Frenship ISD administration recommends against adopting local resolution tied to state prayer statute; board accepts recommendation

Administrators recommended that Frenship ISD not adopt an additional local resolution prompted by a state statute and a Senate bill referenced in the meeting, saying current district policy and federal and state law already protect voluntary student religious expression.

"Friendship ISD already protects students rights to voluntarily pray and religious expression and does not find it necessary to adopt a separate Senate Bill prayer period policy," said Scott Simms, who presented the administration’s recommendation to the board. He added that existing board policy and state and federal law "already provide students the right to voluntarily pray, read religious texts, express religious viewpoints, and organize religious groups before, during, and after school on the same basis as other noncurricular groups."

Simms told the board that adopting the suggested resolution could add administrative burdens, for example by requiring parental permission forms for students to participate in any designated period. "These rights remain unchanged regardless of whether the board adopts a resolution under Senate Bill 1180," he said, using the bill number as it was cited in the meeting transcript.

Board members accepted administration’s recommendation without further discussion. A motion to follow the administration recommendation was made and seconded and the board chair called for a voice vote; the chair announced the motion carried.

The transcript records the recommendation and the board’s voice approval; it does not record a roll‑call tally or individual votes.