Just about everyone in Guilford County knows by now that an elementary school “Satan Club” may be held by Satanists at Joyner Elementary School starting on Friday, April 29.
School officials are apparently in a tight bind, because, while few if any want to see a Satan Club on campus, a 2001 US Supreme Court case prevents the schools from discriminating against a religious group’s use of school facilities if other groups are allowed to – and therefore schools can’t legally deny the use of facilities even for a club run by Satanists.
The flyer promoting the event states that those running it have been vetted and undergone a background check – and that there will be no attempt to turn the tikes into devil worshipers. Instead of human sacrifices, there will be fun, games, projects and an attempt to sharpen the critical thinking skills of the kids.
Still, a lot of people don’t like the idea of Satanists running an after-school club for students in 1st grade through 6th grade.
The debate rages furiously and, when the school system was asked on Wednesday, April 27 whether the event would take place, and, if so, the reason why it would, the response wasn’t terribly enlightening.
The school system’s response also includes a comment on a Bible-based Good News Club, which has applied to continue holding events in Guilford County’s schools.
The statement reads, “The requests for rental of Guilford County Schools facilities by the Good News Club and the After School Satan Club are under review and neither is authorized to use GCS facilities at this time. Neither of the two clubs are sponsored by Joyner Elementary nor were they solicited by the school.”
It adds that “GCS is currently reviewing with its legal counsel how fliers for non-school sponsored clubs and events are distributed, as well as the district’s obligation to grant organizations equitable access to our public facilities.”
Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston, who has been in contact with school officials regarding the matter, offered some insight into what was going on. Alston said that, while school officials do not want Joyner to be the site of the event, the legal advice they were getting from the school attorney, he said, suggests that they must.
Alston added that, though he’s a God-fearing man who wants nothing to do with Satan, he understands in this debate why the school system may be compelled to allow the event to take place. He said that the school has to follow the law even if doing so leads to uncomfortable circumstances, as in this case.
Even if the Elementary School Satan Club does take place, there’s the question of how many parents will give permission for their kids to go to Satan Club. One local news outlet said that, in the handful of other places around the country where such a club has been advertised, on average they have four kids attend.
The Satanic Temple has seven fundamental tenets:
I. One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason.
II. The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.
III. One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.
IV. The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one’s own.
V. Beliefs should conform to one’s best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one’s beliefs.
VI. People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one’s best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused.
VII. Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.
Wow. That’s some evil stuff. 🙂
That’s what satan does. Deceives with word and deed. Maybe you should do a little Bible study.
Satan is evil. If you follow him, you follow evil.
Some is, some isn’t.
This is a political stunt by folks that are more Atheist than Satanist to push back against pro-Christian policies of local schools. They are the group that got a satan statue approved to counter a 10 commandments monument. Best is to use common sense to resist them than to get caught up on Satanist BS. I would just require parent’s written permission (as is done with Christian group on GCS campuses) and see what parent approves. I bet very few. It therefore just die off and go away due to lack of interest. They don’t really want to entertain or educate your kids. They want to push out Christian Groups. Lack of drama is what kills stunts like this. Don’t be foolish to fall into their trap.
King Skippy should head this class
Can anyone attend the Satanic Club event? If they are using public school property for their “event” how can they deny access? I would be happy to attend with a crowd of parents, grandparents and other Christians and make sure these people will abide by their claims of non-indoctrination. Further, if they try to prevent others from attending, and the schools system backs them up, I know some attorneys who would love to take that case.
I think it’s just for kids
Who’s policing christian non-indoctrination?
No you don’t know any attorneys that would love to take that case. That’s because there is no law against preaching to kids. Christian have been brainwashing and indoctrinating(if not way worse) little children forever. Are you advocating any satanist show up at the good news clubs to prevent them from saying anything about jesus? Unlike these clubs however the after school Satans club is not proselytizing children. That’s because they are the good guys. You’re on team brainwash children. Reevaluate yourself.
Let’s make the participants and their parents register for each meeting, both for the Good News Club and the After School Satan Club.
Then make those registrations available to Parents and school officials. Why would anyone object?
Guilt? Shame? Fear? Not if you’re a true believer.
Lastly, what the HE – – is Skip Alston doing with his nose in this? Is he a School Board member, not!
No way. Doesn’t anyone have a concept of privacy anymore? Do you want BB to have a camera in your face and a microphone shoved up your arse all day?
The law is the law and until We the People change it it will have to allow such things to happen.
BUT…if the parents are properly responsible and are doing what they are supposed to do as parents and, like me, have serious problems and concerns about this “club” and what it represents then the only children that attend will be the children of spineless liberals that want to be thought of as “tolerant”.
God help those children.
That’s 4 kids too many!
No one has the right to use the law of free speech to overrule a parent’s right to protect their child from physical or mental harm. We must use positive thinking in ALL approaches to education and as much as possible in life at all times. Life is the process of truth and truth is the process of life. That is the unbroken circle of life.
As we fight for religious freedom, we fight for the freedom of all religions. As Christians are under attack for their belief in Jesus and Satan so are atheists under attack for their belief in reason. As we fight for freedom for Christianity to be part of public life, we also fight for atheism to be accepted in public life. As we fight against marriage equity, we hasten it’s acceptance as the law of the land. As we bring Christianity to the public square we also invite atheism to the public square.
Keep religion out of public schools. I’m his country is not a theocracy (though many here seem to think it is).
Once prayer -IN GOD WE TRUST-was removed from schools, stadiums, courts, public meetings, etc..
This country has been on a decline heading to HELL! Wasn’t this country founded on Christian beliefs? Thou I respect every religion, I will be damned to be told how, when or who I shall pray to. Years of fighting for this country has given “US” the privilege to live, be free, and be proud to be an American! If you do not like America- leave.