The Satanic Temple has filed a lawsuit against a Pennsylvania elementary school after the school board voted last week to prohibit the establishment of an After School Satan Club.
Northern Elementary School in York, Pennsylvania was sued by the Satanic Temple on constitutional grounds.
The Satanic Temple’s chief lawyer, Mathew Kezhaya, said the lawsuit would examine whether the Northern York County School Board discriminated against the group by refusing to allow them to form an after-school club while other organizations are permitted to do so.
“The First Amendment prohibits a government from considering the popularity of communicative activity when determining whether to facilitate that communicative activity on equal terms with other, similarly situated, groups,” he added.
Each phase of the litigation, according to Kezhaya, may take anywhere from 18 months to two years to complete.
“I’m hoping that with our presence, people can see that good people can have different perspectives, sometimes on the same mythology, but not mean any harm.” Lucien Greaves, a Satanic Temple spokesperson, stated.
According to the Satanic Temple’s website, the After School Satan Club is an after-school program that encourages self-directed education by encouraging kids’ intellectual and artistic interests.
Some local parents, such as Jennifer McAllister of Perry County, were outraged by the Satanic Temple’s plan to open an after-school club at an elementary school. “They already took God out of schools now they’re going to let Satan in, it’s just crazy.” she remarked.
