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Keller ISD board adopts resolution to require daily period for prayer and scripture reading under new state law
Summary
By a 4-3 vote the board adopted a resolution to implement a daily, voluntary period for prayer and reading of religious texts at each campus, triggering a process to draft a district policy that must meet state statute conditions.
The Keller ISD Board of Trustees voted 4-3 on Sept. 24 to adopt a resolution directing the district to implement a daily, voluntary period during the school day for students and staff to pray or read religious texts, as authorized under recent state legislation.
Superintendent Corey Wilson told trustees the action arises from changes to state law and cited Texas Education Code 25.083 and related Senate Bill 11 as the statutory basis requiring a recorded board vote and specifying conditions for implementation. Under the law, participation must be voluntary, written parental consent is required for students who participate, public address systems may not be used, and nonparticipants must not be within hearing range.
Trustees’ discussion focused on logistics and staff burden. Trustees asked whether the district’s legal counsel had advised on constitutional risk and whether the practice would require additional supervision, background checks for parent visitors, or pay for staff who would take on implementation duties. Administration said the policy drafting process would address time, place and logistics and would follow ordinary visitor procedures for parents.
Opponents said the statute’s implementation details are “onerous and virtually impossible to implement” and warned of litigation risk and instructional‑time impacts. One commenter said, “The implementation details required by this law are onerous and virtually impossible to implement,” and another urged the board to “vote no on the resolution” unless the district had a plan. Supporters said the resolution simply protects students’ religious liberty and places the matter on a uniform footing across campuses.
The board directed administration to draft an implementing policy for preview at a future meeting. The draft policy will include operational details required by statute, such as parental consent and ensuring nonparticipants are not within hearing range; the board did not adopt a campus-level practice during the Sept. 24 meeting but recorded the resolution to move the policy-writing process forward.
