(Maire Clayton, Headline USA) The Satanic Temple announced it will be offering a religious learning program to elementary students in Ohio.
The program at Edgewood Elementary School in Marysville, Ohio, will occur once a month during school hours and will be off property.
The Hellion Academy of Independent Learning, also known as HAIL, was offered under the Release Time Religious Instruction which allows learning opportunities outside of campus.
“We give students an appreciation of the natural wonders surrounding them, not a fear of everlasting other-worldly horrors,” the brochure for HAIL read.
The program was aimed at kindergarten through fifth grade.
June Everett, the campaign director for the After School Satan Club, said a parent contacted the Satanic Temple about implementing the program, according to WCMH.
The addition was in response to the school offering LifeWise, which is a once a week Christian-based program that teaches the Bible.
“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,” Everett told the outlet.
LifeWise CEO and founder Joel Penton told the outlet parents should be able to make the decision on what’s best for their children.
“LifeWise isn’t fearful of other organizations offering RTRI,” Penton said. “We believe 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.”
Everett added the addition of the program showed there is religious freedom.
“When you see us operating our programs, it should be a healthy and happy reminder that religious freedom is still a choice and religious pluralism is still a thing here in our state, in our country,” Everett told WOSU.
