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After School Satan

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After School Satan
FormationJuly 2016; 8 years ago (July 2016)[1]
HeadquartersSalem, Massachusetts[2]
Spokesperson
Lucien Greaves
WebsiteOfficial website

After School Satan is an after school program project of The Satanic Temple (TST), a non-theistic United States organization based in Salem, Massachusetts,[2] and is sponsored by Reason Alliance LTD, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.[3] It was created as an alternative to Christian-based after-school groups, specifically at schools that host the Evangelical Good News Club.[4][5][6] TST only starts a club when it is requested by a parent at a school where the Good News Club or similar organization is already operating.

"We're like vampires," said June Everett, After School Satan Club National Campaign Director. "We only go where we're invited."[7] The program neither teaches about Satanism nor attempts to convert club-goers; it instead teaches about rationalism and scientific discovery. It is against the beliefs of the Satanic Temple to teach religious practice in schools. The Satanic Temple rejects supernatural beliefs and views Satan as a literary symbol of rebellion against authority, not as a supernatural entity.[8]

In 2016, TST announced it was pursuing After School Satan Clubs in select cities where TST had congregations, including Atlanta, Los Angeles, Pensacola, Tucson, Tacoma, Portland, Washington, D.C., Springfield, Missouri; and Taylorsville, Utah.[6][9][10][11] Eventually, three clubs were formed, in Tacoma, Portland, and Taylorsville.[12][13][14][15] The clubs struggled with funding issues and with finding volunteers, and by the fall of 2017, former ASSC National Campaign Director Chalice Blythe confirmed in an interview there were no active clubs.[16][17][18][19]

In January 2022, ASSC began anew with the launching of four clubs, starting with one in Moline, Illinois. After meeting for two school years, the club received pushback from the Moline-Coal Valley Board of Education, which attempted to move the group off campus for the 2023–24 school year, while allowing the Good News Club to remain. After four months of negotiations, it was agreed that the ASSC would stay on the elementary school campus where it had held its previous meetings.[20] The club is now in its fourth year, with monthly meetings scheduled through May 2025, with a focus on science experiments, craft projects, and card games.[21]

Besides Moline, clubs are currently being operated in: Tahachapi, California;[22] Lebanon, Connecticut;[23] San Clemente, California;[24] and Cordova, Tennessee.[25]

Clubs previously met at schools in: Delta County, Colorado;[26] Endwell, New York;[27] Wilmington, Ohio;[28] Eaton, Ohio; Chesapeake, Virginia;[29] and Lebanon, Ohio.[30][31] Some school districts have chosen to stop renting to any outside groups as a result of ASSC's request to use its facilities.[32][33]

In addition to After School Satan Clubs, TST operates the Hellion Academy of Independent Learning (HAIL).[34] It is identical to the ASSC except that it meets off-site during school hours. TST hosts HAIL groups in: Dillsburg, Pennsylvania; Bristol, Tennessee; and Marysville, Ohio. [35] TST also supports student-run High School Satan Clubs in: Olathe, Kansas; Georgetown, Texas; and Michigan City, Indiana.[36]

In 2024 The Satanic Temple partnered with the Secular Student Alliance, another organization promoting secular values among students, in supporting the After School Satan clubs.[37]

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In February 2023, TST and the Virginia ACLU reached an agreement with Chesapeake Public Schools that required the district to permit an After School Satan Club to meet at B.M. Williams Primary School. The agreement forbade the school district from charging the club security fees not charged to other organizations, mandated the refund of illegally imposed charges, and required board policy be revised to ensure that all requesting organizations were treated equally.[38]

In November 2023, The Satanic Temple reached a settlement with the Saucon Valley School District in Hellertown, Pennsylvania, after district officials forbade the ASSC from meeting on school grounds. The settlement came half a year after a federal court ordered the school district to allow the ASSC to hold meetings at the Saucon Valley Middle School and required the district to pay $200,000 in attorney's fees.[39]

In July 2024, The Satanic Temple and the Freedom From Religion Foundation reached a settlement with Memphis-Shelby County Schools to recoup more than $15,000 in fees that had been charged to ASSC and to no other club. The agreement also required the district to provide ASSC with equal access and treatment, and to hold no further press conferences about the club.[40]

History

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The Supreme Court decision Good News Club v. Milford Central School held that when a government operates a "limited public forum" it may not discriminate against speech that takes place within that forum on the basis of the viewpoint it expresses. The "limited public forum" in the case was referring to after school programs, that the schools provided space for, but were not run by the school.[41]

After School Satan was created by The Satanic Temple in July 2016 to ensure that equal representation for all religions is upheld in public schools, and religious freedom and plurality is respected. Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2001 that religious groups are permitted to establish clubs to proselytize after hours using public school classrooms, the Christian-based Good News Club has established thousands of such clubs. In response, The Satanic Temple began a campaign to establish its own clubs across the United States. According to one organizer, "Whenever religion enters the public sphere, like the Good News Club at public schools, we take action to ensure that more than one religious voice is represented, and that is our intent with the After School Satan Club."[1][5]

