ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND-CHRISTIAN LEGAL SOCIETY NEWS RELEASE
October 4, 2007 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT ADF MEDIA RELATIONS:  (480) 444-0020

CLS & ADF: Calif. Christian school has the right
to make its own religious admission decisions

Coalition of Christian schools represented by CLS and ADF attorneys
seeks to intervene as defendant in high school lawsuit

RIVERSIDE, Ca. - Attorneys with the Christian Legal Society and Alliance Defense Fund will present oral arguments to a California Court Friday, asking the Court to allow the Association of Faith-Based Organizations to intervene in support of California Lutheran High School. The parents of two students are suing the school because it suspended the two girls when they violated the school's code of conduct by allegedly engaging in homosexual behavior.

"This lawsuit involves issues that are incredibly significant to all religious organizations that desire to preserve their right to make admissions and disciplinary decisions consistent with their religious beliefs ," said CLS Litigation Counsel Timothy J. Tracey. "To subject Christian schools to liability under California anti-discrimination laws for expelling students who engage in homosexual conduct flatly violates this right."

The suspended students' parents claim the school is engaging in "sexual orientation" discrimination in violation of state anti-discrimination laws. AFBO is seeking to intervene in the case on behalf of a coalition of Christian schools to argue that the Constitution permits the schools to establish religious admissions criteria and rules of conduct for their students. In light of this, AFBO argues that application of state anti-discrimination laws would violate the schools' constitutional rights.

A copy of the brief in support of the motion to intervene, filed by CLS and ADF attorneys in Doe v. California Lutheran High School in the Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of Riverside, is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/CLHSAintervention.pdf.

ADF (www.telladf.org) is a legal alliance defending the right to hear and speak the Truth. The CLS Center for Law & Religious Freedom is a team of Christian attorneys allied with ADF to defend religious liberty and human life.

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