An atheist group masquerading as a so-called Satanist Temple recently made news when it stated it planned to petition school officials to allow its purported club on campus after school beginning with this upcoming academic year. The group states it intends to target the schools in districts where Good News Clubs meet after school. Good News Clubs, which are sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), require parental permission for children to attend.
Good News Clubs are for children ages 5-12 and teach morals and character development from a Christian viewpoint. In 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Good News Clubs have a First Amendment right to meet on campus after school. Liberty Counsel represents CEF nationwide and has never lost a CEF case.
If it gains approval to meet, the Satanic Temple group will require a signed parental permission slip to attend.
“The so-called Satanic Temple group is a handful of atheists masquerading as so-called Satanists. This group is not legitimate. Its only reason to exist is to oppose the Good News Clubs. The Good News Clubs teach morals, character development, patriotism and respect from a Christian viewpoint. Public schools welcome these clubs because they improve the behavior of the students and the Supreme Court has sided with these clubs,” said Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel’s Founder and Chairman.
“The so-called Satanist group has nothing good to offer the students and its entire reason for existence is to be disruptive. Schools do not have to tolerate groups which disrupt the school and target other legitimate clubs. No sane parents would consent to allow their child to attend this group. Full of sound and fury, this group will soon fade away,” concluded Staver.
Liberty Counsel has offered pro bono legal counsel to the schools targeted by this disruptive group.
Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.
See an error in this article?
To contact us or to submit an article
