Posted on 11/22/2015 3:37:49 AM PST by Cowman
A Nevada girl who fought a long legal battle with her school over a pro-life club didn’t just get her club approved, she got her school to pay for it.
The Thomas More Society, the religious liberty legal group representing junior Angelique Clark, announced Friday they would drop their lawsuit against Clark County School District in Las Vegas and that the school has agreed to pay $30,000 in attorney fees. The school agreed in September to allow the pro-life club after legal pressure.
“We’re pleased that District officials worked so diligently with us to protect the First Amendment rights of Angelique, her pro-life club, and all their students,†Jocelyn Floyd, Associate Counsel of Thomas More Society, said in a statement. “This settlement is a victory not only for Angelique and her pro-life club, but for all students who wish to speak out or form clubs to address issues that they’re facing.â€
Clark, a student at West Career and Technical Academy, applied in December of 2014 to start a pro-life club at her school but was told by the administration the club was too “controversial†and that other people were more qualified to speak on the topic.
Clark told The Daily Caller News Foundation in August that the ban on her club was unfair because the school already had a gay-straight alliance club, chess club, Bible club, anime club, and others but wouldn’t allow her pro-life club even though she had dozens of students ready to join.
Clark teamed up with the Thomas More Society and sued her school. Floyd said she was glad the school conceded because “there have been times when school districts will dig their heels in whether they have a strong case or not.â€
“I am so excited that I will finally be able to start a pro-life club at my high school,†Clark said in a statement after her club was approved. “I started with the idea to provide a safe place to educate my fellow students on the beauty of life at all stages, and I am very thankful to Students for Life of America and the Thomas More Society for helping me defend my rights so that students at my school can now gather for life. I look forward to running the WCTA pro-life club with all the other students who have already signed up to be a voice for the voiceless and ignored—the preborn and the mothers who think abortion is their only choice.â€
“...was told by the administration the club was too controversial”...yet for two thousand years of Christianity, being pro-life, from point of conception to natural death, was the normal and defensible position in the West. Just another example of how far we’ve slid down the slippery slope of lies generated and promoted by the enemies of freedom, life and responsible adult behavior. We live in bad times, people. Very bad, that can only end badly, with even many more millions of innocent lives lost.
These people are pro-abortion, of course. But they deny permission for pro-life clubs because they live in such a bubble that they view a “pro-life club” as BIZARRE. They think pro-lifers are a tiny minority. They expect no resistance.
The "school" can't pay for anything. Taxpayers paid that bill. The lawyers made out like fat cats as always and the progressives that made the call go on about their business unscathed.
I guess the saving grace being that at least it was s'posedly for a good cause this go around.
Since the administration ended costing the taxpayers $30,000 unnecessarily, the administrators involved should be fired and all vested pension deleted.
I wonder if that school has a ‘Gay Straight Alliance’ club.
"Clark told The Daily Caller News Foundation in August that the ban on her club was unfair because the school already had a gay-straight alliance club..."
I’m glad they had to pay the lawyers’ fees. Economic penalty for discrimination is perfectly fine. Too bad it was so low. It serves as a deterrence for the future.
If the public does not want to pay punative fees for discrimination, maybe they should raise he!! and get new management that does not discriminate against Christians.
“The lawyers made out like fat cats...”
The Thomas More Society is on our side.
$30k in legal fees is chump change, compared to the kind of lawsuits typically filed by lefties who demand, and win, millions in punitive damages for getting their feelings hurt.
Actually, I'd prefer allowing suit to be brought against the individuals in school management. If they were to be in danger of being sued PERSONALLY it may make a difference. AS it is now they have no risk of anything because the school district will foot the bill
Opinions vary. d:^)
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