Lake County Schools Allows Unvetted Chaplains On Campus

Mike Levine and co-host Chuck Benoit interviewed Gary Winheim, a former Eustis Police Department captain, about concerns regarding Eustis Police Department chaplains visiting public school campuses. Winheim explained that the department has 10 chaplains total, with 9 coming from one ministry that also rents city property for $4,000 monthly and hosts voting precincts. He raised legal concerns about the chaplains being on school property without proper vetting or compliance with Florida House Bill 931, which requires school districts to have specific policies in place if they allow chaplains on campus. The Lake County School District initially dismissed his concerns but later indicated they would only ensure proper guest check-in procedures rather than addressing the underlying legal compliance issues. Gary Winheim, a former Eustis Police Department captain, discussed concerns about the police department's chaplain program on the show. He explained that the department has 10 chaplains total, with 9 of them coming from one local ministry. While the chaplains are not paid, Gary noted that the ministry has received over $6,000 in grants and other funding from the city over the past few years. Gary raised concerns about Eustis Police Department chaplains visiting Eustis Middle School, citing potential violations of the Establishment Clause due to lack of proper vetting and documentation. He noted that some chaplains lacked complete volunteer applications or background investigations, and questioned the school's responsibility in vetting individuals on campus. Michael acknowledged the importance of compliance and vetting to prevent risks to students and the school system, while also considering the potential implications of allowing unvetted religious groups on campus. Gary explained that Florida passed House Bill 931 in 2024 allowing school boards to implement chaplain policies, but Lake County has not established any such policy. He expressed concern that allowing Eustis Police Department chaplains on campus without proper vetting could open the door to other organizations, as the chaplains were not vetted through the school's procedures and were wearing police identification while visiting students. The Lake County School Board acknowledged the issue and indicated they would fix the proper vetting process. The discussion focused on concerns about a chaplain program in Eustis where nine of ten chaplains come from the same church, raising Establishment Clause issues. Gary raised these concerns with both the Eustis Police Department and Lake County School System, but received minimal responses from authorities who dismissed the issues as not significant problems. Michael suggested that if he were the school superintendent, he would take the concerns seriously and consult with attorneys to address potential legal risks and protect students from unwelcome religious ideology on campus. Gary and Michael discussed concerns about police chaplains visiting a public school without proper authorization, highlighting potential policy violations and compliance issues. Gary explained that he had raised these concerns with the school district but received no response, leading him to go public with the issue. The school board chair initially agreed to address the concerns but later reversed stance, maintaining that the visitors were not acting as chaplains and were simply allowed as visitors. Michael emphasized the importance of government compliance with regulations and expressed concern that the school district was not taking appropriate action.