By Marjorie Cortez, Deseret News

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah could allow volunteer school chaplains in public neighborhood and charter schools starting in the 2025-2026 school year under legislation endorsed by the House Education Committee.

Under HB514, sponsored by Rep. Keven Stratton, R-Orem, school district or charter school boards could place volunteer chaplains in public schools. The legislation requires chaplains to pass background and reference requirements and complete all training required by the district or charter board, the Utah State Board of Education and state statute.

Stratton said chaplains have played a "very critical and integral role" in the nation's history.

"The founding fathers understood the importance of the support and guidance chaplains could provide in multiple different ways. We see that reflected today with many of our law enforcement, first responders. Certainly the most notable would be our military that have refined and worked this process," Stratton said.

HB514 establishes a process for local education agencies, or LEAs, "that would like to draw upon this tradition," he said.

Thus far, 13 states have introduced school chaplain bills, "so this is not new. But this is unique in that it's voluntary. It's local, LEA-driven," Stratton said.

Jennie Earl, who serves on the Utah State Board of Education but said she was speaking on her own behalf, expressed support for HB514.

"If a parent or employee wants to participate, they can opt into it. I think of health education. I think of mental health screenings. All of these things are proclaimed as opt-in if a parent chooses. I think it's the same here," she said.

"I think there's some positive benefits from this. There may be some complications we run into, but I think providing additional resources, and a voluntary basis, to me really makes sense for our schools," she said.

Others said religious training and support are the purview of parents and children's respective religious communities.

"We have concerns about the constitutionality of this bill as it runs afoul of separation of church and state principles," said Ellie Menlove, legislative and policy counsel for ACLU of Utah.

https://www.ksl.com/article/50885455/chaplains-in-public-schools-lawmaker-wants-to-give-districts-public-charter-schools-the-option