Fargo Schools Allegedly Discriminate Against Pro-Life Club
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An issue of alleged discrimination in Fargo Public Schools. A Chicago-based public interest law firm is backing two high school students who are trying to start a pro-life club.
It all stems from two students at Fargo North and Davies High Schools trying to start pro-life clubs at the schools. The district told them they couldn’t so now, with some help, they are firing back.
A violation of first amendment rights. That is what Thomas More Society states in its letter to the district.
“What we want to do with the club is really educate our fellow students on all the life, on the respect for life at all stages from conception until death,” says student Brigid O’Keefe.
Fargo North sophomore Brigid O’Keefe submitted an application to start a pro-life club in February. After extensive questioning, much more than what she experienced when she started a book club in the Fall, her request was denied by the school. When she asked for reconsideration, the school passed the case along to the district. They decided to classify the club as an outside agency which means it can’t be affiliated with the school.
“We were all really kind of set off by it, really uneasy,” O’Keefe says.
In Thomas More Society’s letter, they say there is no legally acceptable reason to classify these clubs as outside agencies and request that the district’s decision be reversed.
“Quite frankly the point of education is to be able to understand controversial issues. So if we can never talk about controversial issues how can we be educated on them?” O’Keefe says.
School officials declined to comment but did release a statement.
“The District takes the assertions made in the letter seriously. The letter has been submitted to the District’s attorney for review.”
We reached out to the Red River Women’s Clinic for a response, but they did not get back to us.
The school district has until April 17th to respond to the Thomas More Society’s letter.
