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.”

    • HumanPenguin@feddit.uk
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      5 months ago

      As an atheist. Honestly any rational view of the role satan played in the story.

      Actually questioning an authoritarian leader. And punished for doing so. Blamed by that leader and all future followers as the director of evil. Because he is put in charge of all people who question the word of that autocratic leader.

      Yeah doing the Lords work because the Lord is to narcissistic to do the job. Hmm makes the Christian right voting trump a little more understandable.