DeSantis: Satanic Temple Cannot Participate In New Program Placing Chaplains In Florida Public Schools

The Tallahassee Democrat reports:

Satanic Temple members are planning on taking advantage of a bill Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Thursday that allows volunteer chaplains to provide support services for public K-12 students. But DeSantis says that’s not going to happen.

“Some have said that if you do a school chaplain program, that somehow you’re going to have Satanists running around in all our schools,” he said at a press conference at a high school in Kissimmee. “We’re not playing those games in Florida,” DeSantis continued. “That is not a religion. That is not qualifying to be able to participate in this.”

If such a restriction occurs, it’s likely to result in a First Amendment fight in the courts. The Satanic Temple, which the IRS recognizes as a tax-exempt church, told the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida earlier in the year that it would put school chaplains in Florida if the bill became law.

Read the full article.

HELL: NO.
“We’re not playing those games in Florida. That is not a religion. That is not qualifying to be able to participate in [the chaplain program.] We’re going to be using common sense… you don’t have to worry about that.” –@GovRonDeSantis 👏👏👏 https://t.co/raq8BIj3tQ pic.twitter.com/6vII7XX5Y4

— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) April 18, 2024