Indiana may allow public schools to employ chaplains.
Indiana lawmakers are considering legislation that, if enacted, would allow religious chaplains to be employed by public schools to provide both secular and religious services.
Known as Senate Bill 50 and authored by Republican Sen. Stacey Donato of District 18, the proposal was introduced earlier this month and passed committee last week.
The Republican Party controls both houses of the state legislature and the executive branch.
The legislation would allow a school superintendent or principal to employ or "approve as a volunteer" a chaplain, provided the person has "a master's degree in divinity, theology, religious studies, or a related field," two years of experience in counseling, passes a criminal background check and "has never been convicted of an offense requiring registration as a sex offender."
Additionally, the chaplain can only provide secular support to students or faculty unless a student, school employee or "a parent or guardian of the student receiving services" gives permission to receive religious services.
Donato says her legislation aims to give schools "an option to add additional resources for emotional needs of students." Freedom Post.
