Satan has won a round in court! Um....Yay?
Earlier this week a federal judge issued a ruling that a Pennsylvania school district MUST allow a Satanist club to meet on the campus of Saucon Valley Middle School in...get this...Hellertown, Pennsylvania.
Here's the background.
Earlier this year, flyers for the Satanic Temple's 'After School Satan Club' were distributed on campus. The flyers included a permission slip, intended for the child to get a parents permission and said that their child would learn:
"Benevolence and empathy, critical thinking, problem solving, creative expression, personal sovereignty and compassion."
It also says:
"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. All After School Satan Clubs are based on activities centered around the seven fundamental tenants, and emphasize a scientific, rationalist, non-superstitious worldview."
The club is sponsored by the Satanic Temple and the Reason Alliance.
Apparently, the flyers caused a big stir and parents freaked out, the school received a shooting threat and the Superintendent pulled permission for the club to meet.
In response, the national ACLU and the ACLU of Pennsylvania sued the school district on the Satanic Temple's behalf.
US District Judge John M. Gallagher said in a filing that the Saucon Valley School District violated the club's right to free speech when it told the group they could not meet on school grounds. He said:
“Here, although The Satanic Temple, Inc.’s objectors may challenge the sanctity of this controversially named organization, the sanctity of the First Amendment’s protections must prevail.”
As part of the ruling, the district must now allow the club to meet and their first meeting is set for next week.
Meanwhile, If you missed it, the same group made headlines last week when they headed the largest-ever gathering of Satanists in Boston for SatanCon2023. We are submitting Bill Handel to be their keynote speaker next year.