HELLERTOWN, Pa. — Saucon Valley Schools' superintendent during a school board meeting Tuesday defended her decision to not let an after-school Satan club use district property, saying the group’s organizers violated district policy.
Superintendent Jaime Vlasaty also said that she — and even her children — have taken considerable abuse from both sides of the argument.
Vlasaty's comments came as the parent who requested permission for the club to meet on campus pushed back against the claim.
- Saucon Valley School District Superintendent Jaime Vlasaty defended her decision to allow the after-school Satan club on campus and her subsequent reversal
- She said she reversed course because the club’s sponsors failed to communicate that the district is not a sponsor of the club, which is a violation of district rules
- The Saucon Valley parent who requested permission for the club to meet on campus pushed back on that claim
Officials had granted the club permission to use space at Saucon Valley Middle School before reversing course amid controversy and threats of violence.
Vlasaty said the Satan Club failed to clearly communicate that the district was not sponsoring its activities, which is a violation of district policy.
Superintendent's claim challenged
Shae McGee, the Saucon Valley parent who requested the club, challenged her claim.
“You say it was rescinded because… we didn't state that it was not an activity of the school or the school board," McGee said. "It says it directly on the bottom of our signup sheet, clearly."
“So I'd like to know on what grounds that you rescinded it truly, because it's a violation of our constitutional rights to have one religious group [on campus] and not allow them all.”
Because officials determined the club broke a district rule, its organizers are barred from asking to use school property again, unless the school board intervenes.
Vlasaty said the club’s organizers were “responsible for following policy 707, and they are accountable for violating this policy and the subsequent disruptions in our community and the educational program and operations in our school.”
District officials originally approved a mid-February request to use space at Saucon Valley Middle School for the after-school program. A few days later, a flier advertising it appeared on Facebook; controversy quickly spread.
“You say it was rescinded because… we didn't state that it was not an activity of the school or the school board. [But] it says it directly on the bottom of our signup sheet, clearly."Shae McGee, the Saucon Valley parent who requested the club
Decision defended, reversed — then came abuse
Vlasaty initially released a message defending the district’s decision, saying, “Religious groups are among those the district has allowed [renting] our facilities over the years. By law, the district cannot discriminate among groups wishing to use the SVSD facilities.”
Later the same day, a caller left a voicemail threatening a shooting at the school because of the Satan Club, prompting the superintendent to cancel school the next day.
On Monday, Ceu “Van” Uk, 20, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was charged with making terroristic threats, according to a statement from the Northampton County district attorney's office.
He is scheduled to face extradition to Pennsylvania to face the charges.
Vlasaty said Tuesday she has received considerable abuse over the past week, first for deciding to allow the club, and now for booting it from campus.
“I received messages saying that I should not be around children, that I’m ‘woke,’ that I’m spineless, that I disregard the constitution, that I worked with Satan, that I should be ashamed to call myself a mother, that the lessons I teach my children should be called into question, and that my two small children and I should burn in Hell,” she said.
“I know what I signed on for. My kids, my family, however, did not.”
