More than 160 faith leaders across Texas have urged public school boards and charter school governing bodies not to adopt rules establishing time for prayer and Bible readings in schools, sending an open letter less than two months before the state-mandated March 1 deadline.
The letter was coordinated by a coalition of faith-based religious freedom groups, including the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, Christians Against Christian Nationalism, and Texas Impact. It encourages school officials to reject implementing the school prayer provisions allowed under Senate Bill 11, authored by State Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston.
“We believe in the value of religious instruction,” the letter reads, “but that responsibility lies with students, their families, and local faith communities—not with public schools or the state.”
Rabbi David Segal of Houston, policy counsel for the Baptist Joint Committee, said the letter was sent last week to all Texas school district superintendents and is being followed by outreach from local faith leaders to individual school boards.
Supporters of SB 11, including State Rep. David Spiller, R-Jacksboro, maintain that the law is entirely voluntary. Spiller told lawmakers during House debates that school boards, teachers, and students can choose whether to participate, and parental consent would be required for student involvement.
Some school boards have already acted. Pearland ISD, for example, declined to adopt the new rules.
Among the signatories of the letter is Rev. Laura Mayo, senior minister at Covenant Church in Houston and mother of two Houston ISD students. Mayo said students can already pray individually or form religious clubs, and that mandating prayer time creates logistical and administrative challenges.
“I also used to teach school,” she said. “Can you imagine how onerous it’s going to be to try and keep up with who signed a waiver and who hasn’t? That alone should be enough for any school board to say, ‘Hang on a second. Do we need to do this?’”
The letter reflects growing concern among religious leaders that formalizing prayer and Bible readings in public schools could blur the line between church and state and create unnecessary complications for educators.