Moody Bible Institute sues Chicago Public Schools for religious discrimination

Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune on Nov 7, 2025

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CHICAGO — Moody Bible Institute is suing the Chicago Board of Education for alleged religious discrimination after the college was barred from the district’s student teaching program.

The Christian college alleges Chicago Public Schools will not allow it to participate in the program unless it signs the district’s non-discrimination policy, which goes against its doctrinal statement, according to a complaint filed Tuesday in Chicago federal court.

The complaint was filed on Moody’s behalf by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian law firm and advocacy group.

“Chicago desperately needs more teachers to fill hundreds of vacancies, but public school administrators are putting personal agendas ahead of the needs of families,” attorney Jeremiah Galus said in a statement.

CPS requires all of its contractors and employees to abide by its non-discrimination policy, which includes protections based on sexual orientation, gender identity or sex. CPS has more than 1,000 student teachers from over 50 universities.

But Moody, a River North bible college enrolling roughly 2,300 students, requires faculty, students and staff to align with its religious beliefs. That includes Moody’s doctrinal statement, which opposes same-sex marriage and only recognizes two genders.

CPS’ student teacher and vendor agreements, which include non-discrmination language, would prevent Moody from “employing only those who share its religious beliefs and agree to comply with its standards of Christian conduct,” according to the filing.

Moody’s elementary education program was approved by the state last year, allowing graduates to teach in Illinois public schools as well as private, the complaint said. In their final semester, seniors pursuing the degree complete a full semester of student teaching, which is a full-time,13-week placement.

In July, the college asked CPS to amend the contract language so that it could receive an exemption as a faith-based institution. But in email exchanges, the district refused.

While CPS staff conceded that “certain exemptions may exist for religious institutions in their own practices,” Moody and its students can’t participate as long as they are “unable to align” with the district’s non-discrimination policy, the complaint said.

Moody alleges the refusal violates its First Amendment rights, citing infringements on both freedom of religion and expression. The college also states that it contradicts the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees equal treatment under the law regardless of one’s religious beliefs.

A district spokesperson said that CPS does not comment on pending litigation, but that it “remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of its students.” The Chicago Teachers Union did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The filing seeks injunctive relief to allow Moody’s participation in the student teaching program, along with compensatory damages and attorneys’ fees.

In a statement to the Tribune, Moody President Mark Jobe said the school “should not be forced to choose between our faith and helping students advance in their educational opportunities.”

“We are grateful for the work of Alliance Defending Freedom as we are put into the position of having to defend our constitutional right to hire like-minded staff and faculty who live out our biblical beliefs and mission,” Jobe said.

Alliance Defending Freedom has become a major player in national culture war litigation. It has been involved in several challenges to same-sex marriage, LGBTQ rights and abortion, and has had recent cases advance to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Moody’s complaint comes as the White House expresses support for some religious activity in public schools, including the right to pray.

The filing is the second high-profile legal challenge to CPS programming in recent months. In April, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights launched an investigation into the district’s Black Student Success Plan. The probe cited a complaint from Parents Defending Education, a group with a history of interrogating race-based policies. CPS officials have stood by the initiative, but will lose millions in federal funding.

Moody’s policies, too, have come under scrutiny in the past. In 2021, a sex discrimination lawsuit alleged that the school had fostered a hostile environment for LGBTQ students. In another suit in 2018, an instructor claimed that she was fired after challenging the school’s doctrinal stance that women should not serve in ministerial roles.

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