By Kami Klein

On June 11, 2001 the U.S. Supreme Court came back with a decision in the Good News Club v. Milford Central School District case that confirmed equal access to public school facilities to conduct Good News after school clubs.  The Court ruled that the Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF)  must have access to public school facilities, and that Bible clubs, such as the Good News Club, must be given the same access to school facilities accorded to any other non-school-related outside group.  The Satanic Temple (TST) will be offering their own after school club, and according to the Washington Post  a letter will be going out today, August 1, 2016 to various schools requesting to begin After School Satan Clubs in many elementary schools.  

As stated in the letter ,the After School Satan Club (ASSC) would meet once a month immediately after school for one to one and a half hours.  The meetings would include a healthy snack, literature lesson, creative learning activities, science lessons, puzzle solving and an art project.  Each child would be required to have a signed parental permission slip to attend and receive a membership card.

Doug Mesner, who goes by the professional name of Lucien Greaves and is The Satanic Temple’s co-founder and spokesman, told the Post that it boils down to this: “If Christian evangelical groups have already staked a claim in after-school programs, why shouldn’t Satanists have a seat at the table as well?”

In their website press release,  Lucien Greaves explained, “School districts across the nation have received letters from The Satanic Temple explaining that we will be offering our clubs in their schools this coming school year, and parents in those schools can expect to be presented with a permission slip from their children in the first weeks of the Fall semester. All of the districts we’ve approached are nearby to local chapters of The Satanic Temple, and each school district has hosted, or is now hosting, Good News Clubs in their schools. This being the case, we are sure that the school districts we’ve approached are well aware that they are not at liberty to deny us use of their facilities, nor are they at liberty to deny us any level of representation in the schools that they afford to other school clubs — such as fliers, tables, brochures, and school-wide announcements.We would like to thank the Liberty Counsel, specifically, for opening the doors of public schools to the After School Satan Club through their dedication to religious liberty.  ”

The After School Satan Clubs have offered to present curriculum to some schools in these cities so far:  Atlanta GA, Los Angeles, CA, Pensacola, FL, Portland, OR, Salt Lake City, UT, Seattle, WA, Springfield, MO  Tucson, AZ and Washington, DC.    

According to the letter sent to these schools, the After School Satan Clubs, (ASSC) curriculum is based on principles that teach secular moral values, critical thinking and self determination and are led by caring Satanists from local chapters in the community near the school.  These teachers are said to receive specialized training from The Satanic Temple and a background check is performed on every teacher.  

According to the Washington Post, The Satanic Temple does not accept or maintain a belief in the existence of a supernatural being called Satan, or Lucifer or Beelzebub. Basically the TST promotes the view that scientific rationing and rejecting all forms of supernaturalism provides the best measure of reality.

According to Lucien Greaves, “Satan” is just a “metaphorical construct” intended to represent the rejection of all forms of tyranny over the human mind.

Greaves also states in the TST press release that, “It’s important that children be given an opportunity to realize that the evangelical materials now creeping into their schools are representative of but one religious opinion amongst many. While the Good News Clubs focus on indoctrination, instilling them with a fear of Hell and God’s wrath, After School Satan Clubs will focus on free inquiry and rationalism, the scientific basis for which we know what we know about the world around us. We prefer to give children an appreciation of the natural wonders surrounding them, not a fear of everlasting other-worldly horrors.”

According to the Washington Post interview, Lucien Greaves addressed the question of whether the Satanic Temple really wants religion, even it’s own, in public schools. “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.”

In the fight over religious freedoms and freedom of speech in the United States, many will be asking themselves which line is worth crossing and which is worth fighting to be upheld? This story will play itself out in the future.

In today’s world, what does that mean for our children and our schools?

 According to the Supreme Court,what is fought for in the Christian community must be offered to all religious groups.  

How will our communities answer?