Meeting Public Comments

Stacy Volmer

I am writing to express my strong opposition to House File 334, which would authorize school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to employ or engage volunteer chaplains to provide services to students without requiring any form of professional licensure or certification.While supporting students' emotional and mental wellbeing is vital, this bill raises significant concerns regarding student rights, professional qualifications, and the separation of church and state.Lack of Professional Standards: This bill allows chaplains to work with students without requiring appropriate licensure, certification, or training. School personnel, including counselors and social workers, must meet rigorous professional standards to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students. Allowing unlicensed chaplains to provide services undermines these established standards and puts vulnerable students at risk.Religious Neutrality in Public Schools: Public schools must remain a place where students of all backgrounds feel safe and included. Allowing chaplainswho traditionally represent specific religious perspectivesinto public educational spaces blurs the line between church and state. This bill could lead to the promotion of particular religious beliefs, alienating students from diverse faiths or nonreligious backgrounds.Safeguarding Student Autonomy: Although the bill claims that students will not be required or coerced into utilizing chaplain services, the mere presence of religious figures in authority positions within schools may create implicit pressure. Students should receive support from professionally trained and neutral mental health experts, not religious figures with unknown qualifications.Better Alternatives Exist: If the goal is to provide additional support for students' mental and emotional health, resources should be invested in hiring qualified mental health professionals, school psychologists, and social workers who are trained to provide evidencebased care in a nonsectarian manner.In conclusion, House File 334 is an unnecessary and potentially harmful proposal that risks the professional integrity of student support services and threatens the religious neutrality of public education. I urge legislators to reject this bill and prioritize the hiring of qualified, licensed professionals to meet the needs of all students.

Sandy Wilson [Citizen Engagement]

Citizen Engagement declares IN FAVOR of HF 334. Please advance the bill.

Leanne Williams

As a pastor's wife and practicing Christian, I strongly oppose HF 334. This legislation violates basic separation of church and state. The fact that schools *SHALL NOT* require training or denominational oversight frankly scares me. This leaves all kinds of room for malpractice, proselytization, and worse. I have experience with one such selfappointed "volunteer clergy" interacting with my child and their public school teammates in a way that I definitely found problematic, and wanted to make sure I was able to be present whenever he was. Please stop this bill.

The Rev. Catherine Schroeder [Episcopal Priest ]

as a Priest in the Episcopal Church, I am strongly against thisBill. I have been trained as a chaplain and it takes more than just any person to do this job. As a former teacher also we need to be very careful of who our children are talking to in the school setting. We need to make sure that there is that separation of Church and state. There seems to be a lack of understanding within our government right now that our representatives think they know whats best for us. It is my understanding that the folks in the statehouse are to represent all. And as I can see right now that is not being done. If you want to have support for kids hire more trained counselors that will just do that job and not everything else that schools put on them. Ive seen all the hard work first hand by great counselors. They have helped both my daughters and grandkids in their school.