Texas lawmakers approve allowing public schools to hire chaplains to counsel students

By JIM VERTUNO
Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas would allow public schools to use campus safety money to hire chaplains to counsel students under a bill approved this week by state lawmakers and sent to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. The Republican-majority Legislature approved the bill on Wednesday, the one-year anniversary of the school shooting in Uvalde that killed 19 students and two teachers. Supporters say the chaplains can provide critical counseling to help prevent school shootings. Critics take issue because the chaplains don’t have to be certified, and they say the bill can open public schools to religious evangelizing.