Joel Penton, founder and CEO of LifeWise Academy responded to Satanists’ launching an alternative program catered to children. His organization provides kids with religious instruction during their lunch break. He believes that The Satanic Temple’s “Hellion Academy of Independent Learning” (HAIL) is being offered to children at an Ohio elementary school in “response” LifeWise Academy.
He told reporters, “The messages that we’re getting from those who are launching the program are somewhat mixed.” He added “At times, they will say this is explicitly an attempt to scare the school board and communities into shutting down all religious programs like ours … Other times, they’ll say, ‘Oh, but you shouldn’t be scared of this because it is going to teach kindness and values, and that type of thing.‘”
HAIL is offered to children at Edgewood Elementary School as well as an additional location in Pennsylvania. A spokesman for The Satanic Temple announced plans to launch similar programs in Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan. Penton thinks that this is a “last-minute attempt to stop or delay” Ohio legislation that would “give the right of religious instruction to all families.”
“Kids can receive Bible education during school hours if the program’s off school property, privately funded, and students have parental permission,” the founder explained. “Sadly, this opportunity has been somewhat under the radar for decades.” A new bill has recently been introduced which would move from allowing to mandating these programs at all schools in the state.
He described his program: “[It’s usually] one time per week, usually during … a lunch, recess, or library time, or a special time. Students can typically jump on the big, red LifeWise bus and head down the street to the church down the road and receive … a Gospel-centered Bible education class right during their public school day.” As we reported last year, Satanists were quick to pounce on the Christian programs.
However innocuous it sounds, some people are unhappy with LifeWise and other Christian RTRIs. Betty Elswick a Community Organizer, contacted the Satanic Temple about starting a competing program. “It is not [supposed] to push a religious agenda. It’s just to have an alternative,” said Elswick. This was how the HAIL program was founded.
In a press release on HAIL, Everett explained her issues with Christian RTRI programs. According to her, “Christian RTRI programs have expanded rapidly across the country, and they aim to have active programs in every school district… [The] Satanic Temple, meanwhile, argues that the groups are being used to exclude non-Christian students and promote Christianity.” She believes that by offering fun activities to children, Christians are using peer pressure to encourage conversion
Watch him explain:
June Everett is aware of the controversy her RTRI has stirred up. She responded to her critics by saying “When they hear it, it’s initially shocking, ‘Oh the Satanic Temple!’ They automatically think evil and awful things. We are not devil worshipers. We are non-theistic Satanists.” She stresses the purpose of the Satanic Temple is to promote constitutional rights and advocate for the separation of Church and State.
Currently, there are 4 students from Edgewood Elementary enrolled in the Church of Satan’s HAIL program. Organizers say that they have heard interest from other schools in the area as well as from homeschool families. LifeWise CEO Joel Penton is unbothered. In response to HAIL, he quipped “LifeWise isn’t fearful of other organizations …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.”