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College alleges the public school system wants it to abandon its ‘religiously based hiring practices’
Moody Bible Institute, an evangelical Protestant college in Illinois, filed a lawsuit Tuesday alleging the Chicago public school system is discriminating against its student teachers because of its Christian mission.
“Chicago desperately needs more teachers to fill hundreds of vacancies, but public school administrators are putting personal agendas ahead of the needs of families,” Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Jeremiah Galus stated in a news release. The conservative legal organization is representing the college.
The school district declined to comment on the lawsuit when contacted Wednesday.
“Chicago Public Schools (CPS) remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of its students. In accordance with District policy, CPS does not comment on matters involving pending litigation,” spokesperson Evan Moore stated in an email to The College Fix.
According to the college’s lawyers, the Chicago Board of Education and Chicago Public Schools refuse to employ student teachers from Moody’s elementary education program.
The reason is the district’s non-discrimination policy, the ADF news release states.
Under the policy, higher education institutions involved in its student-teaching program cannot “discriminate against any individual with respect to compensation, or other terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of . . . religion, . . . gender identity/expression, [or] sexual orientation.”
Following the policy would mean that Moody must abandon “its religiously based hiring practices,” according to the news release.
Previously, the Christian college asked the school district to amend the policy and recognize “its rights as a religious institution,” but Chicago Public Schools refused, according to the news release.
This amounts to religious discrimination, Galus stated. “By excluding Moody for its religious beliefs, Chicago Public Schools is illegally injecting itself into a religious non-profit’s hiring practices, which the Constitution and state laws expressly forbid.”
The situation also makes it more difficult for students at the college to obtain their degree. Student teachers are “required to spend a minimum amount of time in classroom observation, practicum, and student teaching hours” in order to obtain their degree, the news release states.
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