A.Z. v. Nova Classical Academy

Summary

A.Z. is a devout Christian and pro-life advocate. One day, she brought a few pro-life fliers with her to school, Nova Classical Academy, a St. Paul-Minneapolis area charter school. For example, one of the fliers read, “Save the baby humans. Stop abortion.” During her lunch period, A.Z. and a couple of friends decided to hand out the fliers to anyone that was interested. Several students expressed an interest in the fliers, and the whole process was very peaceful and non-disruptive. But a few days later, A.Z. and her friends were called into the school office, told that their fliers were “offensive” and warned not to pass them out on school property, even after school. When A.Z.’s parents contacted the school to question this censorship of their daughter’s speech, they were told that the “school has a right to censor students without violating their free speech.”

Represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, A.Z. filed a lawsuit challenging the censorship of her pro-life speech. As a result, Nova Classical Academy revised its policy to protect the right of A.Z. and other students at the school to distribute religious and pro-life materials to their classmates.

Building upon victories like this, Alliance Defending Freedom continues to fight for students such as A.Z. who are told that their pro-life and religious expression is not welcome inside the schoolhouse gates.