More than 160 Texas Faith Leaders Oppose State-organized Prayer

January 8, 2026, Austin, TX - 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."