Elementary school students in Chesapeake, Virginia, will have an opportunity to learn more about Satan and satanism at a new controversial after-school program.
The B.M. Williams Primary School will host the After School Satan Club in collaboration with the Satanic Temple. In addition to satanism, attendees will be taught about critical thinking, problem-solving skills, creative expression, benevolence, and more, according to the flyer shared by the temple. This club will be held in the school library beginning on December 15th.
Parents have expressed outrage about the new club and believe students are too young to be introduced to such a controversial subject. However, the school district stated that the club is considered a religious affiliate under the first amendment and freedom of religion. Chesapeake Public Schools Superintendent Jared Cotton also chimed in, confirming that, while frowned upon, the district has authorized other religious groups to use its facilities and, by law, cannot discriminate against the After School Satan Club.
The meeting will go on despite a public hearing about the club on December 12th, where parents can voice their objections. All students must obtain a permission slip signed by their parents to attend.
The meeting in Chesapeake is not the first of its kind. Golden Hills Elementary School in California and Donovan Elementary School in Ohio both introduced the After School Satan Club by local chapters of the Satanic Temple. In April, the York, Pennsylvania school board declined to host the club, which was designated for children as young as five.
The club is slated to meet in Chesapeake monthly until May.
