Posted on 02/18/2023 4:30:28 AM PST by MtnClimber
A Virginia school board is considering revising its policies on after-school clubs following conflict over a new “After School Satan Club.”
The Chesapeake Public School Board previously allowed the Satan club to meet on school property, stipulating it pay over $600 for security for each meeting, something the district’s policy allows, local media reports.
The likelihood of demonstrations is part of what makes securing the event so expensive, as Satan clubs are frequently protested. Last January, an Ohio superintendent was even reprimanded by the attorney general for discouraging parents from protesting the Satan club.
However, Chesapeake’s school board put a temporary hold on any non-sanctioned school clubs as it considers revisions to its policy. Among the proposed changes:
-Security costs must be paid by an organization in advance.
-The school district determines the number of officers needed for security.
-Promotional materials cannot include the school or facility name without permission from the Office of Student Activities and Facility Use.
At Monday’s board meeting, which included a discussion of the proposed revisions, community members didn’t shy away from expressing their views.
“If this club meets, I plan on removing my daughter from school and finding a private alternative,” declared Steve Scheerbaum, a local parent.
Another said limiting the club’s access to public property would be unconstitutional.
“I sincerely hope that the Satanic Temple takes this city to court for this blatant disregard of the constitution,” said another resident. The Chesapeake school board is scheduled to vote on the proposed policy revisions at its February 27 meeting. In the meantime, Superintendent Jared Cotton assured the community the board wouldn’t discriminate against religious groups.
“It’s important for us to point out that the groups in particular that we’ve been discussing over the last couple of months are outside groups, not school-sponsored,” he explained. “We do have groups who ask to use our facility from time to time but we have to treat all groups fairly.”
After-School Satan Club, an initiative of The Satanic Temple, “exists to provide a safe and inclusive alternative to the religious clubs that use threats of eternal damnation to convert school children to their belief system.”
Satan clubs market themselves as an alternative to the Christian evangelical Good News Club, often targeting schools that already have a Christian club.
“They’re opposed to our views and they’re trying to counter and even undermine our presence there so I’m concerned in that regard,” said Chris Williams, a Christian pastor in Chesapeake. “I think the wrong kind of attention could force the school board to say we can’t do any of these clubs.”
Fred Pry, associate vice president of USA Ministries for Child Evangelism Fellowship, was more optimistic.
“The reality is, parents are the gatekeepers for all the clubs in schools,” he said. “All of them need permission slips signed by the parents so parents hold the power. Parents are the ones who control the Satan clubs because if no children sign up, Satan clubs are not going to exist.”
Another example of inverted logic by the left.
But they won’t allow Christian clubs in schools. Sounds like a clear-cut law suit to me.
Christian Youth meetings no. Satan, by all means!
They do allow Christian clubs.
“often targeting schools that already have a Christian club.”
oh Gheezus.
At some point, conservatives are going to realize that these people, barring an extraordinary act of divine grace, are largely beyond hope.
You cannot convince them, you cannot persuade them, you cannot legislate them away. They have chosen their side.
So you choose yours as well. Just LEAVE. Separate from them every way you can. Physically, financially, socially, culturally. Everything.
They are screaming to heaven for vengeance, and they will get it. Don’t be caught in the impact crater.
And I bet they would never allow a Jesus Club
The issue is that this club is not a school club. It is an outside entity, of which, they said they have lots of clubs asking to use thier facilities. I’m assuming this occurs after school hours. The artile didn’t say. If it is after hours, then make them all pay a fee. Again, the article didn’t say whether or not the school district charges all these clubs/groups. If they don’t charge, then they have an issue (using tax payer money...).
They should have just called it “The Troll Club” because that is what it is. Anti-theists pretending to believe in “Basement Daddy”
“The school district determines the number of officers needed for security.”
That’s easy.
Determine that the group will need to provide 1000 licensed law enforcement officers.
I’m sure the noble Atheists will stand against the club, right?
As long as they are student-led (since SCOTUS decided the 1st Amendment forbids teaching/expressing - even by inference - children that the government is in any way dependent upon a Power greater than itself (thus neither should they be) nor owes gratitude to the same (regardless of how Founders expressed both) then only (student-led) Christian and religious groups may be tolerated.
And as pointed out, the reason for the ASSC is in order to combat (student-led) Christian groups.
From the secular "The Satanic Temple" (TST) which began ASSC:
The After School Satan Club does not believe in introducing religion into public schools and will only open a club if other religious groups are operating on campus....Unlike our counterparts, who publicly measure their success in young children's "professions of faith," the After School Satan Club program focuses on science, critical thinking, creative arts, and good works [for which they have no sure supreme standard] for the community. While engaged in all of these activities, we want clubgoers to have a good time. - https://thesatanictemple.com/pages/after-school-satan
Since atheists overwhelming support abortion, homosexual relations etc., then such would also be sanctioned under the premise of having "a good time." Atheists as Pol Pot and Chairman Mao would include more.
However, as regards the 1st Amendment, the IRS granted TST tax exempt even though it is,
"Resolutely non-theistic, The Satanic Temple does not endorse supernatural (or “supernormal”) explanations, a position also codified in the tenets which state, Beliefs should conform to one’s best scientific understanding of the world. - https://thesatanictemple.com/pages/church-of-satan-vs-satanic-templeOne’s best scientific understanding of the world" includes such morals views as:
83% says right or wrong depends upon the situation [though sometimes it does] but only 16% affirm there are clear standards for morality;
97% look to common sense, or science or philosophy/reason for moral guidance;
94% say homosexuality should be accepted;
92% favor homosexual marriage;
87% support abortion being legal in all or most cases; ;
78% are non-parents of children under 18;
10% ID as conservative; 15% are Republican.
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/religious-landscape-study/religious-family/atheist/
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Where are men who know how to take care of business today?
If Christians were truly serious about this they would:
1) Immediately remove their children from the government schools. The sudden economic impact on the government school funding would be enormous.
2) Form political lobby groups to demand the complete de-funding of government schools through property taxes, state, and federal taxes.
3) DEMAND that their church start education co-ops or pod schools for those children who absolutely can not be homeschooled. Hey! We have highly trained and successful volunteer fire departments. Why wouldn’t this system work for schooling.
4) DEMAND that all sports, arts, theater, and music programs be immediately transferred to the county Department of Recreation. Sports keep a lot children in the non-religiously neutral government schools.
5) Work like crazy to defund the NEA.
6) Lobby to end all federal and state departments of education.
They got what they wanted. A lot of attention and they cheesed off the squares.
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