Satanic Temple's 'After School Satan Club' should be permitted to avoid litigation costs, says lawyer advising school

The attorney for the Mount Vernon School District advised the school board to allow the Satanic Temple's After School Satan Club to be formed at the Centennial Elementary School.

"I think that if the school district denied that application, you would face costly litigation that would be distracting from your mission," said Duncan Fobes, the lawyer hired by the district to assess the school's legal standing to deny the formation of the club.

Fobes pointed out that the district has a policy that encouraged community groups to use the district's facilities.

"Because you do that, you must open it to this group," Fobes said. "You don't have to sponsor the group, you don't have to help the group," he added.

Mount Vernon is only one of nine other districts that was handpicked by the Satanic Temple to host an After School Satan Club. The Good News Bible Club, run by Child Evangelism Fellowship, is also hosted at the district.

The club's official website explained that the program aimed to challenge the operations of the Good News Club in schools. It asserted that it would be illegal for schools to discriminate against the organization if a school already allowed a Christian or any other religious club to operate.

"We didn't invite them to the school, they put our name on a website," Centennial principal Erwin Stroosma said. "We feel like we're pawns in a game — someone else is manipulating us," he added.

Parents at the meeting voiced their concern about the formation of the club at the district. Mike Cheek, whose grandchildren attended school there, feared that the club would become "infectious and widespread."

On the other hand, Melissa McPhaden did not share the apprehensions of the other parents. She believed that the temple is only starting the club because it is trying to generate a reaction.

"I'm not afraid of what this church can do, because I have a relationship with my children," she said.

Fobes stated that although the district has a right to review the club's curriculum, it cannot ban the club unless the curriculum included pornography, hate speech or an incitement to commit violence.

The lawyer added that banning all other after school clubs to keep the After School Satan Club out is not a valid option for the district because it will likely invite more lawsuits.