Opinion: Expel Jesus and Satan from public schools

To the editor: Any effort to proselytize minor children (except one’s own) should be swiftly and effectively countered. If, for example, a Satanic priestess tried to convert a youth whose parents were raising him to be a Christian, I’d be fine with laws subjecting her to civil or criminal penalties. Same goes for anyone who tries to convert an atheist couple’s child to Christianity. (“Yes, an after-school Satan Club could be coming to your kid’s grade school,” Oct. 19)

The problem with allowing any religion to be promoted on public school grounds is that parents can’t be present to check the overwhelming influence of faculty members and peers. Although after-hours participation in a school’s evangelical Good News Club may nominally be voluntary, a student who declines may be viewed as an infidel, to be socially marginalized or ostracized.

I’m no fan of Satanists, but I applaud their effort to open After School Satan Clubs at schools that indulge Good News Clubs. There may be no better way to persuade public school administrators that their campuses should be kept free of religion.

Aaron Mills, Solana Beach

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