Virginia after school club sparks controversy

BEDFORD COUNTY, Virg. (NBC) - A flyer advertising a family movie night is causing a stir in Bedford County.

Not because of the movie itself, but because of who is hosting the event and where it will take place.

June Everett is the director of the After School Satan Club for the Satanic Temple.

"Once people can move past the 'S word' as I like to call it, Satan, and actually dig a little deeper into what we are."

A religion in the eyes of the United States

The Satanic Temple is a religion in the eyes of the United States.

They are allowed the same rights and protections under the First Amendment as other religions.

"It shows a lot of hypocrisy in people who claim to be patriots and claim to believe in the Constitution and the First Amendment. It's kind of interesting to see what happens when their beliefs are challenged," Everett continued.

The February movie event

Furthermore, the movie night is February 25th at the Jefferson Forest High School auditorium.

Raziah Stanley is a senior there and doesn't like the idea.

"As real as God is to me, Satan is just as real."

Adding to that, "To open the door and let him in is not fair to the kids that have to be here every day," Stanley explained.

However, Jazz Andrea went through Bedford County schools and doesn't see any issues.

"If you have a problem with this, you should have a problem with any other religion holding an event at the school."

She wants people to look at it through a different lens.

"If someone raises their child in a Buddhist home, a Muslim home or a Hindu home, and there are Christian things happening at a school, then they may take offense to that. So, you just have to look at it from someone else's perspective."

Temple responds

The Satanic Temple says it's no big deal.

"We are not going to be pushing our religion on any of the kids in the school, we are not going to be prophesying to any of the kids in the school district."

Regardless, Stanley thinks the event promotes negative ideals.

"The last thing we need from my point of view is to welcome in more evil."

Everett wants people to know the school system is following the law.

So far, the movie night is on track for February 25.