The Satanic Temple is pleased to introduce the Hellions Academy of Independent Learning (HAIL), a program for students that allows them to learn about values such as empathy, compassion, and justice in a fun environment without religious pressure or coercion. HAIL was created as an alternative to Christian Release Time Religious Instruction (RTRI) programs that have been on the rise in public schools around the US. Christian RTRI programs shuttle students off-campus on weekly field trips where the programs push Bible-based instruction. Any students who choose not to attend are later regaled with stories of fun activities and warnings from their classmates that they will surely burn in hell for not participating. These programs have been heavily pushed in recent years by groups such as Lifewise Academy and Joy El Club. These groups are only allowed to operate in public schools because they take students off site, they do not use public funding, and the school districts in principle do not discriminate against any similar programs based on the religion organizing the activity. HAIL will be testing school districts on that last requirement, but providing an alternative to these exclusively Christian, exclusionary RTRI offerings. If you want to know more about the HAIL curriculum and where the program will be offered.
