How can Texas schools possibly get away with installing chaplains as their counselors (especially untrained ones)? There's this little Constitutional thing called separation of church and state. Are any parents pushing back against this?
How did these chaplains pass the necessary tests to get certified if they are untrained in counseling?
As a public school teacher myself, I have questions!!!
Christian Nationalists believe the Founders meant separation of church and state protects the CHURCH from the STATE, not the other way around. Mike Johnson is on the record saying this. I was taught this in my Christian school growing up.
This bothers me. I am a social worker and thus, a mandated reporter. I am sure you are, too. I can't find anything that requires chaplains being mandated reporters in TX. This is worrisome. A chaplain is not a substitute for a licensed mental heath professional. I also worry about chaplains proselytizing kids who are at a low ebb and perhaps easily manipulated.
I totally get what you're saying. The article has this to say: 'The new law does not define the term “chaplain” nor provide any educational or other professional standards a chaplain must meet to qualify. The only qualification listed in the law is that the chaplain not be convicted as a sex offender or placed on deferred adjudication for such a crime. In fact, the law specifically provides that no state educational certification is required.'
Um, no. They need to be held to the same standards as me, a public school teacher. Get the certification, get all the background checks, and go through the same in-service trainings as other teachers. (Granted, I am a teacher in PA. Maybe TX doesn't have the same "rules" for teachers.) Does Texas have unions? If not, the NEA needs to get involved in states that are doing things like this.
I know that the courts right now read the first amendment as saying you can't 'discriminate' against 'religion', but that still seems different from having religion as your only option. It makes one ill to think about it.
“Discriminating” against religion in their view means disagreeing with them, offering alternative points of view, saying you don’t want anything to do with their beliefs, asking them to keep their religious beliefs to themselves, etc. And it only applies to their faith, not to Judaism or Islam or Buddhism or similar. (Because they say those faiths are “false” and it isn’t rude or discriminatory to call that out.)
Yes. The question is how far will the courts let them go. Which is pertinent if we win this election, but probably not if we lose, because they are unlikely to obey court orders with a Republican administration.
I am not shocked. I have struggled with depression and anxiety my entire life. I have been in in-patient facilities to treat my depression and I take meds for it. Someone once told me my depression was caused by demonic possession. It's always fun to admit to someone you have depression. On one hand, there are people who act like it's a choice to have it and on the other, there are people who think people with depression need to be exorcised.
The church-going bigots should be held legally liable for any children who harm themselves due to shaming, conversion therapy or ignoring the mental healthcare of family members. We cannot abandon children who need a loving helping hand. Schools must be stopped from eliminating trained mental health counselors and substituting untrained or religiously biased “counselors”.
We do wrong by our children at every turn. We don’t invest in education. We pay our teachers nothing. We expect them to attend schools set up like prisons where they could be shot at any moment. Then red-state America wants to take away professional mental health. They want broken people because broken people can’t fight them.
Yes. Also, people need options. Some tools work better than others for different people. This narrow “the Bible solves everything” view literally kills people.
I'm surprised these people even go to the doctor at all for anything. Why don't they just ante up all the way and stop going to all doctors?
When their appendix ruptures or heart attack or broken leg......they should just rest in bed and pray. If their God is so great the he will heal them. If not, then they must have committed sin and are being punished. That would be the only logical explanation as to why God didn't save them.
How can Texas schools possibly get away with installing chaplains as their counselors (especially untrained ones)? There's this little Constitutional thing called separation of church and state. Are any parents pushing back against this?
How did these chaplains pass the necessary tests to get certified if they are untrained in counseling?
As a public school teacher myself, I have questions!!!
Christian Nationalists believe the Founders meant separation of church and state protects the CHURCH from the STATE, not the other way around. Mike Johnson is on the record saying this. I was taught this in my Christian school growing up.
Yeah, I've heard that too. Christian Nationalists are dumb.
Luckily the article I posted above says entities ARE pushing back against this new law.
