FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2025
CONTACT: Emily Witt, [email protected]
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas lawmakers today advanced Senate Bill 11 out of committee. This legislation would mandate daily prayer in public schools and Bible reading in Texas public schools.
Texas Freedom Network Political Director Rocio Fierro-Pérez (she/her) issued the following response:
“This bill is not protecting religious freedom, it’s violating it. Students already have the right to pray, read religious texts, and express their faith at school. Religious freedom means the right to practice any faith—or none at all—without government interference. This bill creates a government-mandated prayer period that pressures students into religious participation, whether they believe in it or not. This legislation strips parents of their right to guide their children’s religious upbringing while exposing schools to expensive lawsuits.
“No student – regardless of their race, how much money their parents make, gender identity, or cultural heritage – should feel pressured to participate in religious activities to fit in with their peers or to appease their teachers. When the government mandates a time for prayer, it’s not voluntary, it’s coercion. Texas lawmakers are ignoring the real issues facing our public schools, like underfunding and teacher shortages, in favor of pushing an agenda that will divide students and communities. Instead of playing politics with religion, legislators should be focused on fully funding public education.”
Now that Senate Bill 11 has passed out of committee, it moves to the full Texas Senate for debate and a vote. If it passes, the bill will then head to the Texas House, where it will go through a similar process—first in a House committee, then on the House floor. If both chambers approve the same version, it will go to Governor Greg Abbott for final approval or veto.
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The Texas Freedom Network (tfn.org) is a grassroots organization of religious and community leaders and young Texans building an informed and effective movement for equality and social justice.
