OPPOSE Chaplains Replacing Counselors in Missouri Public Schools!

As a concerned advocate for public education and religious freedom, I strongly oppose SB49 (Black) and SB118 (Moon), which would allow chaplains to volunteer in public schools and replace qualified school counselors in providing critical services to students.. These bills threaten the constitutional rights of students, undermine the professionalism of school counselors, and risk imposing religious beliefs on vulnerable youth. Allowing chaplains to provide “support services” in public schools blatantly violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. Inserting religious figures into secular schools—even as volunteers—creates an environment ripe for coercion. Students, particularly those seeking guidance, may feel pressured to conform to a chaplain’s beliefs. This is not hypothetical: Chaplains, unlike counselors, are trained to advance specific faith traditions. The bills’ requirement that chaplains belong to Department of Defense-recognized religious groups does nothing to prevent proselytization. Public schools must remain neutral spaces where all families, regardless of faith, feel equally respected. School counselors are highly trained professionals who provide critical, secular support to students—addressing academic, career, mental health, and emotional needs. They hold state certifications, adhere to ethical standards, and are equipped to serve diverse populations. Replacing or supplementing their roles with chaplains, who lack equivalent training in child development or trauma-informed care, jeopardizes student well-being. Chaplains may offer spiritual guidance, but they are not substitutes for licensed counselors equipped to handle crises like bullying, college applications, or suicidal ideation. While background checks are required, they do not address the fundamental danger of privileging religious authority in schools. Families entrust public schools to educate, not evangelize. Permitting chaplains to operate in this setting risks alienating nonreligious, minority faith, or LGBTQ+ students who may fear judgment. Missouri’s students deserve support systems that respect their autonomy and diversity—not policies that erode the wall between church and state. SB 49 and SB 118 are unnecessary, unconstitutional, and harmful. They threaten to replace expertise with ideology and compromise the inclusive, secular nature of public education. I urge lawmakers to reject these bills and invest instead in fully funding and expanding access to qualified school counselors—professionals trained to serve all students, without exception.