CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The After School Satan Club (ASSC) held its first meeting Thursday night at B.M. Williams Primary school in Chesapeake, according to a press release from the ACLU of Virginia.
"The meeting follows three critical developments: Chesapeake Public Schools (CPS) withdrew an unconstitutional demand that The Satanic Temple (TST), which sponsors the ASSC, pay a security fee based on concerns about anti-Satanist protesters and other hecklers; officials agreed to refund to TST illegally imposed facility-use charges; and the Chesapeake School Board announced proposed policy revisions that would put all non-school groups, such as the ASSC and the Good News Club, an after-school Christian program, on equal footing by prohibiting the use of school facilities before 6 p.m," the ACLU of Virginia said.
The ASSC has been a hot topic in the Hampton Roads community and beyond.
The club is organized by the Satanic Temple & Reason Alliance. Some parents argued that such a club does not need to be in a school with children so young. However, the group said it's voluntary and they're not trying to convert kids.
Club organizers said this all started when an email promoting the evangelical group known as the Good News Club came to parents from the principal of B.M. Williams Primary School. That's when the club's campaign director, June Everett, said she got a call from a school parent in Dec. 2022, asking to start an organization, and a facility-use application was submitted.
The national campaign director for the After School Satan Club called that an administrative change and a different person planned to file a similar application.
The ASSC has been an item on several Chesapeake school board meeting agendas.
At the most recent meeting, school leaders revealed their plan on how buildings can be used for the After School Satan Club if approved by the board. Previously, the school board allowed the ASSC to use school grounds for meetings, but they had to have security officers.
According to the proposed revisions, exempt organizations would not be charged rent for facility use. That includes school-sponsored organizations, school-affiliated organizations and government units. Non-exempt organizations would include non-profit religious organizations.
The proposal would also require security costs to be paid by the after-school group to Chesapeake Public Schools in advance of an event. But those costs, according to Superintendent Jared Cotton, will all depend on the space, hours, and the number of staff members needed.
“Under the First Amendment, the government can’t treat one religious group less favorably than another, and it can’t give potential objectors or hecklers a ‘veto’ over unpopular speech by charging the speaker (here, the After School Satan Club) a security fee,” said Matthew Callahan, senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Virginia. “That the school district ultimately recognized this and is taking steps to correct these unlawful actions and policies is an enormous victory for free speech, religious liberty, and democracy.”
"Rather than continuing to discriminate against the ASSC, the school board is in the process of moving all after-school groups into the same meeting time windows," the ACLU of Virginia said in a statement. "After reaching an agreement with CPS, the ASSC also will be able to make up the meetings it missed for December 2022 and January 2023, and CPS will refund fees improperly charged to the ASSC."
News 3 reached out to Chesapeake Public School for comment, and we are waiting to hear back.
The full statement from the ACLU of Virginia is below:
In a victory for free speech and religious liberty, the After School Satan Club (ASSC) will hold its first meeting tonight at B.M. Williams Primary School, despite efforts by some to shut down the club and prevent it from gaining equal access to school facilities.
The meeting follows three critical developments: Chesapeake Public Schools (CPS) withdrew an unconstitutional demand that The Satanic Temple (TST), which sponsors the ASSC, pay a security fee based on concerns about anti-Satanist protesters and other hecklers; officials agreed to refund to TST illegally imposed facility-use charges; and the Chesapeake School Board announced proposed policy revisions that would put all non-school groups, such as the ASSC and the Good News Club, an after-school Christian program, on equal footing by prohibiting the use of school facilities before 6 p.m.
Last September, CPS officials authorized the Good News Club to hold after-school meetings at B.M. Williams. The news prompted local parents to contact TST with the hope of bringing to the region an alternative program that would be safe and inclusive for their non-Christian children. The ASSC is open to all students and offers programming—such as community-service projects, games, nature-based activities, and arts and crafts—that promotes the Satanic virtues of benevolence, empathy, critical thinking, problem solving, creative expression, personal sovereignty, and compassion.
CPS policies allow for community use of school facilities, but when a local resident, Eric Koss, applied last year to hold ASSC meetings at B.M. Williams, the club faced discrimination and illegal conditions at every turn. At a school board meeting, dozens of commenters professed their prejudice against the group; several serving and members-elect of the school board did the same in social media posts. The ASSC was charged a facility-use fee when the Good News Club was not. The ASSC was told it could only meet at 6.p.m., while other clubs could meet immediately after school. And the ASSC was assessed a “security fee” due to school officials’ alleged concerns that protestors could create a safety issue.
“Under the First Amendment, the government can’t treat one religious group less favorably than another, and it can’t give potential objectors or hecklers a ‘veto’ over unpopular speech by charging the speaker (here, the After School Satan Club) a security fee,” said Matthew Callahan, senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Virginia. “That the school district ultimately recognized this and is taking steps to correct these unlawful actions and policies is an enormous victory for free speech, religious liberty, and democracy.”
June Everett, director of TST’s ASSC programming, added: “We hope that tonight’s meeting is a joyful, enriching experience for the children. There’s often a misconception about our religious beliefs and practices, but we will not accept discrimination by government officials. Public schools everywhere are on notice that we will vigorously defend The Satanic Temple’s rights and the rights of children and families who want to participate in the After School Satan Club.”
Rather than continuing to discriminate against the ASSC, the school board is in the process of moving all after-school groups into the same meeting time windows. After reaching an agreement with CPS, the ASSC also will be able to make up the meetings it missed for December 2022 and January 2023, and CPS will refund fees improperly charged to the ASSC.
TST and Mr. Koss are represented in this matter by the ACLU of Virginia and Heather L. Weaver, senior staff attorney for the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief.
Dr. Jared Cotton, the superintendent of Chesapeake Public Schools, sent the following statement to B.M. Williams Primary:
Dear B. M. Williams Families,
Chesapeake Public Schools is committed to transparency and would like to share with you that we have just recently reached an agreement with the After School Satan Club (ASSC). The ASSC has been approved to use B. M. Williams Primary School for the remaining dates in their facility use application. However, it is important to note the group will meet when the building is not occupied by students or instructional staff, and participants must have parent permission to attend.
As many of you know, many religious groups in the area use our facilities throughout the year, following established guidelines. Favoring one religion over another or one organization over another because of its mission or its lawful, unpopular activities is called content discrimination and would violate the U.S. Constitution. As stated before, the ASSC is not a school district-approved club, and no district employee is acting as a club sponsor.
Thank you for your support as we continue to work together as a community to provide a safe learning environment for all students.
Sincerely,
Jared Cotton, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Chesapeake Public Schools
