Post-Dispatch Letter on Chaplains in Schools
Board member Hal Harris had his Letter to the Editor of the Post-Dispatch published on July 3:
Regarding “Poll: Most in US support religious chaplains in schools” (June 30 print edition): Coincidentally perhaps, the Missouri legislature has put Senate Bill 49 on Governor Mike Kehoe’s desk. This law would allow public schools to employ or invite chaplains to work with students.
The problem is that the only requirement for these personnel is that they can pass a police background check. There is no degree or training necessary, and there are no limits on their interaction with students.
In additio to the obvious unconstitutionality of the expenditure of public resources to favor a particular religious viewpoint, there is the question of whether schools should be allowing unqualified “chaplains” to be entrusted with providing counsel to students who may be seeking help in a personal or family crisis situation.
Our students expect their teachers to be trained in both subject matter and pedagogy. Schools should provide trained counselors, not self-defined “chaplains”.
Hal Harris
Creve Coeur
The 2025 Summit for Religious Freedom was in Washington DC, April 5-7. Four members of our Board attended, enjoying and learning from presentations, videos, and discussions with fellow AUers and political figures in Washington. The last day of the event was largely consumed by visits by with our Senators and Congresspersons, informing them our views on church/state issues. April 4 also coincidentally overlapped with a protest march at the Washington Monument, in which many of our conference attendees participated. The photo above was taken before the crowd of over 45,000 had really assembled.
Inside the movement to redirect billions of taxpayer dollars to private religious schools.
down Missouri’s abortion ban as a clear violation of the Missouri state constitution. The talk wasco-sponsored by us, Women’s Voices for Social Justice and the National Council of Jewish Women in St. Louis. It was an excellent illustrated lecture, with many good questions afterward. A crowd of about 100 attended. The next step is a hearing on November 16 at 11:00 in the Carnahan Municipal Courthouse in St. Louis, where the AG will attempt for the second time to have the suit thrown out. The same judge will be hearing the same arguments again, so we have every expectation of prevailing as we did last summer, but this is Missouri, so you never know.
A staunch defender of church/state separation died on June 7. A 
Columnist 
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch republished on June 5, 2023,