A Satanic colouring book is under consideration in a Florida school district after a judge upheld a district policy allowing religious materials to be distributed to students.
The children's activity book was created by The Satanic Temple (TST), and is currently be reviewed by the Orange County School District.
Separation of church and state activists filed lawsuits claiming that the district's Bible distribution policy was a form of religious discrimination. A judge found the policy to be constitutional in January, so long as all religions have the opportunity to submit their literature for the district's review. An appeal filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation was dismissed in September.
An atheist organisation was permitted by the district to distribute their pamphlets to high school students, however begrudgingly. "None of these religious materials should be distributed," an atheist told WTFV last year. "None of our materials should be distributed, but want to ensure that if the Bible or any other religious materials are distributed, ours will be there as well."
TST has followed suit, and submitted "The Satanic Children's Big Book of Activities" for the district's consideration. The colouring book asks children to help Damian and Cerberus navigate a "dark, dank labyrinth to find the fabled Necronomicon," draw an inverted pentagram, and complete other activities containing Satanic symbols and characters.
"If a public school board is going to allow religious pamphlets and full Bibles to be distributed to students – as is the case in Orange County, Florida – we think the responsible thing to do is to ensure that these students are given access to a variety of differing religious opinions, as opposed to standing idly by while one religious voice dominates the discourse and delivers propaganda to our youth," TST spokesman Lucien Greaves said in September, when the organisation announced their intentions.
The school district has not announced when they will approve or deny TST's coloring book.
