New rules about prayer in Texas schools are set to go into effect on Sept. 1, but it appears the lines between church and state are beginning to blur already.
The Concho Observer recently received a report from local advocacy group West Texas Indivisible, alleging the exclusively Christian Lord’s Prayer is being read over the intercom during morning announcements at Christoval ISD.
According to the group, the prayer was read over the intercom at the junior high and high schools, and through the PA system in the elementary school gym.
This raises questions about the boundaries between religious practice and public education, and the rights of students and staff regarding religious expression.
West Texas Indivisible expressed concern that public prayers may be taking place without prior consent from parents, students, or staff.
If accurate, this should prompt scrutiny over compliance with constitutional protections regarding religious expression — particularly potential violations of First Amendment rights.
Current law makes a clear distinction between student-led prayer, which is protected, and school-sponsored prayer, which is allowed within limits.
Public schools are required to ensure that religious activities don’t infringe upon individual rights, and that the schools always have proper consent.
Every student and staff member should be given the opportunity to opt-out of prayer readings, as is their right.
We reached out to Christoval ISD for comment or clarification but did not receive a response by publication time.
While these allegations remain unconfirmed, they call into focus a larger concern for all public schools: the need for transparency and accessible policies, especially when navigating matters of religion and individual rights.
This conversation unfolds at a pivotal moment, when new legislation is poised to affect how religious expression is handled in public schools. Senate Bill 11, set to take effect Sept. 1, allows districts to adopt policies permitting voluntary prayer or Bible reading during the school day.
Senate Bill 965 allows school staff to engage in religious speech while at work, as long as it does not interfere with class instruction or pressure students to participate.
According to the bill’s language, SB 11 explicitly prohibits using the intercom system for broadcast of prayers, and requires parental consent for student participation and consent forms for participating staff.
The language also states that such religious activities must be entirely voluntary.
FAST FACTS
It has never been illegal for students in Texas to pray at school, and groups have been allowed to engage in voluntary religious activities in schools for a long time.
Otherwise, groups like The Fellowship of Christian Athletes wouldn’t have a decades-long history in just about every public school in the state.
It’s also worth noting that Texas Republicans already implemented a law requiring a one-minute “moment of silence” every day in public schools back in 2003.
That controversial law generated many legal challenges, which ultimately resulted in the new law being upheld by a Republican federal appeals court, which emphasized it was making an allowance for diverse uses of the time, including non-religious reflection.
No increase in test scores, or overall improvement in behavior, have ever been linked to increased prayer in schools.
Sources: https://tfn.org/tfn-explains-senate-bill-11/ https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/SB965/2025
