The Satanic Temple is launching an After School Satan Club (ASSC) in Chesapeake, a reaction to a Good News Club launched on school property earlier this year. That’s led to concerns from some community members and prompted the Chesapeake Public School Board to schedule a discussion on the club, but the district said in a statement that while it doesn’t sanction the club, neither can it discriminate against it on the basis of belief.
“The Satanic Temple is a non-theistic religion that views Satan as a literary figure who represents a metaphorical construct of rejecting tyranny and championing the human mind and spirit. After School Satan Club does not attempt to convert children to any religious ideology. Instead, The Satanic Temple supports children to think for themselves,” a flyer for the club states.
On its website, The Satanic Temple distances itself from Anton LaVey’s Church of Satan, and says members don’t believe in the existence of Satan or the supernatural. An ASSC page says the Temple targets school districts that have other religious clubs.
Some local parents are concerned about the club, and are organizing a prayer meeting outside the first meeting of the ASSC on December 15.
CPS Superintendent Dr. Jared Cotton said in a statement to the community that the ASSC is not a school sanctioned event and that students need parental permission to participate in any after-school event run by outside organizations.
“This is common practice among school districts around the state and nation. Over the years, different religious groups have requested and been allowed to rent our facilities after hours. By law, CPS cannot discriminate based on beliefs among groups wishing to rent our facilities,” he said in the statement obtained by WTKR.
A group of four school board members-elect have expressed their concerns about the ASSC.
“As concerned parents ourselves, we empathize with our fellow citizens of Chesapeake (and beyond) who have reached out to us with legitimate concerns,” Mike Lamonea, John McCormick, Kim Scott, and Brittany Walker said in a statement published to social media.
They noted that U.S. Supreme Court precedent governs religious after-school clubs and limits district authority.
“We hear your concerns loudly and take our campaign promises seriously. As a result, we intend to evaluate every option at our disposal,” they said.
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Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “The Satanic Temple” by The Satanic Temple.
