In response to Governor Ron DeSantis’s quest for greater religious integration in the state’s public school system through a volunteer school chaplain program that launched last week, Satanists are now reportedly prepared to serve in Florida’s schools.
The Satanic Temple (TST) members say they are prepared to act as “volunteer chaplains” in accordance with a new Florida statute that went into effect on July 1.
Co-founder and spokesman for TST Lucien Greaves told Fox News Digital that TST “will be happy to participate” if a Florida school district decides to take advantage of the chance to implement a chaplaincy program in their buildings.
“When passing the school chaplain bill into law, Florida’s bloviating incompetent Culture War-obsessed governor, Ron DeSantis openly lied to the public and stated that Satanic chaplains would not be allowed. In the depths of his ignorance, he fails to recognize a basic and fundamental constitutional truism: it is no place of the government to dictate that some religions have certain rights over others.” he continued.
Greaves challenged DeSantis to a debate on religious freedom following the governor’s announcement that the law would not permit participation by certain satanists because he believed it to be “not a religion.” DeSantis signed the legislation in April.
Under HB 931, volunteer school chaplains must be assigned specific responsibilities by district school boards and charter school governing boards in order to offer student support services and activities.
Schools with volunteer school chaplains are obliged to post a list of the chaplains on their website and notify parents about the services available.
Before students engage in the program or receive the services, school districts would also need volunteer school chaplains to pass background checks and obtain signed parental approval.
However, some oppose the measure, arguing that it goes too far in separating church and state.
TST has even threatened to sue the state of Florida if any of its members are prevented from participating in the program as chaplains.
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