Illinois school district approves ‘Satan Club’ for elementary school children
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – An Illinois school board has approved members of The Satanic Temple to lead an extracurricular “After School Satan Club” for elementary school children, Christian Headlines (CH) reports. The Satan Club was approved by the Moline-Coal Valley School District Board of Education on January 10 and is now being held on school premises at Jane Addams Elementary in Moline.
The Satanic Temple organization claims to be atheist, and says members do not believe in either God or Satan, CH reports. However, the group idolizes the Biblical Satan as a symbol of “defiance, independence, wisdom, and self-empowerment.”
It also distributes “Devil’s Advocate Scholarships” in the amount of $666 to students, including to elementary school children.
Open to children from first through fight grade, the club had its first meeting on January 13, CH reports. The next meetings are reportedly to take place at 2.45 pm on February 10, March 10, April 14, and May 12. Children are required to have parental permission to attend.
The Satan club offers projects, puzzles, games, craft projects and a snack, CH reports. A flier for the club adds that children will learn “benevolence, empathy, personal sovereignty and problem-solving.”
The school district said in a statement it was required to approve the Satan club, like it approved a Christian Good News Club, CH reports. “Religiously affiliated groups are among those allowed to rent our facilities for a fee,” the district statement said. “Please note that the district must provide equal access to all groups and that students need parental permission to attend any after-school event. Our focus remains on student safety and student achievement.”
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