Florida could soon put volunteer chaplains in schools. Here's what to know about new bill

Florida students could soon have the option to visit and receive counsel from volunteer religious chaplains if Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a new bill that has already passed the House and Senate.

Senate Bill 1044 (and HB 931) aims to address students’ mental health needs by allowing school districts and charters to establish volunteer programs for chaplains.

If passed, it would be up to school districts to implement a volunteer chaplain program. School boards would have a large say in what qualifications volunteers need, and parental consent would ultimately be required before a student could meet with chaplains.

Florida school chaplain bill passes: Florida lawmakers pass contentious bill allowing for chaplains in public schools

Despite the bill’s seemingly well-meaning intentions, it has been met with scrutiny by groups that worry it would be a vehicle for Christian Nationalism.

The Satanic Temple, a non-theistic organization established to “fight a perceived intrusion of Christian values on American politics,” is already preparing to send chaplains to Florida schools should the bill pass.

The law would go into effect on July 1.

Here’s what parents and students should know about SB 1044.

What is SB 1044?

Florida SB 1044 is a bill meant to address students’ mental health needs. It outlines a policy Florida school districts and charters could use to implement volunteer school chaplain programs. Here’s an overview of what the bill entails:

Policy adoption: School districts or charter schools may adopt a policy authorizing volunteer school chaplains to provide support, services, and programs to students as assigned by the district school board or charter school governing board.

Policy requirements: Here are the minimum requirements each policy must follow:

• Schools must describe the support, services or programs that volunteer school chaplains may be assigned.

• School principals must inform parents of the availability of these services or programs.

• Parents must submit written consent before students can participate in or receive services, support or programs. Additionally, parents are permitted to select a chaplain from the list provided by the school district, which must include each chaplain’s religious affiliation, if any.

Background screening: Volunteer school chaplains must meet the requirements of Section 1012.467 or 1012.468 of Florida Statutes.

Chaplain list: Finally, any school district or charter that adopts a school chaplain policy must publish a list of the volunteers, including any religious affiliation, on their website.

What are opponents saying about Florida school chaplains?

The Tallahassee Democrat reported that opponents of the bill were quick to criticize it as they contemplated the controversial consequences of allowing religion in schools.

Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book of Plantation asked whether religious rituals could be performed in schools. She wondered if schools allowed for them, could they prevent ones involving animal sacrifices?

“It doesn’t divest the obligations that the school district and those schools already have with regard to overall school safety,” said bill sponsor Sen. Erin Grall, R-Fort Pierce. “I think that the example you give is just not one that there’s a likelihood or really authorization for within this bill.”

“So then you support limiting the religious rites that could occur in schools?” Book shot back. (When a USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida reporter asked whether Book said “rites” or “rights,” her representative said she meant it as a double entendre.)

Local groups have opposed the bill, too.

Satanic Temple chaplains in Florida: Satanic Temple 'looks forward to participating' if Florida school chaplain bill passes

The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported that the Atlantic Coast chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State is headquartered in Flagler County and opposed to chaplains serving in public schools for a few reasons, according to its president, Rabbi Merrill Shapiro, the first being that school and religion should not overlap.

The organization finds it “troublesome” that certain religions require proclaiming beliefs and bringing others to their beliefs.

“Christian chaplains, Christian ministers, who come in as chaplains to the schools, volunteer and free, are still enjoined by the gospel to proclaim Jesus as the Lord,” Shapiro said. “Where does that leave the Buddhists? The Hindu? The Muslim? The Jewish students? They’re being pressured to leave the faith of their ancestors and to leave their family’s beliefs, and come over to Christianity.”

Shapiro believes that since it is unlikely for there to be multiple chaplains, each representing a different religion, the bill “does not respond to the diversity of the student body.”

What are supporters saying?

The bill's supporters believe that its passage would be a win for students as it would help address concerns about mental health and the need for more school counselors.

"I believe that sometimes the issue is with the soul and not of the mind, and that's why I believe that this is a good option for our students in today's day and age," said Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills.

Grall, who sponsored the bill, emphasized that schools can create their own, more extensive requirements, which would be displayed on school websites. She also noted that parents could pick which chaplain their student met with.

Grall also expressed surprise at the controversy surrounding the bill.

"We've had chaplains in our public institutions for centuries," she said. "Chaplaincy is something that we all have probably had individual and unique experiences."

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Satanic Temple prepares school chaplains in Florida after HB 931 passes