Delay came after groups like Satanic Temple sent notes awaiting inclusion
The School District of Osceola County ratified a number of changes to its Student Code of Conduct this week — but adding chaplain services on campus, now allowed by a new state law that was signed in Kissimmee — was not one of them.
At their meeting Tuesday, School Board members Heather Kahoun — who referenced speakers at the meeting and emails received Tuesday about it — Teresa Castillo and Julius Melendez asked for more time to study the particulars of the potential Policy 3.81.
Board members Scott Ramsey and Jon Arguello voted in favor of it. Arguello spoke rather heatedly about his fellow board members wanted to further study something on the agenda that’s already been on the books for weeks; the law allowing the chaplains went into effect July 1.
“This is an incredibly valuable opportunity to expand where society is clearly needing. These policies have been in the works for a while,” Arguello said. The governor came here to sign it and the Superintendent was there to support it.
“Now, we’re in our final voting stage to speak out against it seems like a trick to put the rug out from under the community. These emails came at 4:30, 5 p.m. (just before the meeting), this was intentional. You are now forsaking the members of our community. The parent has to sign off for permission, it’s in their hands (under the proposed guideline).”
Just before 5 p.m. on the day of the meeting, the News-Gazette did receive an email from Satanic Temple Executive Director of Operations Rachel Chambliss, acknowledging the agenda item. While the Temple is more interested from a policy standpoint of maintaining separation between church and state, the letter noted the Temple, “Looks forward to working with you to introduce the nation’s first Satanic School Chaplaincy in Osceola County.”
“We acknowledge the Board’s commitment to providing chaplains with visible and accessible office space on campus, ensuring that all students are aware of our Satanic Clergy’s availability to provide support,” Chambliss’ letter reads.
Melendez said he was against the chaplain services only for procedural purposes. He said he wanted the Safety and Security to give its recommendations to “such a drastic change.”
According to the policy the District drew up, the those who wish to serve as volunteer chaplains would reside in Osceola County, undergo background screening, “work to develop positive, supportive relationships based upon compassion and mutual respect with any students that seek their assistance,” and not “proselytize or disparage any religion, belief, lack of belief, or faith group.”
In April, Gov. Ron DeSantis came to Kissimmee’s Tohopekaliga High School to sign House Bill 931, which allows for the presence of volunteer school chaplains, requires them to meet certain background screening requirements and requires schools to describe what services or programs those chaplains will provide to parents.
It would require written parental consent before a student participates in or receives those services, and parents would select a volunteer school chaplain from the list provided by the school district. The list would include the chaplain's religious affiliation, if any.
“I like to believe this is an essential part of a school education to give parents this option,” DeSantis said on April 18 in the THS gym. “When education in the United States first started, every school was a religious school. That was just part of it. There’s been things done over the years that veered away from that original intent.”
He addressed the Satanic Temple that day, saying it is “not a religion” and that, “We’re going to use common sense with this.”
Among the school rule changes that were approved Tuesday include revising policies in order to comply with a new state law aimed at campus safety. It assures classroom doors, campus gates and access points are locked when students are on campus or in classrooms. One policy modification was to alert students, in the first 10 days of school, to be instructed on the safest place to shelter in place in classrooms during an emergency.
Policies were also added to assure parents or guardians receive notice before a student is suspended or placed in a dropout prevention or academic intervention program. Language was added to follow state laws allowing athletes to sign name, image and likeness (NIL) deals.
