- cross-posted to:
- atheism@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- atheism@lemmy.world
Lawmakers in more than a dozen states have proposed legislation to allow spiritual chaplains in public schools, a move that proponents say will ease a youth mental health crisis, bolster staff retention and offer spiritual care to students who can’t afford or access religious schools.
Conservatives also argue religious foundations will act as a “rescue mission” for what they say are public schools’ declining values, a topic that has galvanized Republican-controlled Legislatures to fight for issues such as parental oversight of curriculum, restrictions on books and instruction on gender identity and state-funded tuition assistance for private and religious schools.
But many chaplains and interfaith organizations oppose the chaplaincy campaign, calling the motivation offensive and describing the dangers of introducing a position of authority to children without clear standards or boundaries.
A couple hot takes….
Better a priest than a trigger happy, power tripping moron with a badge.
Sounds like this is just a relabeled guidance counselor position.
Seems like this approach might run into separation of church and state issues as well.
This is going to run into a lot of flak from communities that don’t have common ethics or morality standards with the priest that takes up the position.
Edit: From everyone’s reactions, I think my definition of “priest” may be a bit looser than is common. My definition of priest is any spiritual leader, from the Catholic priests everyone seems to be hating on to Buddhist monks.
And for the record, I would rather trust Hannibal Lecter with the care of my children than leave them alone within potential line of sight of any cop I don’t know personally. Ya’ll distrust Catholics, I distrust police.
The guy with the badge isn’t likely to be alone in a room with a child.
Would you leave a child alone in a room with a priest?