Editing The Satanic Temple (section)

== School campaigns ==

===After School Satan===
{{Main|After School Satan}}

The Satanic Temple sponsors [[After School Satan]], an [[After-school activity|after-school program]] where students engage with rationalist pursuits, scientific games, nature activities, and community service. The program offers an alternative to after-school [[Christian mission]]ary programs such as the [[Good News Club]].<ref name="latimes1">{{cite news |last=Anderson |first=Rick |date=September 28, 2016 |title=Yes, an after-school Satan Club could be coming to your kid's grade school |url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-satanic-after-school-20160928-snap-story.html |access-date=November 29, 2018 |newspaper=LA Times}}</ref><ref name="cbs-port">{{cite web |date=September 28, 2016 |title=Portland OKs "After School Satan" for elementary kids |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/after-school-satan-satanic-temple-portland-approved/ |access-date=November 29, 2018 |website=CBS News}}</ref> Organized by individual local groups since 2016, four After School Satan clubs were active at the end of 2023.<ref name="Levenson2023">{{cite news |last=Levenson |first=Michael |date=2023-12-15 |title=How 'After School Satan Club' Is Shaking Things Up |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/15/us/the-satanic-temple-after-school-club.html |website=The New York Times}}</ref> In 2024 The Satanic Temple partnered with the [[Secular Student Alliance]], another organization promoting secular values among students, in supporting After School Satan clubs.<ref>{{Cite press release |last=Bolling |first=Kevin |date=May 23, 2024 |title=Secular Student Alliance partners with The Satanic Temple for After School Satan Club |url=https://secularstudents.org/secular-student-alliance-partners-with-the-satanic-temple-for-after-school-satan-club/ |access-date=2024-11-03 |publisher=[[Secular Student Alliance]]}}</ref>

===Prayer in schools===
The organization first gained media attention in January 2013 after a group of Satanists assembled at the [[Florida State Capitol]] to show their approval over a bill [[Rick Scott|Governor Rick Scott]] signed into law the prior year, Senate Bill 98, which allowed [[School prayer|student-led prayer at school assemblies]].<ref name="Trolling" /> The group further stated that as the bill did not specify a religion, the prayers could be led by a student from any religion—including Satanism. The TST members announced they "were coming out to say how happy we were because now our Satanic children could pray to Satan in school."<ref name="NYT1" /><ref name="Esquire1" />

=== Protect Children Project ===
Launched by the Satanic Temple in the spring of 2014, the Protect Children Project aims to offer "[[First Amendment]] protection to support children who may be at risk for being subjected to mental or physical abuse in school by teachers and administrators through the use of [[solitary confinement]], restraints, and corporal punishment."<ref>{{cite web |title=Protect Children Project |url=https://protectchildrenproject.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428000330/https://protectchildrenproject.com/ |archive-date=April 28, 2019 |access-date=November 29, 2018}}</ref> The Protect Children Project's website asked participants to print out pre-written letters to send to their respective school boards on a day designated as "Protect Children Day" as a form of protest.<ref>{{cite web |last=Levy |first=Emily |date=May 6, 2014 |title=The Satanic Temple, Now Wooing Kids and Moms |url=https://www.vocativ.com/culture/religion/satanic-temple-now-wooing-kids-moms/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127091012/https://www.vocativ.com/culture/religion/satanic-temple-now-wooing-kids-moms/ |archive-date=January 27, 2022 |access-date=November 29, 2018 |website=[[Vocativ]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Marie |first=Brownie |date=April 11, 2014 |title=Satanic Temple launches school campaign to "protect" children and permit them to pray to Satan |url=https://www.christiantoday.com/article/satanic-temple-launches-school-campaign-protect-children-permit-pray-satan/36749.htm |access-date=November 29, 2018 |website=[[Christian Today]]}}</ref> In March 2017, the Satanic Temple launched an anti-spanking campaign against corporal punishment in schools, as part of the Protect Children Project. They unveiled billboards in Texas which read "Never be hit in school again. Exercise your religious rights."<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 16, 2017 |title=Satanic Temple Billboard Targets North Texas School District's Use of Corporal Punishment |url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/local/dfw-morningnews-satanic-temple-billboard-targets-north-texas-school-districts-use-of-corporal-punishment/58804/ |access-date=2021-02-28 |website=NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Collegiate Affiliate Program ===
The Collegiate Affiliate Program (CAP) is the Satanic Temple's campaign to provide post-secondary students with advocacy for Satanic representation on their school's campuses. CAP groups work with a Minister of Satan to create projects and a mission for the student group based on institutional guidelines and specific objectives. This campaign is currently only in the US, on campuses that already have religious groups.<ref>{{Cite web |last=TST |title=College Affiliate Program |url=https://thesatanictemple.com/pages/college-affiliate-program |access-date=2025-10-29 |website=TST |language=en}}</ref>