Protect Children Project
We assert that the following actions taken by school officials against students who are members of The Satanic Temple, or any other students who share TST’s religious beliefs, are violations of our civil rights:
The Protect Children Project addresses abuses that take place in public schools that are perpetrated by school officials and are deemed legal. By asserting a religious claim consistent with our tenets, students who are TST members can legally exempt themselves from egregious forms of mistreatment.
The "Student Rights Card" is an official TST document that asserts your religious belief in bodily autonomy and, thus, legal exemption from violative punishments by government officials, which includes public school teachers and administrators. Carry this card with you in school, and show it to any faculty member who threatens to violate your rights through corporal punishment, seclusion, restraint, or denial of bathroom access. If the card is ignored and you are punished, reach out to us immediately at pcp@thesatanictemple.com so we can learn the facts and explore taking legal action against your school.
If you do not have access to a printer, get in touch at pcp@thesatanictemple.com and we will mail a Student Rights Card to your address.
If a school does not respect a student's religious beliefs, we will work to obtain legal counsel and sue the school district for violating that student’s civil rights.
- 1. What is the mission?
The Satanic Temple believes that children should not be objects of physical violence or psychological abuse. We have prepared a letter that can be signed by students which inform their schools that their deeply held beliefs do not allow for them to be hit in school, physically restrained, placed in solitary confinement, or deprived access to a bathroom.
- 2. Why is The Satanic Temple opposed to corporal punishment and the use of solitary confinement in public schools?
We believe in the inviolability of the human body and the right to personal sovereignty. Being hit, held against your will in isolation, or physically restrained clearly violate these fundamental tenets.
- 3. Why have you initiated this campaign?
No other religious organization has come forth with a public campaign to object to the abusive and immoral treatment of children in school. We hope our actions will raise awareness and inspire people of all faiths and beliefs to inform children that their deeply held beliefs matter. More so, we hope that if schools are forced to respect the religious rights of our members, they will wisely abandon implementing these abusive practices on all children.
- 4. How do you respond to people who defend the use of corporal punishment and believe it is effective?
From a legal vantage, the State cannot impinge on the beliefs of children without a compelling reason and there is no compelling evidence to support child abuse. From a moral vantage, the opinions of any individual who advocates violence against children should be suspect. From a rational vantage, ask those people what they mean by “effective” and they will generally argue that hitting children corrects unwanted behavior and promotes respect. The scientific research on corporal punishment is substantial and overwhelmingly conclusive and consistent. The studies reveal that corporal punishment is physically, mentally, and emotionally harmful and has deleterious long term consequences. Anecdotal reports of alleged benefits do not constitute scientific evidence.
- 5. Why are you opposed to the use of “isolation rooms” in school?
People who live in the 31 states where corporal punishment is illegal tend to feel morally superior, but schools in those states find other ways to abuse children. The use of physical restraints and solitary confinement as a means of discipline is ubiquitous and the number of incidents keeps rising. Solitary confinement was traditionally reserved as punishment for the worst members of the prison population. Ironically, use of solitary confinement in prisons is declining due to an understanding that it is inhumane and may contribute to making the isolated population more violent and depraved, yet its use is rising dramatically in schools. That this form of retribution is now routinely used on children speaks volumes about the public education system. Not only are school teachers and administrators capable of engaging in sadistic practices such as these often with immunity from prosecution, but many, such as the American Association of School Administrators, will aggressively defend this kind of cruelty when performed on children. This runs completely counter to our satanic beliefs.
- 6. Do I need to be a member of TST to be protected?
Your sincerely held beliefs may simply align with The Satanic Temple. However, should a school administrator violate your civil rights by ignoring your religious exemption, it will be harder for TST to instigate a legal action if you are not a member.
- 7. Will the exemption work at a private or parochial school or outside the USA?
No. Only US government employees are bound by the First Amendment.
- 8. IS OFFERING THE STUDENT RIGHTS CARD TO CHILDREN CONSIDERED PROSELYTIZING?
No. The information on the card does not attempt to convert anyone or persuade them to become a member of TST. Anyone can download or receive the card, but it's solely up to them if they believe in Tenet III and decide to use it.
"The Satanic Temple’s Guide to Religious Freedom in Public Schools” addresses the Constitutional protections for religious expression in the classroom and shows how children are legally permitted to practice Satanism in public schools. The handbook provides information about how the First Amendment protects religious expression, which includes conducting Satanic prayer and wearing Satanic clothing and jewelry at school. As TST believes one’s body is inviolable, the handbook explains how Satanists are exempt from barbaric disciplinary tactics, such as corporal punishment, solitary confinement, being physically restrained, or being deprived of bathroom access, that amount to physical and psychological torture and violate our tenets when imposed without consent. We encourage students to notify their school board of their religious convictions and put them on notice that these forms of treatment violate their deeply-held beliefs and are civil rights violations constituting grounds for legal recourse.
The Satanic Temple, Inc. is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax-deductible in accordance with IRS rules and regulations. The Federal Tax ID is 82-3404757.
