Katy ISD Rejects State Mandate for Daily School Prayer

Trustees say existing policies already protect student religious expression.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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Katy Independent School District trustees have indicated they plan to reject a state-authorized daily school prayer policy, saying the district already protects religious expression and does not want to impose restrictions that could limit when or how students pray. The board introduced a resolution affirming students' right to voluntary, student-initiated religious expression while declining to create a district-run daily period for prayer allowed under a new state law.

Why it matters

This decision highlights the ongoing debate around the role of religion in public schools, with some arguing that mandated prayer periods could exclude or pressure students, while others believe students should have more opportunities for religious expression. Katy ISD's stance reflects a desire to preserve existing freedoms rather than impose new requirements.

The details

Under Senate Bill 11, every Texas school board is required to take a recorded vote on whether to adopt a policy providing a daily opportunity for prayer and the reading of religious texts on each campus. The law bars using instructional time or a public address system and requires opt-in waivers and designated spaces. Katy ISD trustees said creating a formal district-sponsored period could unintentionally narrow freedoms students already exercise, and that students are already allowed to pray during non-instructional time.

  • On Monday, Katy ISD trustees introduced a resolution declining to create a district-run daily prayer period.
  • Trustees are expected to take a vote on the resolution next week, ahead of the March 1 state deadline.

The players

Katy ISD

The Katy Independent School District, a public school district serving the Katy, Texas area.

Ken Gregorski

The superintendent of Katy ISD.

Lance Redmon

The president of the Katy ISD board of trustees.

Morgan Calhoun

A Katy ISD trustee.

Haley Sommerfeld

A student at Katy High School.

Grace Dong

A student at Jordan High School.

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What they’re saying

“Katy ISD does not prohibit religious speech. Rather, we allow students and teachers to continue to meet and engage in such speech, and we do not want to limit that by placing a time, place or manner restriction on prayer.”

— Lance Redmon, Katy ISD board president (Houston Chronicle)

“For example, during instructional time, a student can't just, in the middle of math class, say, 'Hey, Mrs. Johnson, it's time for me to go down and do my prayer.' It just doesn't work that way.”

— Ken Gregorski, Katy ISD Superintendent (Houston Chronicle)

“I appreciate the spirit in which this is written. I just want to make sure our students and our staff know that they have the ability to express themselves with their religion freely, as long as it's not impeding on anyone else.”

— Morgan Calhoun, Katy ISD trustee (Houston Chronicle)

“If we pass a period for it, it doesn't align with all religious beliefs and could lead some students to feel left out, hurt or discriminated against. By choosing not to create a period of worship during the school day, our district chooses to preserve the unity of all religious backgrounds.”

— Haley Sommerfeld, Katy High School student (Houston Chronicle)

“Adopting an additional policy would be unnecessary. It would potentially place stricter restrictions on religious expression by requiring opt-ins and specified times. This could also result in unnecessary confusion and pressure about the role of religion in public schools.”

— Grace Dong, Jordan High School student (Houston Chronicle)

What’s next

Katy ISD trustees are expected to take a vote on the resolution rejecting the state-mandated daily prayer period at their next meeting, scheduled for next week.

The takeaway

Katy ISD's decision to reject the state's mandate for a daily school prayer period reflects a desire to preserve existing religious freedoms for students rather than impose new requirements that could limit or confuse those freedoms. The district's stance highlights the ongoing debate over the role of religion in public schools and the need to balance individual religious expression with maintaining an inclusive environment for all students.