School chaplains are essential for students – and as new legislation highlights their positive role, the National School Chaplain Association takes essential steps to help secure funding.
Many people think that school chaplains are a non-essential part of the school system and that funding should be focused on academic subjects alone. However, the NSCA has data from thousands of schools around the US showing how chaplains contribute to the school's overall performance.
Their awareness campaign sheds light on the importance of school chaplains in both private and public schools. The NSCA believes that having a chaplain in residence diminishes incidents of violence, increases school safety, and improves the students’ and teachers’ mental health.
Visit https://nationalschoolchaplainassociation.org/about to know more!
According to studies done by the American Psychiatric Association, the last decade has seen a significant increase in the number of individuals under 18 who suffer from depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Further, the report states that while the reason or trigger for such issues varies, having a good support group, which includes family, friends, and teachers, decreases the likelihood of self-harm and violent behavior. The study also showed a positive correlation between religiousness and the ability to self-soothe destructive thoughts.
This is why the NSCA is working hard to find funding for school chaplains in Texas. They aim to put a chaplain in every school to bring prayer and spirituality back into the academe. Many studies show the benefits of having a solid spiritual or religious foundation, including, but not limited to, better mental health, more respect for authority, and improved relationships with others.
The proposed bill, S.B 763, permits schools to hire school chaplains as guidance counselors. Funding for the said project will come from funds allocated for school safety and doesn't take away from existing programs related to the security of the schools and their students. The effective date for the bill is September 1, 2023.
From experience, the NSCA knows that chaplains create a safe space for students to vent their frustrations in life. This can be about school, family, relationships—anything weighing heavily on their hearts and minds. NSCA chaplains are trained to guide students with prayer and scripture, even those who are not Christians. The association’s goal is not to convert students or to accept Catholics or Christians only but to teach universal values like love, respect, harmony, and obedience.
“The National School Chaplain Association was established to promote school chaplains as legitimate and necessary members of school staff through national standards and certification. Trained and licensed chaplains provide counsel, education, advocacy, life improvement skills, and recovery training. They bridge the secular and spiritual communities throughout the United States regardless of age, race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, or socioeconomic status,” a spokesperson said.
Academics are essential, but caring for the whole person is just as crucial. In more ways than one, caring for the individual's mental and spiritual health is much more important, because that affects all aspects of their life, not just school. Their connection to a higher being is something they will carry with them forever, and the earlier they establish that connection, the better.
Check out https://nationalschoolchaplainassociation.org/about today to find out how you can help!
