More than 160 Texas faith leaders oppose state-organized prayer

For Immediate Release

MEDIA CONTACTS

Karlee Marshall, BJC & Christians Against Christian Nationalism
580-224-1817 | [email protected]

Imelda Mejia, Texas Freedom Network
512-212-1758 | [email protected]

Dana Stein, URJ
(813) 404-5677 | [email protected]

Phil Dieke, Texas Impact
[email protected]

Connie Dufner, Temple Emanu-El
214-706-0000 | [email protected]

AUSTIN, TEXAS – In an open letter to all Texas public school board members, more than 160 faith leaders in nearly 60 school districts are speaking out against Texas’ state-organized prayer in school law, SB11, a state law requiring school districts to vote on whether to adopt state-organized prayer and religious study during the school day. 

In this letter, faith leaders assert that this law threatens the religious freedom of students and families by shifting the responsibility of religious instruction from homes and houses of worship to the government.

“We believe in the value of religious instruction,” reads the letter. “We also understand that the responsibility for religious instruction lies with students, their families, and their local faith communities—not with public schools, and not organized or directed by the state.”

Instead of adopting state-organized prayer, faith leaders urge school boards to pass an alternative resolution that affirms existing constitutional protections for student prayer while rejecting the state-organized model that could lead to religious division and favoritism. Faith leaders are sending the letter to their school boards this week, January 8.

This sign-on letter is organized in partnership between Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (BJC), Christians Against Christian Nationalism, National Council of Jewish Women Dallas, Texas Freedom Network, RAC-TX, Texas Impact, Pastors for Texas Children, Faith Commons, Jewish Federation of Fort Worth & Tarrant County, Temple Emanu-El, and the Jewish Community Relations Council.

“SB11 is a solution in search of a problem,” said Rabbi David Segal, Policy Counsel at Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (BJC). “ Students already have the right to pray. This law creates a bureaucratic circus for overstretched teachers and administrators, forcing them to track waivers and referee religious disputes instead of focusing on education. Religious freedom must be voluntary and personal — never organized or coerced by the government.”

“Many of our Jewish ancestors sought refuge in the United States because of its separation between religion and government,” said Blake Ziegler, Texas Field Organizer at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. “We fled nations whose theocratic policies persecuted our people and others who did not share the state’s religion, while arbitrarily favoring those who did. We stand firmly against SB 11 to preserve the separation essential to religious freedom and pluralism in our democracy.”

“Our children thrive when schools bring students together, not separate them by faith,” said Fariha Samad, Reproductive Freedom Congregation Organizer for Texas Freedom Network. “SB 11 pressures students to participate in religious exercises to avoid being singled out, burdens administrators with impossible choices, and drains taxpayer dollars through preventable lawsuits. To protect all children, school boards should vote against setting aside additional specific prayer time and instead use that valuable time in setting up our students for academic success.”

“Adoption of the SB 11 policy undermines parents’ fundamental rights to raise their children in their own faith without interference from the government,” said Rabbi Kim Herzog Cohen, clergy at Temple Emanu-El. “SB 11 harms student and teacher cohesion by potentially segregating children based on their religion, creating an environment of exclusion for children who do not participate in the prayer period. It’s a misguided policy.”

“SB 11 is a government-authorized attempt to control religious practice in schools. Voluntary religious expression is already allowed, so forcing this on all students is divisive and takes away their right to practice their faith freely, without government pressure,” said Elaine Stillman, president of the National Council of Jewish Women Dallas. “As an organization committed to the well-being of women and children and to protecting basic rights for all, we oppose SB 11 because it undermines religious freedom, threatens students’ sense of safety and belonging, and adds yet another burden on school administrators who are already stretched thin. Faith should be a personal choice, not a government mandate, and schools should be focused on supporting students — not policing belief.”

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About Baptist Joint Committee (BJC) & Christians Against Christian Nationalism

BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty) is an 90-year-old religiously based organization working to defend faith freedom for all and protect the institutional separation of church and state in the historic Baptist tradition. BJC is the home of the Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign.

About the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism 

For more than six decades, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (the RAC) has worked to educate, inspire, and mobilize the Reform Jewish community to advocate for social justice. We mobilize around federal, state, provincial, and local legislation on more than 70 pressing socioeconomic issues, including gun violence prevention, immigration, reproductive rights, and criminal justice reform.

As a joint instrumentality of the Union for Reform Judaism and the Central Conference of American Rabbis, we represent the values of the largest and most diverse Jewish Movement in North America to governments at all levels.

About Texas Freedom Network

Texas Freedom Network (501(c)(4)), focuses on advocacy and public policy efforts, mobilizing Texans for progressive change at the Capitol and in local municipalities. They’re also the state’s leading watchdog for monitoring far-right issues, organizations, money, and leaders.

About Texas Impact

Texas Impact equips faith leaders and their congregations with the information, opportunities, and outreach tools to educate their communities and engage with lawmakers on pressing public policy issues. They help people live out their faith in the public square, moving the faith community from charity to justice.

About Pastors for Texas Children

Pastors for Texas Children is a ministry that serves Texas’ neighborhood public schools through prayer, service, and advocacy. They support schools by initiating school assistance programs with local congregations, promoting social justice for children, and advancing legislation that puts the needs of Texas children, families, and communities first.

About Jewish Federation of Fort Worth & Tarrant County

The mission of the Jewish Federation of Fort Worth and Tarrant County is to promote vibrant, engaged, and secure Jewish communities locally, in Israel, and around the world. They do this through fundraising, community-wide programming, Jewish education, social services, developing leaders, fostering cooperation among Jewish organizations, and by building strong relationships with Israel and the community at large.

About Faith Commons

Faith Commons mission is to lift up faith voices in the public square for the common good. They do that by cultivating unexpected relationships through educational programs that inspire more people to participate in public life with mutual respect, hospitality, and generosity.

About Temple Emanu-El

Temple Emanu-El welcomes more than 2,500 families with diverse backgrounds and lifestyles through its doors and helps them find their Jewish path through prayer, music, learning and community.

About Jewish Community Relations Council

The focus of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is to promote and advance the interests of the Jewish people, to preserve and maintain the dignity and integrity of the Jewish people, and to defend and protect civil, political, and religious rights wherever such rights are in jeopardy.

About National Council of Jewish Women Dallas

For 113 years, NCJW Dallas has worked to improve the lives of women, children, and families in the Dallas community through innovation and commitment. With over 1,200 members contributing thousands of hours annually, we engage in community impact, research, education, and advocacy to address public needs and systemic social issues. Our efforts are driven by a vision of a better, more inclusive society, and we work collaboratively across diverse communities to create meaningful change.