington and Kennedale school boards voted no, while Keller and Aledo have adopted a prayer period.
To learn more about how the transcript that informed this report was created, visit covergov.com.
Eric Zarate is a freelance journalist. If you believe anything in this account is inaccurate, please email us at news@fortworthreport.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.
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