Satanic Temple Billboard Says No To Hitting Children

Satanist Billboard in Texas: “Our Religion Doesn’t Believe in Hitting Children”

Satanic Temple Billboard Says No To Hitting Children
JORIS LOUWES is licensed under CC BY 2.0
The Satanic Temple wants corporal punishment to be abolished

The Satanic Temple installed a billboard at Springtown in North Texas which criticizes corporal punishment applications in schools. The town is located to the northwest of Fort Worth. It came into the news when two high school students, both female, were spanked in 2012 by one male assistant principal. This incident pushed the school to change its policy. Corporal punishment can only be allowed if the parent of the child permits the school to apply.

Satanist Billboard in Texas: “Our Religion Doesn’t Believe in Hitting Children”[/tweetthis]

The billboard proclaims ‘Never be hit in school again’.

In another town, The Satanic Temple pitched in its own money to place the billboard on Highway 281. The billboard contains pentagram images and the head of a goat. Both are part of the group’s usual display. Leaders of The Satanic Temple say the advertisement is directed towards Three Rivers Independent School District Board. The board voted to include policies regarding the application of corporal punishment. Members unanimously voted for application of corporal punishment.

The present policy of the district states a student will not be subjected to corporal punishment if the parents of the student have submitted to the school principal a clear signed statement forbidding the use of corporal punishment. The parents can also opt for the child to be subjected to punishment through the same process.

The Satanic Temple has a problem with the latter. It pointed out abusive parents may actually prefer their children to suffer capital punishment. It explained the billboard by saying that the advertisement will offer those students a path to counter potential discipline with a religious exemption. Lucien Greaves, the spokesperson of the temple said that board members of the school who think physical beatings by teachers as an acceptable kind of punishment must be replaced.

Greaves said Satanists are hopeful of the billboard making passersby think about punishments meted out in school. They must face the fact that ignorant sadists who should have no business in education control the school district. The trustees voted six for and none against for corporal punishment. Greaves went on to further say that these trustees should be substituted by the community’s humane members who actually love children and look out for them.

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