A Las Vegas high school has relented and finally allowed a student to form an anti-abortion club on campus after it was sued when it first denied the student's application to form such a group.
The West Career & Technical Academy informed Angelique Clark that she can now form the anti-abortion group inside the campus even though the idea was turned down by the Clark County School district.
Last month, the Thomas More Society, a law firm dedicated to religious causes, filed a lawsuit against the school and the district after Clark's application was denied, charging the school with having violated her free speech rights.
A week later, the counsel for the school district offered a settlement.
"We're pleased with the quick response we've received from District officials," said Jocelyn Floyd, associate counsel of Thomas More Society. "They have acknowledged that these are serious issues and we're grateful for their efforts to protect the speech rights of not just Angelique and her club, but of all future clubs in the Clark County School District."
In a letter dated Aug. 31, Carlos McDade, the district' general counsel, said "Angelique Clark will be allowed to form a non-curriculum related, non-school sponsored, student initiated, student led pro-life group at West Career & Technical Academy."
The Thomas More Society said the school will have an initial informational meeting for student groups next week, after which Clark's club will be able to begin hosting meetings and events, the same as all other non-curriculum related clubs.
Clark said she's "excited that I will finally be able to start a pro-life club at my high school."
"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," she said. "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 pre-born and the mothers who think abortion is their only choice."
The Society and the school district are still in the process of negotiating a final settlement. Nevertheless, the Society expects the negotiation to lead to a smooth resolution and dismissal of the lawsuit.
