Satanic priests could soon be serving as public school chaplains in Florida – if two bills being considered by lawmakers get approved. If approved, Senate Bill 1044 and House Bill 931 would allow public schools to allow volunteer chaplains to provide counseling services to their students. Under the U.S. Constitution, the state can’t discriminate against any religious group – meaning if Florida officials allow a chaplain from one religious group in schools, they’ll have to allow all of them. And that includes Satan worshippers. “They can allow religion in places, but they can't distinguish between religions," says Lucien Greaves, a spokesman for the Satanic Temple. However, either bill’s approval won’t necessarily mean a student will be counseled by a Satan worshipper. Either bill would allow parents to select a chaplain from a list of potential volunteers, each of whom would first have to undergo a background check, says Florida Senator Gayle Harrell.
Would these bills violate the separation of state and religion?