Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is today running for the U.S. Senate. He has ignited a firestorm of a conversation around school prayer and religious appearance in our public education system. Paxton has been the most vocal defender of school prayer as a Christian campaign. His unapologetic views and statements have drawn quite a public firestorm, most notably for his stance on banning certain religious practices and Muslim students.
Paxton, who has a well-documented history of promoting school prayer. In 2017, his office published a Dear Colleague letter to the Frisco, Texas, superintendent of schools. The letter detailed the school’s complaints about Muslim students praying in a spare classroom during school hours. The letter claimed that the prayer room appeared to be “dedicated to the religious needs of some students,” specifically targeting those who practice Islam. We hope that Paxton’s office simply did not check the facts with the school district before issuing such a misleading statement. That, too, produced a backlash that became even more extreme.
Paxton’s office claimed that every student should have access to a spare classroom to practice their faith. They argued this opportunity should not be restricted only to Muslim students. Community leaders, environmental justice advocates and many others have vocally challenged this claim. For that reason, they contend that Paxton’s actions are an unconstitutional effort to impose Christian moral values on the public school students of Texas.
Paxton is even campaigning as hard as he can to increase the role of religion in our schools. He recently made national headlines when he announced his plans to appeal a federal judge’s ruling that prevented Texas schools from showing the Ten Commandments in classrooms. He had labeled this ruling as deeply flawed and promised to respond to it fiercely.
In a press release that coincided with the implementation of Senate Bill 11, which allows public schools to allocate time for “prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious texts,” Paxton encouraged students to recite “the Lord’s Prayer, as taught by Jesus Christ.” He continually casts his argument as a defense of Christian principles. He even claims that a progressive leftist agenda is the biggest threat to American values.
“Twisted, radical liberals want to erase Truth, dismantle the solid foundation that America’s success and strength were built upon, and erode the moral fabric of our society.” – Ken Paxton
Privacy advocates continue to blast Paxton’s efforts. They claim that these efforts are focused on making the church-state divide go away, which they say would infringe on the U.S. Constitution. Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, remarked on the implications of such policies, stating that they are “blowing right through separation of church and state.”
The controversy surrounding Paxton’s approach intensified following his wife’s allegations of infidelity earlier this summer, when she accused him in a divorce petition of committing adultery. These personal complications have led to wondering about Paxton’s motivations in this personal scandal. Indeed, his fiery advocacy for Christian nationalism appears primarily focused on restoring this former governor’s reputation and securing support from ultraconservatives as he seeks election to a state Senate seat.
Paxton has received significant financial backing from powerful ultraconservative figures in West Texas who have promoted Christian nationalist policies throughout the state. Many believe this support is key to his political strategy. He’s on a mission to unseat incumbent Republican senator John Cornyn.
During his public addresses, Paxton has repeatedly asserted that “In Texas classrooms, we want the Word of God opened, the Ten Commandments displayed, and prayers lifted up.” His comments have understandably raised alarms. That’s why so many are right to ask if he really stands for religious freedom, or if he wants to give privileges only to Christian practices.
“There is no legal reason to stop Texas from honoring a core ethical foundation of our law, especially not a bogus claim about the ‘separation of church and state,’ which is a phrase found nowhere in the Constitution,” – Ken Paxton
He underscored the need for schools to protect students’ religious expression – but only if their efforts are properly coordinated.
Despite this extreme position taken by the state, groups such as the Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) have condemned Paxton’s hateful speech. They argue that his statements and actions could lead to increased bullying against Muslim students and create a hostile learning environment.
“It is unfortunate that our state’s top law enforcement officer would engage in a cheap Islamophobic publicity stunt that could very well result in increased bullying of Muslim students.” – Texas chapter of CAIR
That current Ken Paxton-inspired culture war debate gets to the heart of a serious problem. It reflects the national debates over religious expression in public schools. With Senate Bill 11 now in effect and Paxton’s continued advocacy for Christian values, many educators and parents remain concerned about the implications for inclusivity and respect for diverse religious practices within educational settings.