Ohio to allow Satanic Temple organization to offer courses to elementary school students

An organization known as The Satanic Temple will take advantage of a religious education policy in Ohio to impart "Satanic values." Educational authorities, for the time being, have yet to comment.

The measure in question is the "release time": a break in the school day for children to receive religious instruction at the hands of a private entity. Participation is voluntary and the activity takes place outside the district's premises, always with parental consent.

The controversial organization announced that they had created their own academy, which they call Hellions Academy of Independent Learning (HAIL), a decision met with repudiation from Christian organizations that offer courses at release time. 

Although the group defends that it offers content without "peer pressure to gain adherents to [our] religion" and that is centered on science, it defined the class as a "religious education program." The institution is also based on seven pillars, one of which a member defined as "personal bodily autonomy, including a religious right to abortion."

Although the goal of release time is that every student can attend a group that teaches his or her family's faith, The Satanic Temple claims that Christian groups "exclude non-Christian students" and are used to "promote Christianity," failing to perceive the irony of accusing a Christian teaching group of spreading Christianity, as if it were a negative thing in the first place.

"During the meetings, students will be presented with various educational arts and crafts, games, and community service projects through which they can learn about Satanic values, such as empathy, compassion, and justice," they claim in a statement. It also specifically singled out two Christian academies: Joy El Club and LifeWise Academy.

"We aren’t trying to shut the LifeWise Academy down, but I do think a lot of school districts don’t realize when they open the door for one religion, they open it for all of them," later June Everett, a member of The Satanic Temple, told WCMH.

Joel Penton, founder and CEO of LifeWise, maintained that he was not afraid of other organizations, and that he believed "all families should have the opportunity to choose religious study during school hours and we trust parents to make the best choice for their children." He did note, however, that the case served to underscore the importance of state bill House Bill 445, which would force districts to outline a policy for release time.

Satanic songs for children and abortion clinics

This is not the first time that The Satanic Temple has stirred up controversy. Two years ago, VOZ reported that the group had created a "after-school Satan club" in Virginia, and that one of its organizers had posted on her social networks drawings of a woman dripping blood from her eyes and mouth, and another removing her skin to reveal a demon underneath, among others.

On their website they sell products with satanic imagery, including children's books. Attached, there is a music video of a children's song called "My Pal Satan," whose lyrics include phrases like "Satan's not an evil guy," "by the way there is no hell," "Satan looks for truth... lets help him boys and girls."

In the FAQ section, the group assures that there is no age limit for members.

It also has two abortion clinics, one in Virginia and one in New Mexico. It claims that while after Dobbs clinics were closing, "We took a bold step forward by opening the world’s first religious abortion clinic on February 14th, 2023. ... Since then, we have proudly offered over 100 abortions in New Mexico at no cost to patients aside from the medication."