Christian nationalists are steeped in fascist thinking. It is impossible to change them. We must defeat them at every level of government.
I’m glad to see pushback, too.
This bothers me. I am a social worker and thus, a mandated reporter. I am sure you are, too. I can't find anything that requires chaplains being mandated reporters in TX. This is worrisome. A chaplain is not a substitute for a licensed mental heath professional. I also worry about chaplains proselytizing kids who are at a low ebb and perhaps easily manipulated.
I totally get what you're saying. The article has this to say: 'The new law does not define the term “chaplain” nor provide any educational or other professional standards a chaplain must meet to qualify. The only qualification listed in the law is that the chaplain not be convicted as a sex offender or placed on deferred adjudication for such a crime. In fact, the law specifically provides that no state educational certification is required.'
Um, no. They need to be held to the same standards as me, a public school teacher. Get the certification, get all the background checks, and go through the same in-service trainings as other teachers. (Granted, I am a teacher in PA. Maybe TX doesn't have the same "rules" for teachers.) Does Texas have unions? If not, the NEA needs to get involved in states that are doing things like this.
I know that the courts right now read the first amendment as saying you can't 'discriminate' against 'religion', but that still seems different from having religion as your only option. It makes one ill to think about it.
“Discriminating” against religion in their view means disagreeing with them, offering alternative points of view, saying you don’t want anything to do with their beliefs, asking them to keep their religious beliefs to themselves, etc. And it only applies to their faith, not to Judaism or Islam or Buddhism or similar. (Because they say those faiths are “false” and it isn’t rude or discriminatory to call that out.)
Yes. The question is how far will the courts let them go. Which is pertinent if we win this election, but probably not if we lose, because they are unlikely to obey court orders with a Republican administration.
In a Republican regime, Christian Nationalism will be the state religion, and everyone will be required to bow the knee to it in some way.
Ok, I did a search and answered my own questions. W. O. W.
https://www.tedallas.org/new-texas-law-allows-school-districts-to-hire-chaplains-to-provide-counseling-services-to-students/#:~:text=Services%20to%20Students-,New%20Texas%20Law%20Allows%20School%20Districts%20to%20Hire,Provide%20Counseling%20Services%20to%20Students&text=In%202023%2C%20the%20Texas%20Legislature,and%20open%20enrollment%20charter%20schools.
They are not trained
I am not shocked. I have struggled with depression and anxiety my entire life. I have been in in-patient facilities to treat my depression and I take meds for it. Someone once told me my depression was caused by demonic possession. It's always fun to admit to someone you have depression. On one hand, there are people who act like it's a choice to have it and on the other, there are people who think people with depression need to be exorcised.
I’m sorry, Jen. The “demon possession” line is pretty common in that world. It helps no one. We need more acceptance and understanding of depression.
The church-going bigots should be held legally liable for any children who harm themselves due to shaming, conversion therapy or ignoring the mental healthcare of family members. We cannot abandon children who need a loving helping hand. Schools must be stopped from eliminating trained mental health counselors and substituting untrained or religiously biased “counselors”.
We do wrong by our children at every turn. We don’t invest in education. We pay our teachers nothing. We expect them to attend schools set up like prisons where they could be shot at any moment. Then red-state America wants to take away professional mental health. They want broken people because broken people can’t fight them.
🤢
So so cruel. It's hard to know what else to say. People need love - real love, not this nightmare madness. 💔
Yes. Also, people need options. Some tools work better than others for different people. This narrow “the Bible solves everything” view literally kills people.
Agreed. The Taliban is opposite of love. Everything opposite of their Jesus
I'm surprised these people even go to the doctor at all for anything. Why don't they just ante up all the way and stop going to all doctors?
When their appendix ruptures or heart attack or broken leg......they should just rest in bed and pray. If their God is so great the he will heal them. If not, then they must have committed sin and are being punished. That would be the only logical explanation as to why God didn't save them.
There are sects who act like this, but it is pretty extreme.