In Saucon Valley, PA, the school district has agreed to pay $200,001 in a settlement reached after The Satanic Temple (TST) took legal action following the district’s discriminatory efforts to block ASSC from using school facilities. The ACLU, having represented ASSC in this dispute, issued a press release stating that the “settlement comes approximately six months after a federal court ordered district officials to allow the ASSC to convene at the Saucon Valley Middle School, ruling that the district had the likely violated the First Amendment when it prevented students and families from gathering on school grounds in connection with the TST-sponsored club. Under the settlement, the district must give TST and the ASSC the same access to school facilities as other comparable organizations receive. The agreement also prohibits the district from retaliating against TST, the ASSC, and their volunteers and members based on their viewpoint or ‘the exercise of their First Amendment rights.’ The district has agreed to pay $200,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs to TST’s attorneys.” Additionally, the Saucon Valley School District agreed to pay the ceremonial sum of $1 to The Satanic Temple in nominal damages.
“We are pleased that this matter has been resolved and that the school district has agreed to stop all discrimination against us,” said June Everett, director of TST’s ASSC programming. “Thanks to the court’s order, we were able to hold ASSC meetings at the Saucon Valley Middle School, and the kids who attended were overjoyed. It’s for them that we took on this legal fight in the first place, and we won’t hesitate to do so again if other school districts continue to enact discriminatory policies.”
Of course, money is often no object for opportunistic public officials who are all too willing to waste public funds in the name of misguided crusades designed to leverage public fear and ignorance into votes. In Saucon Valley, however, four school board incumbents were voted out in favor of challengers who ran a campaign primarily focused on the “unnecessary and financially wasteful, ego-driven legal melodramas” stemming from the violation of TST's civil liberties.
This resolution in Saucon Valley serves as a stark warning to school districts tempted to infringe upon The Satanic Temple’s constitutional rights. The substantial settlement and election losses underscore the serious legal and financial repercussions of discriminating against the After School Satan Club and TST members. The Satanic Temple remains committed to vigorously defending the civil liberties of our members, ensuring that such violations are challenged and rectified.
The After School Satan Club (ASSC) provides a space for children to explore their interests and develop their creativity, free from threats of eternal damnation. ASSC is proud to offer a wide range of activities to clubgoers, including arts and crafts like making bookmarks and friendship bracelets, gardening for those who love nature, board games and Legos for those who enjoy building and playing, and science projects to help children explore natural wonders surrounding them. Our club is free to attend for clubgoers and is entirely funded by our generous donors.
By pledging to donate $6.66 every month, you're not only providing board games and craft kits for our active After School Satan Clubs, but you are also contributing to the creation of a welcoming environment where kids can freely explore their interests, form new friendships, and develop vital skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. Click here to make your pledge!
