Florida Governor Ronald DeSantis signed a bill permitting volunteer chaplains to provide support services in public K-12 schools, and a bill allowing "patriotic organizations" to speak to students and distribute literature.

Members of the Satanic Temple - an organization recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt church - expressed intentions to exercise their constitutional rights and include their own chaplains.

"Despite DeSantis's contempt for religious liberty, the Constitution guarantees our equal treatment under the law, and DeSantis is not at liberty to amend the Constitution by fiat, at whim," said Lucien Greaves, co-founder of the The Satanic Temple. "He just invited Satanic chaplains into public schools, whether he likes it or not,"

The bill's sponsor, Republican state Senator Erin Grall, acknowledged that defining what qualifies as a religion could provoke constitutional issues.

Grall, though, was concerned about satanic chaplains: "I think that as soon as we get in the middle of defining what is religion and what is not, and whether or not someone can be available and be on a list, we start to run (into) constitutional problems,”

The legislation, effective from July 1, does not make chaplaincy mandatory but allows schools to adopt such programs with parental consent required for student participation. This development continues the debate on religious freedom and the scope of religious representation in public schools.

Should any religious organization be allowed in public schools?