A program that teaches kids the mysteries of science and the workmanship of arts and crafts could be coming to an elementary school near you.
But there's a twist.
It's After School Satan.
The Satanic Temple, a religious organization with an "atheistic front," based in -- appropriately enough -- Salem, Massachusetts, is pitching the idea of their own after-school program to nine school districts around the country, including Los Angeles Unified. The Temple said it wants to counter well-funded fundamentalist Christian organizations that it believes are eroding the separation of church and state in public schools.
"We're not trying to convert anyone," said Ali Kellog, the chapter head of LA's Satanic Temple, one of 16 chapters around the world. "We're just trying to teach scientific reasoning."
The district isn't saying much, only that "there are no after school Satan clubs in the district."
The idea is pitting Satan against God in at least one school in the San Fernando Valley.
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Kellog said the Satanic Temple is specifically requesting to host a program at Chase Street Elementary in Panorama City because that school currently hosts the Good News Club, a Christian after-school program that teaches kids about Jesus and the Bible.
"We are only asking that we get to do that same thing the evangelicals are doing," Kellog said.
She said that if the district doesn't allow After School Satan then they will pursue legal action over separation of church and state concerns.
It is unknown whether the district will make a deal with the devil for the after-school program.
The program features a healthy snack, literature and science lessons, and an art project, but despite the ungodly name, it will not feature satanic rituals or worshipping.
The Temple talks a good story, said Moises Esteves, vice president of USA Ministries, the organization that oversees Good News Clubs, but they are atheists "dressed up the scary costumes with pitchforks and devil horns."
"No one in their right mind would send their kids to something like this," Esteves said.
Over 178,000 children attend Good News Clubs in over 4,500 public schools, a fact that isn't going to change due to "dark publicity," he said.
