EMILY TREADWAY
HUTTO — Aligning with several other Texas educational systems, Hutto Independent School District trustees have declined to support a state Senate initiative making time for prayer on campus.
In a scene that has played out in several other public school-board meetings, Hutto trustees Thursday noted there are already laws that guarantee religious practices for students without adding another one.
At issue is Senate Bill 11, approved during the last legislative session and calling on school districts to either approve or deny allowing a daily time for prayer and reading the Bible or other religious sources.
“I think this resolution is divisive and puts local (school) boards in political battles that we should not be in instead of focusing on student outcomes,” said school board President Amy English. “Public education deserves a focus and not forced controversy.”
During the Feb. 26 session, trustees heard a prepared statement from Hutto ISD’s general counsel Jasmine Wightman.
Wightman said the district recommended not adopting the policy, but she wanted everyone to understand the decision.
“This recommendation is not about limiting prayer,” Wightman said.
The district’s concern, Wightman added, is with the specific requirements of SB 11 that would require more demands and time from Hutto ISD to institute the policy — concerns already noted by surrounding districts, such as Taylor, Granger and Thrall that have also declined to adopt the SB 11 policy.
By approving SB 11, school districts would need to provide students with a dedicated time and place to pray and study religious texts. At the same time, the district would also have to provide a separate space for students who did not want to take part in these activities.
Consent forms would also need to be sent out to parents and filed with the district.
Students and employees in Texas already have the right to pray, to read Scripture, to observe a moment of silence and to participate in student-led religious clubs and gatherings, Wightman said.
SB 11 creates “a standard that would be more restrictive than the standard our students currently enjoy when they wish to pray, and one that would be nearly impossible to implement practically,” Wightman said.
Trustee Billie Logiudice thanked Wightman for her observations and said she was thankful for the religious freedoms in this country, but added, “When we have to have conversations like this, it distracts us from the real reason that we’re here — to educate students.”
English reiterated students already have the right to pray in school and they will continue to have that right.
“I personally am not going to let this distract me from the real work, and I hope no one else does either. Our focus should remain on student safety, academic growth and the long-term health of the district,” English said.
The next school board meeting is March 26. A closed session is 6 p.m., followed by the open meeting about 7 p.m.
The gatherings are held in the Administration Building Board Room at 200 College St.
Meetings can be streamed live or watched at a later date at huttoisdtx. new.swagit.com/videos.
