Students free to be voice for aborted children

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Alliance Defending Freedom is offering free legal assistance to public school students who participate in the Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity if their First Amendment freedoms aren’t respected. The annual event, occurring this year on Tuesday at schools across the nation, offers pro-life students an opportunity to express their views on abortion.

“Public schools should encourage, not shut down, the free exchange of ideas,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Jeremy Tedesco. “Under the First Amendment, students are free to express their views on abortion just as other students have the freedom to express their views on the same and other topics. ADF and its nationwide network of private allied attorneys stand ready to defend participating students if they have their constitutionally protected freedoms violated on campus.”

Stand True Ministries, a pro-life youth organization led by President Bryan Kemper, sponsors the Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity.

“This is the 10th year of the Pro-life Day of Silent Solidarity, and we are excited to see how God has used this event,” said Kemper. “The event has grown from students at hundreds of campuses to thousands of campuses in dozens of countries over the past 10 years. We have heard about hundreds of young girls who have cancelled abortions because of Silent Day. Hearts are being changed, babies are being saved, and women are being spared the trauma of post-abortive pain.”

ADF has published legal memos for both public school and public university students, informing them of their freedom under the First Amendment to peacefully express themselves on their campuses to promote awareness about the dangers, as well as the physical and emotional toll, of abortion. ADF has successfully defended students whom public school officials barred from participating in the event in past years.

The U.S. Supreme Court has rightfully noted that “students retain their First Amendment liberties while on campus.” As the memos explain, “The Supreme Court has held time and again, both within and outside of the school context, that the mere fact that someone might take offense at the content of speech is not sufficient justification for prohibiting it.”

“There’s no legitimate basis for public school officials to prohibit students from engaging in this important form of expression,” added ADF Legal Counsel Matt Sharp. “We hope our legal memos clarify the freedom of students to participate in this event. We’re available free of charge to students, parents, and schools to provide legal guidance on exactly these types of First Amendment issues.”