SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. -- A Virginia high school has approved a student's request to form a pro-life club at school -- and Friday afternoon we learned that Maddie Sutherland will now be able to join the club she has fought to form.
The change comes after the school system originally said that the Courtland High School student would not be able to join the club since her initial application was denied.
However, Spotsylvania County Public Schools officials said in a news release late Friday the superintendent had approved the application after a request from the school's principal.
"While the School Division has not received any direct communication regarding the concerns over the start date of the club, which have been described in various media outlets, the School Division will take these concerns into consideration and re-examine the applicable School Board policies and regulations," Spotsylvania County Public Schools officials said in an email. "Today, the Principal requested that the Superintendent allow him to approve for the club to begin this year. In light of unique circumstances, the Principal’s request was granted."
When Sutherland, a student at Courtland High School in Spotsylvania, submitted her initial application earlier this year, it was denied because the school said the application was incomplete. Sutherland since resubmitted and the club application was approved.
The pro-life group would not become active until the Fall of 2015 because Sutherland missed the normal June club approval application deadline. Sutherland is a senior and should graduate this Spring.
"I will have graduated by next year, along with my fellow seniors who were going to be the pro-life club officers," Sutherland said in a statement. "We would like to educate our classmates on the pro-life position and help new moms by doing a diaper drive for our local pregnancy resource center."
CLICK: Maddie Sutherland discusses her pro-life club
"By refusing to approve Maddie's club for the current school year, Principal Marks has continued to ban Maddie from starting her pro-life group – she's a senior and won't even be a student at Courtland High School for the 2015-2016 school year," Jocelyn Floyd, Thomas More Society Associate Counsel, said. "Prohibiting Maddie and her fellow seniors from starting a pro-life club based on an unconstitutional deadline is not acceptable. Thomas More Society will be sending the principal a formal response on Monday and will release a more detailed media statement at that time."
Earlier this week when asked why Sutherland's initial club application was denied, Spotsylvania County Schools said Sutherland failed to include a constitution and bylaws in her application, and — if applicable — a statement about how the club pertains to the regular school curriculum.
Sutherland said she wanted to use the club to inform students about abortion alternatives, and to attend the annual March for Life rally.
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