Blythe explained, "The After School Satan Club curriculum was only offered in school districts where local chapters of The Satanic Temple could manage and maintain them."[42]

The clubs strive to provide students with the critical thinking skills necessary to be able to make important life decisions for themselves. They emphasize a scientific and rationalist, non-superstitious world view, and oppose indoctrination into other-worldly belief systems.[5][4]

According to The Satanic Temple and After School Satan's co-founder and spokesperson, Lucien Greaves:

It’s critical that children understand that there are multiple perspectives on all issues, and that they have a choice in how they think... "Satan" is just a "metaphorical construct" intended to represent the rejection of all forms of tyranny over the human mind.[43]

and adds

We are only doing this because Good News Clubs have created a need for this. If Good News Clubs would operate in churches rather than public schools, that need would disappear. But our point is that if you let one religion into the public schools you have to let others, otherwise it’s an establishment of religion.[44]

For their part, Child Evangelism Fellowship has said they welcome the Temple and urge school administrators to approve After School Satan clubs to "call their bluff" since the clubs often falter and peter out on their own while also boosting the Good News Clubs.[45] Moises Esteves, executive director of CEF, told the Christian Broadcasting Network in December 2023:

As a matter of fact, sometimes it does the opposite [of shutting our clubs up] because Christians that are not aware about the work we do in the public schools they’re not aware of child evangelism Fellowship, they go, "Hey we like what you guys are doing. Can we help?" So it helps us have more clubs.[46]

In response to a follow up question, Esteves further explained,

So [The Satanic Temple runs] to the media. Part of their strategy is to make a big scary splash, right? Well, when the media jumps into the story, then they want to hear the other side. They want to hear our side. So they come and ask questions and so on."[47]

Activities

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After School Satan Clubs "incorporate games, projects, and thinking exercises that help children understand how we know what we know about our world and our universe."[4][48] Satanic Temple spokesman Finn Rezz said the club "would focus on science and rational thinking," promoting "benevolence and empathy for everybody" – while providing an alternative voice to the Bible-centred "Good News Club".[49] After School Satan Clubs do not teach children to believe in supernatural beings named Satan or perform Satanic rituals.[44]

