Conroe ISD is steering clear of a new state option for daily campus prayer, with trustees voting unanimously Tuesday night to reject a resolution that would have created a districtwide “period of prayer” under a recent Texas law. Board members said students and staff already have the right to pray privately, and argued that carving out a formal, district‑run time for it would be tough to squeeze into an already packed school day. The move puts Conroe in line with several neighboring districts that have also passed on the offer, as reported by Houston Chronicle.
The board’s recorded vote was 7-0 against adopting the prayer‑period policy. Trustee Melissa Dugan said the measure “does nothing more than to reiterate what is already in existence,” while trustee Lindsay Dawson pointed to strict instructional‑hour requirements that leave little room for extra periods. Their comments highlighted a mix of legal and logistical worries, according to the Houston Chronicle.
What SB 11 Would Require
Senate Bill 11 gives school boards the option, but not the obligation, to adopt a policy requiring every campus to offer an opportunity each school day for a period of prayer and the reading of the Bible or another religious text. The law calls for signed consent forms for students and employees who participate, bars districts from using instructional time or PA systems for the observance, and includes a waiver of certain claims. It also directs the attorney general to supply model consent forms and, if asked, to defend districts that adopt the policy. According to LegiScan, boards must take a recorded vote on the resolution by March 1.
Other Houston‑Area Districts Have Declined
Conroe’s decision follows similar votes in Cypress‑Fairbanks, Pearland and Spring ISDs, where trustees pointed to the same concerns about scheduling, supervision and inclusivity when they rejected the prayer‑period option. Leaders in those districts warned that securing private spaces on every campus and processing consent forms for thousands of students would create a significant operational strain. As reported by the Houston Chronicle, Conroe’s board effectively joined that regional chorus in turning down the resolution.
Legal and Community Reaction
Civil‑liberties organizations have urged school boards to vote no, arguing that an opt‑in, state‑authorized prayer period could pressure students and raise constitutional red flags. The ACLU of Texas has circulated a toolkit encouraging trustees to reject S.B. 11, emphasizing that students already may pray privately during the school day. In a press release, the group labeled the law unnecessary and warned school boards about the potential for community division and legal exposure, according to the ACLU of Texas…