**Moody Bible Institute Sues Chicago Public Schools for Alleged Religious Discrimination**
The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago has filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Board of Education, claiming religious discrimination after Chicago Public Schools barred its students from participating in the district’s student teaching program.
According to the district, Moody’s hiring policies—requiring employees to uphold Christian beliefs on marriage and sexuality—violate Chicago Public Schools’ anti-discrimination rules concerning religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation. The district has stated that Moody students will be excluded from the student teaching program unless the school changes these hiring practices.
The legal nonprofit representing Moody, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), argues that the district is unlawfully excluding the college because of its religious mission. ADF is seeking a federal court injunction to protect Moody students’ access to the program.
ADF states that all employees at Moody are expected to support the school’s mission of spreading the gospel and preparing students through biblical, practical, and relevant training. Employees are also required to uphold biblical beliefs on marriage and sexuality.
Chicago Public Schools, however, maintains that these hiring practices violate its anti-discrimination policy. The policy stipulates that colleges and universities participating in the student teaching program must not “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.”
Despite the fact that Moody’s elementary education degree is recognized and state-approved, the district continues to exclude the college’s students from its teaching program. Moody previously sought a compromise, requesting that the school district amend its policy to provide an exception for religious institutions, according to ADF. With Chicago Public Schools refusing the request, Moody is now asking a federal court to declare the district’s actions discriminatory and issue an injunction to protect the college’s rights.
ADF Senior Counsel Jeremiah Galus commented that Chicago Public School officials are ignoring the need for teachers in the district and “putting personal agendas ahead of the needs of families.” He went on to say, “Moody holds its faculty and students to high standards of excellence and is more than qualified to participate in Chicago’s student-teaching program. 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.”
**Topics:** General Discussion, Religion & Politics
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