The Satanic Temple sues Pennsylvania school over after school club denial
The lawsuit argues violation of the First Amendment
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Satanic Temple is suing a Pennsylvania elementary school after its school board voted against the introduction of an After School Satan Club last week.
The Satanic Temple filed a lawsuit on constitutional grounds against Northern Elementary School in York, Pennsylvania, according to local ABC outlet KTUL.
Mathew Kezhaya, the general counsel for The Satanic Temple, said the lawsuit intends to litigate whether the Northern York County School Board discriminated against the organization by not allowing them to start an after school club when other organizations are allowed to.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This image is used by the Satanic Temple. (AP)
"The First Amendment prohibits a government from considering the popularity of communicative activity when determining whether to facilitate that communicative activity on equal terms with other, similarly situated, groups," he said.
Kezhaya said each part of the lawsuit could be time-consuming, taking from 18 months to two years to complete.
PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL BOARD TORPEDOES AFTER SCHOOL SATAN CLUB
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lucien Greaves, the Satanic Temple spokesperson, previously told Fox News about the clubs, "I'm hoping that with our presence, people can see that good people can have different perspectives, sometimes on the same mythology, but not mean any harm."
The cast members of the Hell House Mercy Maelica, Cameron Willson (L) and Joy Davenport (C) pose for a photo at the Satanic Temple where a "Hell House" is being held in Salem, Massachusett on Oct. 8, 2019.
"The After School Satan Club is an after-school program that promotes self-directed education by supporting the intellectual and creative interests of students," the Satanic Temple states on its website.
"If they deny us the use of a public facility, which they have no right to do it'll have to move into litigation, costly litigation that the community is going to have to pay for," Greaves told FOX 43 after the club was voted down.
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The Satanic Temple's attempt to install an after school club in an elementary school was met with outrage from some local parents such as Perry County resident Jennifer McAllister, who told local Fox 43, "They already took God out of schools now they're going to let Satan in, it's just crazy."
Fox News' Timothy Nerozzi contributed to this report.