ACLU of Texas Urges School Districts to Vote Against Allowing Daily Prayer Period in Schools

AUSTIN, Texas — School districts across Texas will vote by March 1 on whether to implement Senate Bill 11, which would allow for a dedicated daily period for prayer and the reading of “the Bible and other religious texts" in public schools.

Maintaining religious neutrality in public schools protects the constitutional rights of students, families, and educators from potential overreach by the state. School districts are expected to hold votes throughout February during regular school board meetings.

“School districts should reject S.B. 11 because inviting state-organized prayer into public schools will only cause division, pressure students to conform, and distract schools from their core educational mission,” said Caro Achar (she/her), engagement coordinator for free speech at the ACLU of Texas. “This law risks violating students’ and families’ constitutional rights and blurring the critical separation between church and state. Texas students already have robust rights to pray or read religious texts during their own time during the school day. Texas public schools should be places where all students — regardless of faith or background — can learn, grow, and thrive.”

Families, students, and educators can oppose the establishment of these prayer periods by speaking up during school board meetings and directly contacting their trustees. If the prayer periods are established, parents may withhold permission for their children to participate. The ACLU of Texas has put together a toolkit to help people advocate against implementing S.B. 11.

Contact us to speak with our policy and legal experts for more information.

Access ACLU of Texas S.B. 11 toolkit here: https://www.aclutx.org/app/uploads/2026/01/S.B.-11-Prayer-in-Schools.pdf