Kissimmee, FL – Tuesday evening, August 27th, the Osceola County School Board will again discuss a school chaplains program, a proposal that failed to pass two weeks ago. The Central Florida Freethought Community (CFFC), along with a broad coalition of faith-based and civil rights organizations and more than 300 chaplains across the country, opposes chaplains in public schools. 

The CFFC will address the Board at Tuesday’s 5:30 pm meeting in Kissimmee. The item in New Business is 15.02 Policy Proposal 3.81 - Board Member Arguello. Here is a direct link: https://go.boarddocs.com...

On August 20th, only one week after Osceola School Board members voted not to pass a proposed chaplain policy, the Florida Department of Education released its own “model policy”. Both draft policies make it clear that minority faith and non-religious chaplains need not apply. This means that one third to nearly half of our students will not be served by religious chaplains in Florida’s public schools.

Gov. DeSantis signed House Bill 931 into law at an Osceola high school in April. Numerous organizations continue to point out that this law could lead to religious chaplains proselytizing on campus, which is unconstitutional. 

David Williamson, CFFC President and co-founder, is one of several who will speak during the public comment period Tuesday in opposition to chaplains in schools.

Of the proposed policy, Williamson said, “Allowing chaplains in public schools not only endangers students, but it also wastes resources, and creates unnecessary legal liability that our school districts simply cannot afford.”

“Our public schools are not Sunday schools. If schools need additional counselors and support staff, schools must hire and train professionals, not expect members of clergy to fill this need.”