Concerned parents protested outside a local school with a ‘prayer rally‘ in order to show their opposition to the proposed “After School Satan Club” making a presence in schools in their area.
Parents protested outside Joyner Elementary School in Greensboro, North Carolina, upset by the idea of a Satan club making its way into their children’s schools.
Tempe Moore, the organizer for the rally told media, “Kind of a rallying thing to say ‘we here in Greensboro do not want this in our schools.'”
According to reports, flyers for the Satan club were distributed to students earlier last week. Concerned parents, led by Moore are protesting the club making its way into their area.
Moore said, “this is not a time for good men to do nothing. It’s a time to let our voices be heard.”
The ‘After School Satan Club’ has a website that talks about the group only meeting at “select” schools where there is an already established “Good News Club or other religious club”. The club is only set up when community members request it and want the program to be offered in local schools. According to the Satanic temple, the club’s goal is not to convert children to Satanism but just to provide them with an all-inclusive alternative and develop their critical thinking skills.
The website states, “Trained educators provide activities and learning opportunities, which students are free to engage in, or they may opt to explore other interests that may be aided by available resources. The environment is open and parents/guardians are welcome to participate.”
The website further reads, “the pre-existing presence of evangelical after school clubs not only established a precedent for which school districts must now accept Satanic groups, but the evangelical after school clubs have created the need for Satanic after school clubs to offer a contrasting balance to student’s extracurricular activities.”
The Satanic Temple operates the club. The co-founder of the Satanic Temple, Lucien Greave states that the group is in no way promoting Satanism but only encouraging critical thinking.
He said, “We’re not trying to endorse Satanism or criticize other religious organizations. Our club focuses on critical thinking, scientific rationalism.”
June Everett, campaign director for the After School Satan Club and also an ordained minister of the Satanic Temple told media, that parents in the community sought out the temple and requested their presence in the area.
Everett elaborated that, “We were contacted by a group of parents who requested After School Satan Club at Joyner when they received Good News Club Permission Slips in their children’s backpacks in late Feb of this year. We only go to schools that have a religious club operating on-campus, and we only go to schools where community members haver requested our program as a safe and all-inclusive alternative.”
Even though the club was due to start last Friday, the chief of staff for Guilford County Schools told media that the club is still under review.
This is certainly an interesting story! Share this with friends and family, especially those who have school-going children so they know what to look out for.
