JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Satanic Temple is threatening to “raise hell” in the Sunshine State over a new law allowing schools to establish school chaplain programs.
The new Florida law allows school districts to establish school chaplain programs, which would authorize spiritual advisors to offer guidance to students with their parent’s permission.
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The call from the Satanic Temple follows the release of this model policy from the Florida Department of Education, which defines the meaning of words like “religion” as it would relate to school chaplain eligibility.
Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz posted the policy on social media saying it would, “ensure that credible chaplains can volunteer in Florida’s schools”.
“I think this was written to be exclusionary,” Devon Graham with the Florida Chapter of American Atheists said.
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Graham noted the state’s definition of religion would bar the Satanic Temple from participation, as it requires belief and worship of a supernatural entity or entities.
While the Satanic Temple is a legal religion recognized by the IRS, the group considers itself non-theistic, as do some other major religions.
“For instance, Buddhism, Janisim, even Hinduism to some extent. So, they’re excluding a ton of people,” Graham said.
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The new guidance comes on the heels of comments made by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this year as he signed the school chaplain bill into law, where he vowed groups like the Satanic Temple would not be eligible to participate.
“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 during an April press conference.
Graham noted at least one Florida school district, Osceola County, already delayed implementation of its chaplain program after the Satanic Temple expressed an interest in participating.
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She argued if school districts throughout the state adopt the department’s model policy, the law will likely face a First Amendment court challenge.
“Here’s hoping that Florida schools get this right and they don’t even consider adopting the policy to begin with,” Graham said.
Action News Jax did reach out to the Satanic Temple for direct comment on this story, but our request went unanswered.
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