A Republican Ohio lawmaker introduced a bill into the Ohio House of Representatives that attempts to permit public schools statewide to employ chaplains to provide support services and programs for students.
House Bill (HB) 240 sponsored by State Representative Reggie Stoltzfus (R-Paris Twp.) would allow chaplains to serve as paid employees or volunteers in public schools without having to obtain a license from the state board of education.
“A school district, community school, or STEM school, may employ or accept as a volunteer a chaplain to provide support, services, and programs for students. A chaplain employed or volunteering shall not be required to apply for a license or certification with the state board of education,” the legislation reads.
The legislation requires chaplains to undergo a background check and details that schools may not hire them if the background check finds them guilty of certain crimes.
According to Stoltzfus (pictured above), the bill leaves it up to the school district to decide whether to employ chaplains and set qualifications.
“This legislation simply allows schools to employ a chaplain to serve its students. The decision to do so will be left up to the schools,” Stoltzfus said.
Stoltzfus said that a similar bill that Texas lawmakers passed in June set to go into effect on September 1st inspired him. The bill allows Texas schools to use safety funds to pay for unlicensed chaplains to work in mental health roles. The legislation also allows volunteer chaplains in schools.
The Ohio bill, in contrast to that one, makes it clear that chaplains may work alongside school counselors but cannot take their place.
“Chaplain services may be offered in addition to, but not in lieu of, school counselor services,” the bill reads.
Stoltzfus said introduced the legislation because he feels like Ohio students and staff need more community-based support in schools as a lack of school counselors is impacting schools statewide.
The American School Counselor Association advises having one counselor for every 250 students; however, according to its most recent data from the 2021–2022 academic year, Ohio schools have an average of 400 students per counselor.
Legislation co-sponsor State Representative Gary Click (R-Vickery) told The Ohio Star that this legislation will help fill a gap in the state’s shortage of school counselors.
“Chaplains have a long and historic role in our nation since its founding. Knee-jerk reactions opposed to the use of chaplains in our schools reflect a contemporary call for alienation of church and state rather than the historic doctrine of separation of church and state, which protects the voices of citizens of faith. The role of chaplain is to provide support in a public capacity and not to proselytize,” Click said.
In my own experiences as both a law enforcement and a hospice chaplain, I have been grateful for the opportunity to provide comfort and counsel to folks of all faiths or even no faith during times of conflict, desperation, or despair. With the severe shortage of counselors in our schools, chaplains will fill a gap and provide a much-needed resource that students and staff will be able to access as needed and desired,” he added.
10 House Republicans have backed this legislation, including State Representatives Click, Bill Dean (R-Xenia), Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula), Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester), Mark Johnson (R-Chillicothe), Darrell Kick (R-Loudonville), Angela King (R-Celina), Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland), and Bernard Willis (R-Springfield).
Stoltzfus has introduced the legislation into the Ohio House and now awaits a committee’s assignment for review.
The Star contacted Stoltzfus for comment but did not receive a reply before press time.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star, The Star News Network, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