Reception

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A group of Christian pastors and other religious leaders met in Tacoma to discuss the proposition that the After School Satan program would be allowed at a local school. One pastor remarked, "We want to cut this off and defeat it before it ever gets a chance to take root." Another pastor commented, "We are the taxpayers here and we ought to stand up and let them know they are not welcome, they don't pay taxes here."[50]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Stewart, Katherine. "An After School Satan Club could be coming to your kid's elementary school". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2017-01-30. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b "The Satanic Temple to open international headquarters in Salem". Fox 25 News Boston. 2016-09-16. Archived from the original on 2016-10-21. Retrieved 2017-01-14.
  3. ^ "Did the IRS 'Fast Track' Tax Exempt Status for After School Satan Clubs?". Snopes. Retrieved 2018-01-21.
  4. ^ a b c "FAQ". After School Satan. Archived from the original on 2017-01-16. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  5. ^ a b c Anderson, Rick. "Yes, an after-school Satan Club could be coming to your kid's grade school". LA Times. Archived from the original on 2017-01-09. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Portland OKs "After School Satan" for elementary kids". CBS News. 28 September 2016. Archived from the original on 2017-01-16. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  7. ^ "'After School Satan Club' launching at O.C. school". Spotlight Schools. January 24, 2024.
  8. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". The Satanic Temple.
  9. ^ "Satanic Temple brings 'After School Satan Club' to Portland school". Fox News. 27 September 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-12-23. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  10. ^ Cafazzo, Debbie. "State's first After-School Satan Club set to open". The News Tribune. Archived from the original on 2017-01-16. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  11. ^ "Find a Club". After School Satan. Archived from the original on 12 January 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  12. ^ Oregonian/OregonLive, Lizzy Acker | The (November 8, 2016). "After School Satan Club announces first meeting in Portland". oregonlive.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ Curtis, Larry D. (January 12, 2017). "After School Satan club holds Utah open house at Vista Elementary". KUTV.
  14. ^ "After-school Satan club tests the limits of church and state". KALW Public Media. Archived from the original on 2021-12-08. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  15. ^ JudicialWatch.org, Invoice for December 2016 to June 2017 indicates seven monthly two-hour room rent and utilities amounted to a cost of $154.00, with the official requestor group "Reason Alliance Ltd" and funds provided by Reason Alliance Ltd. (PDF, pages 3-14)
  16. ^ Rudd, Candice. "Tacoma's After-School Satan Club is on pause for now, says Satanic Temple of Seattle". The News Tribune. Archived from the original on 2017-09-13. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  17. ^ "Recruiting Tomorrow's Satanists - The Jim Jefferies Show". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2017-11-16. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  18. ^ "Tacoma Elementary School Is Ending Its After-School Satan Club, but Not for the Reason You Think". The Stranger. Archived from the original on 2017-11-16. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  19. ^ Ruud, Candice. "Tacoma's After-School Satan Club is on pause for now, says Satanic Temple of Seattle". The News Tribune. Archived from the original on 2018-01-14. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  20. ^ Kopatich, Kate (26 January 2024). "After School Satan Club returns to Jane Addams Elementary School". KWQC-TV. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  21. ^ "Small protest outside Moline elementary school greets 1st After School Satan Club". WHBF-TV. 13 January 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-01-15. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  22. ^ Chavez, Paloma. "'After School Satan Club' coming to California elementary school has parents in uproar". Sacramento Bee.
  23. ^ Chen, Jeremy (1 December 2023). "After School Satan Club holds first meeting at Lebanon Elementary School". NBC Connecticut.
  24. ^ "After School Satan Club is coming to Orange County. It's not what you think, organizers say". Los Angeles Times. January 24, 2024.
  25. ^ "Satan club plans to meet after classes at Tennessee elementary school". AP News. December 13, 2023.
  26. ^ "Colorado's First-Ever 'After School Satan Club' to Launch at Elementary School". Yahoo News. March 6, 2023.
  27. ^ Barnes, Emily. "Questions surround 'Satan Club' at Maine-Endwell elementary: What to know about organization, reactions". Press & Sun-Bulletin.
  28. ^ Staff, WLWT Digital (November 29, 2022). "After-school 'Satan club' meeting held in Wilmington". WLWT.
  29. ^ https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/after-school-satan-club-to-hold-1st-meeting-at-chesapeake-primary-school/
  30. ^ Planalp, Brian; King, Courtney (January 20, 2022). "Lebanon school district responds after granting facility use to 'Satan Club'". www.fox19.com.
  31. ^ "After School Satan Club is ready to... - The Satanic Temple".
  32. ^ Matsuoka, Sayaka (April 26, 2022). "Hail Satan? Guilford County Schools rethinking facility-use agreements after Satanic Temple applies to use schools".
  33. ^ "Chesapeake board to again consider banning Satan Club and other groups from school facilities". July 11, 2023.
  34. ^ "The Satanic Temple is pleased to introduce the Hellions Academy of Independent Learning (HAIL)". TST.
  35. ^ [1] [permanent dead link‍]
  36. ^ Price, Stepheny (December 26, 2023). "'Satan Club' approved at Kansas high school". Fox News.
  37. ^ Bolling, Kevin (May 23, 2024). "Secular Student Alliance partners with The Satanic Temple for After School Satan Club" (Press release). Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
  38. ^ "After School Satan Club holds first meeting at Chesapeake Public School | ACLU of Virginia". 16 February 2023.
  39. ^ "Pennsylvania School District Agrees to Pay $200,000 After Discriminatory Decision to Block After School Satan Club From School Facilities". American Civil Liberties Union. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  40. ^ "MSCS to pay Satanic Temple $15K following settlement in 'After School Satan Club' discrimination suit". 18 July 2024.
  41. ^ Gearan, Anne (11 June 2001). "Supreme Court Says Religious Clubs Can Meet at Public Schools". abc NEWS. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015.
  42. ^ "Press Releases". Archived from the original on 2020-06-27. Retrieved 2020-04-15.
  43. ^ "An After School Satan Club Could Be Coming To Your Child's Elementary School". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2017-10-08. Retrieved 2017-04-10.
  44. ^ a b Emery, David (August 2016). "Satan's Waitin'". Snopes. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  45. ^ How to be an Active Parent in Protecting Freedom of Religion. CEF Online. Archived from the original on 2024-05-10. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
  46. ^ Ministry Leader Says Christian Clubs 'Thriving' in Backlash Against 'After School Satan Clubs'. Christian Broadcasting Network. Archived from the original on 2024-01-24. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
  47. ^ Satanic Kids Club Flub? Christian Leader Claims Surprising Response to After School Satan Clubs. Christian Broadcasting Network. Archived from the original on 2023-12-23. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
  48. ^ Swann, Jennifer. "L.A.'s After School Satan Club Is Coming for Your Children". LA Times. Archived from the original on 2017-01-04. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  49. ^ Boult, Adam (28 September 2016). "School grants Satanic Temple permission to run after-school club for 10-year-olds". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2016-11-07. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  50. ^ Tacoma pastors speak out against Satanic Temple after-school club Archived 2017-02-05 at the Wayback Machine; KIRO7 News; Henry Rosoff; Oct 18, 2016
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