Moody Bible Institute is suing Chicago Public Schools over alleged discrimination against its students due to the college’s religious hiring practices. The lawsuit, filed by the conservative Christian law firm Alliance Defending Freedom, claims that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) barred Moody students from participating in its Pre-Service Teaching Program after the college refused to abandon its policy of hiring employees who affirm the school’s statement of faith and agree to live according to its Christian beliefs, including on gender and sexuality. The complaint states that CPS required Moody to sign agreements with employment nondiscrimination provisions forbidding the college from employing only those who share and live out its faith, which the lawsuit argues is unlawful.
After obtaining state approval for its elementary education program in January 2024, Moody contacted CPS about joining the student-teaching program. According to the lawsuit, CPS responded that the college would need to sign two nondiscrimination agreements to participate. Those agreements, nearly identical in language, require Moody to stop hiring only employees who share its Christian beliefs and agree to its code of conduct. They specifically prohibit discrimination based on religion, gender identity or expression, and sexual orientation.
Moody asked to modify the language to acknowledge its legal right to hire people of the same faith, but CPS rejected the request, citing its