New Florida school chaplain law pits DeSantis against the Satanic Temple

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis is picking a fight with the devil… or at least The Satanic Temple.

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Legislation signed into law Thursday would permit school districts to allow volunteer chaplains on campus, but DeSantis said Satanists are not welcome to participate.

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The Governor’s comments could set the stage for a legal battle.

The devil will likely be in the details as far as how districts choose to implement chaplain programs.

Under the new law, volunteer chaplains would be permitted to offer students guidance and spiritual advice with parental consent.

RELATED: Satanic Temple eyes participation in proposed Florida school chaplain program

“There’s some students where, you know, they need some soul craft and that can make all the difference in the world,” said DeSantis.

The legislation doesn’t prohibit any particular religions from participating in the program, but DeSantis made it clear one religion isn’t welcome: The Satanic Temple.

“The is not a religion. That is not qualifying to be able to participate in this. So, we’re going to be using common sense,” said DeSantis.

The Temple responded in a social media post.

“Despite DeSantis’ contempt for religious liberty, the Constitution guarantees our equal treatment under the law, & DeSantis is not at liberty to amend the Constitution by fiat, at whim,” said Lucien Greaves, co-founder of The Satanic Temple.

Devon Graham with American Atheists noted the Satanic Temple is recognized as a religious organization by the IRS.

“Which is really all that matters in the US. They are indeed a church and so they can offer up whomever they want as long as they can pass a background check,” said Graham in an interview with Action News Jax in February.

RELATED: The Satanic Temple files lawsuit after school board blocks program’s creation

But The Satanic Temple isn’t the only group that may consider dragging the law into litigation ‘hell’.

The ACLU also opposed the measure as it made its way through the legislature.

In an article posted to the ACLU’s website, the organization argues the school chaplain law violates the separation of church and state, and could lead to students receiving inadequate or even harmful counseling.

But DeSantis argued it’s the ACLU that is attacking religious liberty, by advocating for the exclusion of religion from the schools.

“They think you should not have the same access to come to campus that any other student organization or other types of group would have. That it’s an inferior status. The First Amendment was enacted to prevent that,” said DeSantis.

The bill takes effect July 1st.

It will be up to individual districts to decide whether to implement chaplain programs.

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