Satanic Temple Vows to ‘Raise Hell’ in Florida as DeSantis’ School Chaplain Law Goes Into Effect
The Satanic Temple is preparing to challenge a new policy in Florida that permits schools to appoint volunteer chaplains to offer emotional and spiritual support to students. The legislation, which aims to help troubled children, was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, who expressed approval for expanding student support options. However, the Florida Department of Education’s recent guidelines stipulate that qualified clergy only may participate, and students can only engage with parental consent. The Satanic Temple opposes these limitations, asserting the need for genuine religious freedom and denouncing the exclusion they face from the program. Governor DeSantis remarked that the Satanic Temple does not qualify as a religion under the new policy, which defines religion based on traditional criteria, thus asserting principles that some critics argue are discriminatory against various belief systems.
The Satanic Temple is vowing to fight back against a new Florida policy that allows schools to have chaplains to provide support for troubled children.
The law allows Clergy members to volunteer for the opportunity to provide a spiritual dimension, while counseling youth at schools that wish to participate in the program.
“I’m pleased to be able to expand the variety of options that students have at their disposal in school and we have no doubt that these options will enhance the experiences of our students,” DeSantis said in April when he signed the law creating the program, according to his website.
Last week, the Florida Department of Education released guidelines for the program, stressing that only qualified chaplains can participate and that the program is voluntary for schools as well as optional for students, who can only participate with the permission of their parents.
The Satanic Temple was not happy about these restrictions.
“Floridian TST members, supporters, & allies are standing up for true religious freedom & confronting theocracy. Ready to stand with us and raise hell?” The Satanic Temple posted on X.
Floridian TST members, supporters, & allies are standing up for true religious freedom & confronting theocracy. Ready to stand with us and raise hell?
Sign up to receive the Satanic Representation Campaign’s updates on local opportunities to get involved. https://t.co/mneSo6YPvh pic.twitter.com/bSzM5l4f5L
— The Satanic Temple (@satanic_temple_) August 26, 2024
Keeping the Satanic Temple out of schools was on the governor’s mind when he signed the law.
“That is not a religion. That is not qualifying to be able to participate in this. So, we’re going to be using common sense,” DeSantis said in April, according to WJAX-TV.
Ron DeSantis says the Satanic Temple will not be allowed to participate in a new chaplain program for government schools.
“That is not a religion.”pic.twitter.com/9WyRlRrqRG
— Ben Zeisloft (@BenZeisloft) April 19, 2024
The model policy for schools issued by the state defines religion as “an organized group led, supervised, or counseled by a hierarchy of teachers, clergy, sages, or priests that (1) acknowledges the existence of and worships a supernatural entity or entities that possesses power over the natural world, (2) regularly engages in some form of ceremony, ritual, or protocol, and (3) whose religious beliefs impose moral duties independent of the believer’s self-interest.”
The policy said the church with which a chaplain is affiliated must be within the school district to which a would-be chaplain applies.
The policy noted that school principals are the ultimate gatekeepers for any school district that implements the chaplain policy.
“A principal may deny the application of any individual to become a volunteer chaplain if the principal determines that the individual is not applying to fulfill the program’s purpose or the applicant’s participation will be contrary to the pedagogical interests of the school and the chaplaincy program,” the model policy said.
That’s not fair, claimed Devon Graham of the Florida Chapter of American Atheists, according to WJAX.
“I think this was written to be exclusionary,” Graham said.
“For instance, Buddhism, Janisim, even Hinduism to some extent. So, they’re excluding a ton of people,” Graham added.
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