Rockwall ISD trustees reject resolution to implement Senate Bill 11 prayer period
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Summary
After public comment and a student-services briefing on operational and legal issues, the Rockwall ISD Board of Trustees voted down a resolution to adopt a districtwide period for prayer or religious-text reading required by Senate Bill 11; the motion failed by show of hands, recorded as 0 in favor, 5 opposed, with 2 trustees absent.
The Rockwall Independent School District Board of Trustees voted down a resolution to adopt policies required by Senate Bill 11 after public comment and a staff presentation on the bill's legal and logistical requirements.
Board President Sherry Packer opened a special session for consideration of a resolution tied to SB 11 and invited public comment. Multiple parents and community members urged trustees to reject the measure, saying it could coerce religious activity, complicate staffing and scheduling, and make nonparticipating students feel excluded. Samantha Starnes told the board, "Public schools are for every student no matter what they believe or don't believe," and urged trustees to "please vote no on SB 11." Kimberly Kiernan said, "Texas public schools are for the general secular education, not Sunday schools," and asked which Bible or translation would be used.
The student services presenter summarized SB 11 and the accompanying updates to board policy FNA (11/04/2025). The presenter said SB 11 would require the district to take a record vote and adopt a districtwide policy providing a designated period for prayer or reading of religious texts during noninstructional time before normal school hours; the period may not be provided over a public-address system. The presenter explained that the law requires written consent from an employee or a parent or guardian for a student to participate and that the district must ensure physical and auditory separation of nonparticipants, adjust bell schedules and identify approved areas on every campus, and implement consent-tracking and supervision logistics. The presenter warned of potential legal challenges arising from adoption and noted the bill's March 1 deadline for trustees to act.
Trustees debated the measure's practicality and legal risks. One trustee said voting against the resolution "is not a vote against religion" and stressed that voluntary student prayer and extracurricular religious clubs are already permitted under existing law and district policy. Another trustee highlighted a provision of the bill that, in the trustee's view, appears to require an express waiver of certain claims and said the measure raises establishment-clause concerns. Trustee Stan Britton moved to adopt the resolution required by SB 11; Trustee Grant Debois seconded the motion.
By show of hands the board recorded the motion as receiving 0 votes in favor, 5 opposed and 2 trustees absent; the motion failed and the board adjourned. The board did not adopt the SB 11 resolution during this special session.
The board packet referenced Texas Education Code section 25.0823 and related statutory provisions; the FNA policy was listed as updated 11/04/2025. The district may still review implementation logistics and legal questions raised during the presentation and discussion in future meetings.
