'After School Satan Club' causes controversy in Saucon Valley School District
"We don't tell them Satan is the good guy and God is not real. We don't teach about our actual beliefs in the club."
HELLERTOWN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A flyer promoting an after-school Satanic group is stirring up a lot of controversy in the Lehigh Valley after the Saucon Valley School District agreed to allow the group to use its middle school to host the after-school meetings for students ages 5 to 12.
"I think it's a little ridiculous," said Carrie Spier of Hellertown.
"If they can have Christian clubs or anything like that, I don't see a problem having an alternative viewpoint," said Rowan Nowicki of Hellertown.
June Everette, the national campaign director for the After School Satan Club, said the club only goes into a school where a parent has requested its presence.
"It usually comes after their kiddo has been sent a Good News Club flyer," said Everette.
Good News Club is another after-school program at Saucon Valley Middle school that's sponsored by a local evangelical church that discusses the Bible.
Everette said the After School Satan Club's presence in schools is about inclusion.
"We as members of the Satanic Temple do not believe in or worship the devil," said Everett. "We don't tell them Satan is the good guy and God is not real. We don't teach about our actual beliefs in the club."
She says the club teaches children about compassion and creative thinking. It's the name and the image on the flyer that's creating concern.
"Associating it with such a figure that we commonly equate with being evil. Not a good thing in my opinion," said Reverend Lisa Borr, with the New Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Saucon Valley School District superintendent released a statement:
"Religious groups are among those the district has allowed to rent our facilities over the years. By law, the district cannot discriminate among groups wishing to use the SVSD facilities."
The After School Satan Club has received some local interest and some threats.
The school district closed school Wednesday because of a reported threat, but the district will not confirm if those threats are tied to the controversy surrounding the group.
