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Follow on Google News | School clubs a new battleground in the Satanic Temple's agenda for separation of church & stateIn an increasingly intellectually diverse world, though, children are bound to encounter ideas with which they disagree
By: The Conversation As the start of the school year rapidly approaches, controversy can't be far behind. But not all hot-button topics in education are about what goes on in class. Over the past few years, conflict has trailed attempts to establish After School Satan Clubs sponsored by the Satanic Temple, which the U.S. government recognizes as a religious group. Organizers have tried to form clubs in California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Organizers in Broome County, New York, also formed a summer Satan Club that meets at a local library. Though there are estimates that only a handful of Satan Clubs are up and running, the groups raise significant questions about freedom of speech in K-12 public schools, particularly around religious issues – topics I teach and write about frequently as a faculty member specializing in education law. More 'science' than 'Satan" Members of the Satanic Temple, which was founded in 2013, do not profess beliefs about supernatural beings. The group emphasizes "the seven tenets," which celebrate ideas like rationality, compassion and bodily autonomy. What often draws attention, though, are the temple's political and legal activities. The group has a history of filing suits to try to gain the same rights afforded to Christian groups, in an attempt to highlight and critique religion's role in American society. Because organizers of Satan Clubs object to introducing religion into public education, they try to offer an alternative at schools hosting faith-based extracurricular groups. The Satanic Temple promotes clubs that focus on science, critical thinking, free inquiry and community projects, emphasizing that "no proselytization or religious instruction takes place" in meetings. Litigation around Satan Clubs arose in 2023 when a school board in Pennsylvania refused to allow a club to meet in an elementary school. In May, a federal trial court ruled that the school board could not ban the club, since it allowed other types of clubs. By allowing groups to use school facilities, the court explained, officials had created a public forum. Therefore, excluding any group because of its views would constitute discrimination, violating organizers' First Amendment rights to freedom of speech. http://youtu.be/ https://theconversation.com/ End
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