{"id":160247,"date":"2026-02-11T17:37:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T17:37:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/160247\/"},"modified":"2026-02-11T17:37:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T17:37:09","slug":"san-antonios-neisd-and-new-braunfels-isd-both-veto-designated-prayer-time-in-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/160247\/","title":{"rendered":"San Antonio’s NEISD and New Braunfels ISD both veto designated prayer time in schools"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"North East ISD\u2019s board voted unanimously against adopting a designated school prayer time at its campuses. Credit: Photo via Google Maps<\/p>\n

North East ISD and the New Braunfels ISD unanimously rejected state a policy that would enable school campuses to provide a daily period of prayer, Texas Public Radio<\/a> and the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung<\/a> report.<\/p>\n

Trustees at both districts shot down the policy at Monday night school board meetings, citing parental authority and the constitutional right of freedom of religion.<\/p>\n

In accordance with Senate Bill 11, passed during last year\u2019s legislative session, Texas public school boards have until March 1 to vote whether to adopt a similar resolution. The Republican-backed law would set up a designated period for prayer and religious reading during each school day for students and employees.<\/p>\n

Students who participate would need to show written consent from their parents. SB 11 also requires strict physical and auditory separation from non-participating students.<\/p>\n

NEISD attorney Rick Lopez and several district trustees argued the bill is redundant with current student code, which already allows pupils and faculty to pray in schools on their own time throughout the day, TPR reports.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the bill is asking you to consider is whether you want to dedicate a specific period of time during your school day to accomplish this. That\u2019s it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

New Braunfels trustee Kim Goodwin added that it\u2019s up to parents \u2014 not schools \u2014 to dictate the religious upbringing of their child.<\/p>\n

\u201cI strongly believe parents and not school boards should decide how and when their children receive religious instruction,\u201d Goodwin said ahead of her vote at Monday\u2019s school board meeting, the New Braunfels Herald Zeitung reports. \u201cFor these reasons and out of respect for parental rights and local control, I will be voting nay.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than 160 faith leaders across the state urged school boards not to adopt the policy, arguing that it violates First Amendment protections against the merging of church and state.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m wary any time the government gets involved,\u201d Rabbi\u00a0Gideon Estes, head rabbi of Congregation Or Ami in Houston, told the Houston Chronicle<\/a>. \u201cThere isn\u2019t a problem of students not being able to pray while they\u2019re at school.\u201d<\/p>\n

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas also argues the bill tries to solve a problem that doesn\u2019t exist, creating more problems \u2014 and a legal quagmire \u2014 in the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cSchool districts should reject SB 11 because inviting state-organized prayer into public schools will only cause division, pressure students to conform and distract schools from their core educational mission,\u201d\u00a0Caro Achar, engagement coordinator for free speech at the ACLU of Texas, said in an emailed statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis law risks violating students\u2019 and families\u2019 constitutional rights and blurring the critical separation between church and state,\u201d Achar continued. \u201cTexas students already have robust rights to pray or read religious texts during their own time during the school day. Texas public schools should be places where all students \u2014 regardless of faith or background \u2014 can learn, grow, and thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

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