Florida Satanists are volunteering to fill school counselor roles after Gov. Ron DeSantis ® signed a law allowing religious chaplains into public schools amid staffing shortages.

“Nothing in the text of the bill serves to exclude us, and no credible interpretation of the First Amendment could. Should a school district now choose to have chaplains, they should expect Satanists to participate as well,” Lucien Greaves, cofounder and spokesperson for The Satanic Temple, said in a statement to The Hill on Monday.

Back when DeSantis signed the bill in April, he described Satanism as “not a religion” and said its members would not be allowed to participate in the program.

The Florida move allowing chaplains to serve as public school counselors comes as more states are aiming to inject Christianity into public school environments, including by mandating that the Bible or Ten Commandments be taught in classrooms.

The Satanic Temple has increasingly leaned into the fight over freedom of religion in public schools, including through the establishment of After School Satan clubs.

The temple, founded in 2014, says its mission is to “encourage benevolence and empathy, [and] reject tyrannical authority.”

  • Phoenixz@lemmy.ca
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    5 months ago

    When are we going to ban religion, spirituality, and other superstitious crap?

    Seriously, EVERY time any of that comes in the news, its always about abuse, coercion, and violence.

    Sorry, NOTHING good comes from believing in things like you’re a 5 year old. If you’re one of those sweet old grandma’s that uses their religion to do good in the world, then congratulations, you are being abused by your church.

    You can do good without a church. If you want to help people, start a foundation, attract volunteers, and do good. You don’t need stone age superstitions to be able to do any of that.

    Grow up, because you’re ruining this world