Majority of Americans see chaplains in public schools as a resource

Most adults in the U.S. would support chaplains in public schools, a recent survey suggests.

The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reported that 58% of the public thinks religious chaplains should be allowed to provide support services in public schools.

While 6 in 10 adults agree that chaplains should be able to have a presence in public schools, most do not agree with faculty-led prayer (55%) or mandatory prayer periods during the school day (60%), the survey showed.

Delano Squires, a research fellow in The Heritage Foundation’s DeVos Center for Life, Religion, and Family commented on the responses: “Some people probably make a distinction between prayer and other spiritual services being made available to students who voluntarily seek them and staff leading students in religious activities in the classroom. The latter might feel more coercive to some adults, especially when they are not used to a strict separation between the schoolhouse and church house.”

While 70% of Republicans support chaplains in public schools, nearly half of Democrats feel the same, with 47% in support, making the issue somewhat bipartisan.

This could be linked to the surge of mental health issues in America among teenagers. The Daily Signal previously reported that 8.3 million youth ages 12-17 received mental health care in the form of counseling, medication, or other forms of therapy in 2023, which is nearly equivalent to one-third of the adolescents in America.

The Associated Press previously reported that proponents of allowing chaplains in public schools believed it would “ease a youth mental health crisis, bolster staff retention, and offer spiritual care to students who can’t afford or access religious schools.”

“I believe people see that young people are struggling with their mental health and are open to them receiving spiritual guidance,” Squires said. “One explanation is that many people see their faith as the foundation for their life and are open to religion playing a greater role in every part of society. Another is that people seem more anxious and depressed than ever, despite living in a culture that constantly promotes the benefits of therapy.”

In 2023, Texas became the first state to allow chaplains to offer counseling to students in public schools, according to The Texas Tribune. The states of Florida and Louisiana passed similar legislation in 2024.

According to poll, 82% of white evangelical Christians, 76% of nonwhite Protestants, and 61% of Catholics support allowing chaplains in public schools, while 41% of those with no religious affiliation support it as well.

[Editor’s note: This story originally was published by The Daily Signal.]