'We will put Satanists in the schools': The Satanic Temple to send ministers to OK if bill allowing school chaplains is signed into law
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — An Oklahoma Senate Bill could allow chaplains in public schools, which would include ministers with The Satanic Temple if signed into law.
Representative Kevin West (R-Moore) is the a co-author of Senate Bill 36, along with Senator Nathan Dahm (R-Broken Arrow) and Representative Randy Randleman (R-Eufala).
The proposal would allow public schools in the state to hire religious chaplains to counsel and work with their students.
The chaplain can be hired or volunteer and won't be required to be Oklahoma State Department of Education certified. The individual will have to undergo a background check and cannot be a former convict or defendant in a sexual offense case.
A chaplain may be dismissed for:
- Mental or physical abuse to a child;
- Negligent endangerment of a child; or
- Commission of an act of moral turpitude
The above list is "not exhaustive and a school district may dismiss an employed or volunteer chaplain if, for any reason, it believes the chaplain's presence could lead to harm."
To be a school chaplain, the individual must be:
- A minister, rabbi, priest, imam, lay leader, or similar functionary of the faith group
- Qualified morally, intellectually, and emotionally to serve as a chaplain
- Sensitive to religious pluralism and able to provide for the free exercise of religion by all students
Chaplains must also complete or possess a baccalaureate degree, completing 120 semester hours, a graduate degree in theological or religious studies, and at least 72 hours in graduate work. Both degrees must be from accredited universities.
The individual has to obtain a federally recognized ecclesiastical endorsement from their denomination or faith group for employment or volunteer service.
According to Rep. West, students can opt out of the assistance with parental permission.
"We're not bringing [school chaplains] in because we want a certain religious belief pushed. We're bringing them in because they have all of those other qualifications and able to assist," said Rep. West. "I feel like it's something important when there's a tragedy and especially in a school... the local ministers [can] come and help."
Rep. West referenced first responders and the military taking advantage of chaplains, saying this is no different.
He added while there is a shortage of school counselors, chaplains aren't meant to replace those staff members.
"If we could get a little bit of backfill in with some chaplains, then I see that as a win win, and especially if the school is able to get somebody on a volunteer basis. They're not out of pocket any money," stated Rep. West.
If you're going to allow one religion to be involved in government, then it has to be all. This is just one of many, many bills that are being pushed that [are] rooted in Christian Nationalism.
Representative Mickey Dollens (D-OKC)
With the Oklahoma House of Representatives narrowly passing the measure at 54-37, The Satanic Temple is now planning to send ministers to schools in an effort to prove a point.
"It's clearly a bit of bill mill legislation being put forward by outside interests, lobbyists and it's unclear to me whether the sponsors in Oklahoma actually read the bill or haven't or if it's just another culture war item," said co-founder and spokesperson for The Satanic Temple, Lucien Greaves.
According to The Satanic Temple's website, it is not under the Church of Satan. It states it is a group of rebellion that fights for the abolition of corporal punishment in public schools and confronts hate groups.
"It's really important to us that when politicians make these egregiously asinine efforts to bypass the First Amendment in constitutional law and try to put religious viewpoints into places where they do not belong, places like schools, that at the very least we uphold pluralism and we uphold religious liberty and show people what exactly that means. It means, for one thing, that the government cannot pick and choose between which religious voices they will allow in a public space and which they will not," said Greaves.
Rep. Dollens agrees and says The Satanic Temple ministers should be allowed as school chaplains if this bill is signed into law.
According to Rep. West, The Satanic Temple would not be barred from becoming school chaplains in Oklahoma.
"We fit all the criteria. There's very little they can do to try to narrow the parameters to keep any specific religion out. To do so would be illegal," stated Greaves. "The question is why? Why is it that we pretend we need ministers or people to do ministerial duties in schools when parents, families, anybody else has learned a long time ago to hold these things separate. Their education is separate from their churchgoing experience and these things are more personal in matters of the family."
Greaves said The Satanic Temple does have a ministry program where ordained ministers are taught the denomination's practices.
Rep. West said SB36 is still being tweaked, but it is a good starting foundation. He said he plans to look at similar bills from other states such as Texas, Utah, and Florida.
We are really verging along those lines of opening up a whole can of worms that we don't want, which is giving precedent to one religious sector over another.
Representative Mickey Dollens (D-OKC)
Rep. Dollens also pointed to Oklahoma Constitution Section II-5 which states, "No public money or property shall ever be appropriated, applied, donated, or used, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, or system of religion, or for the use, benefit, or support of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher or dignitary, or sectarian institution as such."
Rep. West acknowledges the state Constitution states the above, but clarified this bill would not benefit just one religion.
"It's simply divisive. It's just a headline catcher," said Greaves. "It doesn't need to be another culture war battle being put forward in dividing communities. I don't see any excuse for it. I don't see any actual benefit to this chaplain bill. I think it's irresponsible and we should question the credibility of the politicians pushing for it."
With the House having passed SB36 last Wednesday, it now goes over to the Senate for a final vote before potentially heading to the Governor's desk.
Greaves has one message for Oklahoma Senators as they prepare to vote: "We will all remember who you are. We will put Satanists in the schools and we will be sure everybody knows that it was you specifically who invited the Satanists."