Group to refocus on opening after-school Satan club at Tacoma elementary school

The Satanic Temple of Seattle no longer plans to open its pilot after-school program in the Mount Vernon School District – but instead refocus their efforts toward Point Defiance Elementary in the Tacoma Public School District.

Applause broke out Tuesday night at Centennial Elementary School when the principal announced that the Satanic Temple of Seattle had withdrawn its request, according to the Skagit Valley Herald.

In mid-September, a lawyer hired by the Mount Vernon School District advised officials to allow the Satanic Temple of Seattle to start an after-school program

Attorney Duncan Fobes said if the district were to deny the application, they would face costly litigation which would not end in their favor.

Fobes said the district was one of nine throughout the country, including Mount Vernon's Centennial Elementary School, to receive such applications.

The Satanic Temple has been targeting schools that have a Good News Bible Club. Satanic Temple of Seattle spokesman Tarkus Claypool ha said a parent brought the bible club to their attention over concerns the club was teaching children to evangelize to other children.

Claypool said their curriculum teaches children logic, self-empowerment and reasoning and they don't worship a deity.

According to the Skagit Valley Herald, the Satanic Temple of Seattle chapter head Lilith Starr said the temple was told by the Mount Vernon School District that because of district-sponsored after-school activities at the school, there was no space for the temple to rent until several hours after school let out.

Cox Media Group