Last week, faith leaders from across Texas sent a letter to school board members statewide, urging them to reject legislation that would require designated instructional time for prayer and religious instruction. According to the letter, the proposal, SB 11, “threatens to drive a wedge into public school communities and create unnecessary burdens.” The faith leaders stressed that existing laws already protect students’ religious liberty without the additional administrative oversight required by the proposal.
The proposed Texas legislation is part of a coordinated wave of efforts by evangelicals across the country to impose their interpretation of Christian principles in the classroom. It also comes at a time when the nation is deeply divided over the role religion should play in public schools.
A 2025 YouGov poll found that more than a quarter of U.S. adults (26%) say religion already plays too large a role in public schools, while more than a third (34%) say it does not play a large enough role. The remaining respondents said they were unsure (14%) or felt the current level of religion in schools is appropriate (26%).
Predictably, the poll revealed a significant partisan divide. Among Republicans, 60% believe religion should play a larger role in public education, compared with only 15% of Democrats.
When it comes to religious instruction, the poll found that a strong majority of Americans (68%) support teaching world religions as part of the social studies curriculum. Nearly half (49%) support the use of religious texts in literature classes.
More than half of respondents (55%) said schools should provide time for student prayer or religious reflection.
The YouGov poll did not address the specifics of how much administrative effort should be devoted to protecting religious freedom and practice in public school settings.
In addition to urging school board members to reject SB 11, the letter encourages them to adopt a statement affirming that their districts are “committed to cultivating and maintaining a respectful environment for students and teachers of any or no religious background.”
More information on the YouGov poll on religion in public schools can be found here.
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