Alliance Defending Freedom is challenging a federal court ruling that allowed an Indiana high school to strip official recognition from a student’s pro-life club after the school objected to fliers the group wanted to display.
What is Alliance Defending Freedom?
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, marriage and family, and the sanctity of life.
Alliance Defending Freedom has a dedicated division called Alliance Defending Church & Ministry Alliance. This branch of the organization focuses on providing legal assistance and guidance to churches and religious ministries. Its primary objective is to protect the right of faith-based groups to freely practice and express their beliefs without facing unjust punishment or interference.
The E.D. v. Noblesville School District case involves a former freshman at Noblesville High School, referred to only as E.D., who started a chapter of Students for Life of America called Noblesville Students for Life (NSFL) during the 2021-2022 school year.
Her stated goals were to “raise awareness and generate discussion about the abortion issue while also doing something about it through volunteering.”
After initially approving the group, school officials later told E.D. she could not post flyers that included photographs of students holding signs with messages like “I Reject Abortion” and “Defund Planned Parenthood.” The principal then derecognized NSFL for being too “political.”
However, the school has nearly a dozen other student-led organizations, including groups with particular political and social views like Young Democrats and Young Republicans, Conservation Club, Campus Crusade for Christ, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Gender and Sexuality Alliance, Key Club, Leo Club, and Police Explorers.
In December 2021, E.D. filed a lawsuit against Noblesville Schools alleging violations of her First and 14th Amendment rights. However, a federal district court ruled in favour of the school district in Mar. 2024.
In April, Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys entered their appearance to represent E.D. in an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit.
In a statement on Alliance Defending Freedom Media, ADF Legal Counsel Mathew Hoffmann said students don’t lose their First Amendment right to free speech when they walk into a school building. “This isn’t just about a flyer; this is about a school telling a high-schooler that she can’t publicly express messages that are important to her. School officials punished the student because she sought to use flyers that expressed pro-life messages. While other student groups at the school are allowed to express messages that are important to them, this club was specifically punished because of the messages on the flyers,” Hoffman said.
Learn more about Alliance Defending Freedom here: https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/0992289D:US