Parents have slammed a primary school after a 'disgusting' After School Satan Club was set up for children as young as five.
Golden Hills Elementary School in Tehachapi, California, has been criticised for recently creating the after-school club, which is founded by the Satanic Temple and the Reason Alliance.
One parent has described the club as 'disgusting' while another said it was a 'mistake' to allow the e xtracurricular group.
However creator of the club Paul Hicks has hit back at the parents and said the reaction was to be expected.
Mr Hicks, who is also a critical thinking professor, said: "We've already gotten threats against us. As I would often say, there's no hate like Christian love."
One grandparent said she couldn't understand why any parent would send their child to the controversial group .
Sheila Knight said: "I understand the school has to allow them because they allow other after school programs such as the good news, which is a Christian based after school program, that one I'm okay with.
"But I can't imagine why anyone would want their child to attend this Satanic group."
Dozens of concerned parents have voiced their anger at the after-school club online as one man expressed his concern in the Techapi Asks, Rants, and Raves Facebook group.
Joe Lathrop wrote: "So several people have told me that the new Satan after school club at Golden Hills elementary is not a religion, but a philosophy club ... Then why did they choose Satan? Why not the Jean Paul Sartre existentialism club? Why not the Descartes club?
"They put Satan in the name for a reason. People should stop being intellectually dishonest and just own up to the fact that they want kids to worship Satan as a secular god."
One parent responded in the group and claimed it was 'sick' to target children as young as five, she wrote: "It's just sick that they are targeting elementary school kids. Those are babies.
"The whole thing is a lark for a reaction."
Whilst one man said it was hypocritical of the school board to say they had no choice in the group being set-up.
He wrote: "The hypocrisy of the School Board..saying they have no choice...just try starting a Neo Nazi Club or a Pro Life Club and see how fast they run."
A spokesperson for the After School Satan Club said the club is supposed to 'educate children and encourage critical thinking', according to Lucien Greaves.
She added that despite the controversial name the group does not teach Satanism to kids.
Ms Greaves said: "We keep religious matters out of the teachings of the after school Satan clubs and people often ask us, "well then why include Satanism at all, being that people are going to be offended by it?"
Brenda Maher, a relative of a student, said the group is a mistake and she will not allow her grandson to attend.
She wrote: "Tehachapi said yes, and I think they made a mistake. I know my grandson will not be a part of this club."
Tehachapi Unified School District said in a statement it was against the law to discriminate against groups founded on faith.
It said: "There's currently a Good News Club there which is teaching kids to go save souls for Jesus, at the school. We want to give an alternative point of view."
