The McAllen Independent School District school board voted against creating a designated prayer period for students.

Nearly a dozen other districts in the Rio Grande Valley have also decided to pass on Senate Bill 11.

"Public schools are not houses of worship," parent Annie Holand Miller said.

More than half a dozen McAllen ISD community members spoke against Senate Bill 11 at Tuesday night's school board meeting.

Senate Bill 11 was passed by state legislators last year.

It asks all public school districts and open enrollment charter schools to vote on whether to create a "designated daily period for prayer" and "reading of the Bible or religious text."

"It takes teachers out of their classroom role and turns them into potentially preachers and ministers," parent Rabbi Nathan Farb said.

Senate Bill 11 states students can only participate in the "prayer period" if a parent or guardian gives their child permission through a consent form.

The prayer period cannot substitute instructional time and it must take place separately from students who do not participate.

That's a concern for Miller, whose children are part of the Jewish faith.

"Even if participation is voluntary, it can create an environment where some students feel different, uncomfortable or singled out. For minority faith families like mine, that concern is real," Miller said.

The school board ultimately voted not to create a prayer period.

McAllen ISD joined a long list of other Valley school districts who also opted out of Senate Bill 11. Those districts include:

- Edinburg CISD

- Harlingen CISD

- Donna ISD

- Mission CISD

- Mercedes ISD

- Weslaco ISD

- La Feria ISD

- Roma ISD

McAllen AFT President Sylvia Tanguma is relieved with the outcome.

"It was the right thing to do because we want to make it clear that there has to be a separation. School districts are here to teach students for instruction, not for religious prayers," Tanguma said.

Others like community member Angel Torres felt differently.

"You are causing direct harm to families who want their children to honor God through this specific period," Torres said.

Torres saw the potential prayer period as a safe time for students to reflect.

"The school board decided, no, you don't have a safe space," Torres said.

McAllen ISD Superintendent Rene Gutierrez says students are able to voluntarily pray on their own time at school. He added leaders voted against the prayer periods because they did not want them to affect instructional time.

"Just because we opted out of SB 11, doesn't mean our students and staff cannot do this. They can still have their prayers and a moment of silence and practice their religious rights within their own time," Gutierrez said.

School districts have until March 1 to vote on SB 11.

Rio Grande City-Grulla Independent School District is set to vote on it Wednesday.

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