Secular Student Alliance partners with The Satanic Temple for After School Satan Club
Publisher: In-Sight Publishing
Publisher Founding: September 1, 2014
Publisher Location: Fort Langley, Township of Langley, British Columbia, Canada
Publication: Freethought Newswire
Original Link: https://secularstudents.org/secular-student-alliance-partners-with-the-satanic-temple-for-after-school-satan-club/
Publication Date: May 23, 2024
Organization: Secular Student Alliance
Organization Description: The Secular Student Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the only national organization dedicated to atheist, humanist, and other non-theist students. The Secular Student Alliance empowers secular students to proudly express their identity, build welcoming communities, promote secular values, and set a course for lifelong activism.
By Kevin Bolling
The Secular Student Alliance is announcing a partnership with The Satanic Temple on their After School Satan Club (ASSC) in public schools where religious clubs are present. This initiative is designed to offer students a safe and inclusive environment that emphasizes critical thinking, science, and the arts.
The ASSC is founded on the principle that religion should not be introduced into public schools. It seeks to provide an alternative to religious clubs that might use fear or coercion as tools for conversion. The After School Satan Club will be established only in schools where other religious groups are operating, ensuring a balanced representation of beliefs and philosophies.
Mission of the After School Satan Club
- Promoting Rational Inquiry: ASSC aims to foster a culture of free inquiry and rationalism. The club will help students explore the scientific underpinnings of our understanding of the world.
- Encouraging Appreciation for Nature: The program is designed to instill in children an appreciation for the natural world, rather than a fear of purported eternal consequences.
- Focus on Positive Activities: The club’s activities will include a focus on science, critical thinking, the creative arts, and community service, ensuring that children not only learn but also have fun.
The After School Satan Club does not seek to convert children to any belief system, including Satanism. The primary goal is to provide a platform for children to develop their critical thinking skills and appreciate the world through a rational and scientific lens.
The ASSC is committed to creating a space that is safe, inclusive, and free from any form of religious coercion. The program is designed to empower children to make informed decisions and develop a balanced perspective on life.
“With the growing number of students leaving conservative organized religion, providing a community for young people in which diversity, compassion, curiosity, and civic engagement are encouraged and celebrated is important to bettering our communities and strengthening the wall of state/church separation,” says Kevin Bolling, executive director of the Secular Student Alliance. “Religious indoctrination has no place in public schools.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the Secular Student Alliance in an effort to promote religious freedom and religious pluralism in public primary, secondary, and collegiate schools across the United States. This partnership will ensure the absolute highest quality in educational alternative options for all parents/guardians, volunteers, and students seeking an inclusive and secular learning environment,” says June Everett, Campaign Director, After School Satan Club & Hellion Academy of Independent Learning, Ordained Minister of The Satanic Temple.
The partnership between the Secular Student Alliance and The Satanic Temple represents a significant step forward in providing diverse and inclusive after-school programs that respect the beliefs of all students and encourage a fact-based understanding of the world. We invite the community to learn more about the After School Satan Club and join us in supporting a rational, inclusive, and fun learning environment for our children.
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