Was it suggested that these chaplains would replace school councilors and therapists, or that they would be added on to the faculty or as volunteers in addition to councilors and therapists?MonarchMom wrote: ↑Mon Apr 01, 2024 4:14 pmStudents can seek out religious mentoring outside of school.AZOldGal66 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 01, 2024 4:03 pm Not sure how I feel.
Yes, separation of church and state.
However, what if some students would feel more comfortable talking to a chaplain vs a mental health counselor?
Why not have both available? This is for the students and not society, who's opinion shouldn't matter.
Once school boards have the options of replacing professionals with religious leaders you create a situation of imposing religion on students who need services. How many religions are going to be represented? Will every student have the option of their personal religious group being among the counselors? Do students need to proclaim their private religious beliefs to the school to access a counselor?
The role of the school counselor is to provide professional guidance based on the academic and psychological needs of the students. They screen for abuse or neglect, identify learning disabilities, and provide academic opportunities for best outcomes. Schools should employee trained professionals in these roles not religious leaders.
That would make a big difference…