The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago has filed a lawsuit against the Board of Education of the City of Chicago, claiming the district barred their students from participating in a student-teacher program because of the college’s faith-based hiring policies.
The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a non-profit legal group, filed a lawsuit on behalf of the college earlier this month in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Moody Bible Institute’s Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education program requires prospective teachers to complete a minimum number of classroom observation, practicum, and student-teaching hours.
However, the lawsuit argues that Chicago Public School officials are refusing to allow Moody students to participate in its student-teaching program unless Moody abandons its religiously based hiring practices and hires employees who disagree with Moody’s core mission and biblical values.
Chicago Public Schools have a policy that colleges and universities participating in the 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.”
“As a condition of participation, Chicago Public Schools insists that Moody sign agreements with employment nondiscrimination provisions that forbid Moody from employing only those who share and live out its faith,” the lawsuit claims.
Moody requested an amendment to the policy to accommodate its religious affiliation, citing that the school district has signed agreements with Trinity Christian College and Concordia University despite those schools giving employment preference based on religion.
“By allowing these other colleges and universities to participate in the Program, Chicago Public Schools demonstrates that it selectively enforces its employment nondiscrimination policy,” Moody argues.
Additionally, the Illinois State Board of Education approved Moody Bible Institute’s Elementary Education degree program in 2024.
The lawsuit outlines that by excluding Moody and its students because of its faith-based employment practices that the school board is violating the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Illinois Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
“If the First Amendment means anything, it means that religious institutions and religious people have the same rights as everybody else,” Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Jeremiah Galus told The Lion.
He added, “We believe that the First Amendment speaks very clearly to that issue. And just like Christian students shouldn’t be forced to give up opportunities for following their faith, a Christian school shouldn’t be forced to choose between its faith and advancing educational opportunities for its students.”
Moody is seeking a declaratory judgment and an injunction to prevent Chicago Public Schools from excluding its students from the program.
The lawsuit alleges the district’s stance has not only harmed the school’s reputation but also harmed its elementary education students’ job prospects after graduation.
“The exclusion is even more troubling because every year, Chicago Public Schools struggles to fill hundreds of vacant teaching positions. By barring Moody and its students from participation, the Board not only violates their constitutional and statutory rights but also deprives its own schools and students of well-prepared and qualified student teachers,” it reads.
A CPS spokesperson told the Chicago Tribune that while they will not comment on pending litigation, the school district “remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of its students.”
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