Posted on 05/01/2023 1:04:19 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A federal judge says the Saucon Valley School District must allow the After School Satan Club to meet in one of its schools.
The club will be allowed to meet at the middle school on the dates previously approved by the school district. Those dates were the second Wednesday of March, April and May.
U.S. District Judge John Gallagher on Monday granted the After School Satan Club’s preliminary injunction request to meet in the schools as its full lawsuit plays out in court. The judge will make a final ruling later.
The school district revoked permission for the club to meet after “chaos” ensued, according to Superintendent Jaime Vlasaty. The controversial club drew the ire of the community and a North Carolina man allegedly threatened gun violence if the club were allowed to meet. That forced the entire school district to shut down for security reasons on Feb. 22.
The school district also said the club failed to make clear on a permission slip that the club is not sponsored by the district.
None of these reasons trump the After School Satan Club’s right to free speech and its First Amendment protections under the federal Constitution, the judge ruled.
“When confronted with a challenge to free speech, the government’s first instinct must be to forward expression rather than quash it,” Gallagher wrote in his ruling.
“We applaud the court for recognizing the threat to the First Amendment rights of the After School Satan Club and The Satanic Temple and preventing Saucon Valley School District from continuing its brazen discrimination,” said Sara Rose, deputy legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania in a news release.
Vlasaty and the Saucon Valley School District solicitor didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment.
A club official has said its members don’t worship Satan.
“Satan is instead regarded as a literary figure who represents a metaphorical construct of rejecting tyranny, championing the human mind and spirit, and seeking justice and egalitarianism for all,” an attorney for the club’s parent organization says in the lawsuit it filed to allow the club to meet.
The club formed in response to Christian clubs meeting in public schools. Saucon Valley has granted permission for a Christian club to use its schools, so the Satan Club should be free to use the school too, according to June Everett, director of After School Satan Club programming.
She applauded Gallagher’s decision.
“This is welcome news for Saucon Valley students and families seeking to participate in the supportive and inclusive community provided by After School Satan Club meetings,” Everett said in a news release.
She said children in the club make arts and crafts, do science experiments and plan community service projects.
After granting permission on Feb. 16 for the club to meet, the district and superintendent received over 40 phone calls and 50 emails or handwritten letters, daily, from staff, parents, and community members concerned for student safety and concerned over the club’s right to meet, according to Gallagher’s ruling. The school district revoked permission Feb. 24 and the club sued March 30.
Judge Gallagher ruled that the Saucon Valley School District does not have to distribute permission slips to children interested in attending the After School Satan Club.
The ASS Club is laughing (its ass off) at you.
Whores for the devil.
We need to abolish public schools-—problem solved.
In the faculty lounge already.
When C.S. Lewis said back in the 1960's that the Devil's biggest victory was getting people to deny his existence, he could not have foreseen our infinitely more wicked times when Satan is so sure the world is under his domination, he now takes no pains to even hide himself anymore. And that is truly frightening.
Judge is a retarded moron.
Satanism isn’t a religion (And they admit that) so it’s not a first amendment protection. They argue it under “free speech” but it’s been long upheld that students don’t have free speech in public schools - including school newspapers as student protections are paramount.
The judges insipid and retarded rationale means that students could form a thieves club to discuss how to steal, loot and break into homes and the school would have to allow it because “free speech”
OTOH this also means the school would have to allow gun clubs so maybe it’s not that bad a deal…
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One thing to keep in mind is that these kids do these things to stir the pot. I think they succeeded.
“This is welcome news for Saucon Valley students and families seeking to participate in the supportive and inclusive community provided by After School Satan Club meetings,” Everett said in a news release.”
That person needs to have an unfortunate accident
Students should start 12 Christ Clubs, one for each Disciple
OMG! This district is not that far from me. So outrageous I’m speechless.
Satanism is America’s fastest growing religion. Look around.
This is when the School starts organizing Field Trips to the Courthouse and the quisling judges house and reminding the children how the Judge and the COURT HATES CHILDREN AND GOD, you make this Judge the Poster Boy of HATING CHILDREN and LOVING PURE EVIL
........“Satan is instead regarded as a literary figure who represents a metaphorical construct of rejecting tyranny, championing the human mind and spirit, and seeking justice and egalitarianism for all,” an attorney for the club’s parent organization says in the lawsuit it filed to allow the club to meet.......
That’s one of the biggest bunches of malarkey I have ever heard!!!!
Satanism is all about evil, hate and violence. It should be a no-brainer for something to not support in any form or fashion.
Or a SANTA CLUB, the dyslexic dummies wouldn’t know which one to attend.
the 1st amendment is sweet when it works in YOUR favor? but equally sour when it works in THEIR favor. True or not?
Yet it works. period.
Mr.Musk said that about censorship.
YOU use it oon somebody somebody will find a wway to use it on YYOU.
No?
You celebrate freedom even when you disallow religious freedom to someebody else.
lol. Or the Wood Finishing Club — aka the SATIN club
“Satan is instead regarded as a literary figure.” Funny how the truth has to be diluted to a secular feel-good story. The Church of Skatan skateboarding shop in So Cal had unexplained problems that forced them to close.
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