First Liberty Institute, a religious rights law firm, sent a letter to the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) located in Aurora, demanding the school immediately approve senior Marcail McBride's request. 

"Under Illinois law, schools must provide religious accommodations for their students, and they must also honor requests to excuse students from programs with sexual content," said Keisha Russell, counsel to First Liberty Institute. 

"Schools should never violate the religious conscience of their students. We hope President Torres ends the school administrators' clearly unlawful behavior and protects the religious liberty of every student by granting an accommodation to the family," Russell continued.

The IMSA offers programs for talented students from 10th grade through 12th grade. The school's tuition-free residential educational program enrolls a diverse student body of 650 from all areas of Illinois; admission is highly competitive, according to the IMSA website. 

The school requires students to complete the Student Gender and Sexuality Program before graduation. Students must agree to both "stay engaged" and "experience discomfort" while participating in the program, which uses sexual language to identify sexual preferences and gender identity.

In November, McBride's parents notified IMSA officials that their daughter could not participate in the program because it forces her to violate her religious beliefs. The IMSA leadership repeatedly denied the McBrides' request and threatened to punish Marcail if she does not participate in the program.

According to attorneys with First Liberty, the Illinois Religious Freedom Restoration Act requires IMSA to refrain from placing a substantial burden on the religious exercise of its students. 

And Illinois law states, "No pupil shall be required to take or participate in any class or course in comprehensive sex education if his parent or guardian submits written objection thereto, and refusal to take or participate in such course or program shall not be reason for suspension or expulsion of such pupil."

Russell added, "The school is attempting to evade the law that allows parents to opt their children out of sexual education by claiming that discussions about sexuality are not sex education. But the law is clear—the school is required to provide an accommodation to our client." Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Dolly Parton Announces She's Putting Music Career on Hold

Six Pro-Life Medical Groups Ask HHS & FDA to Reinstate Abortion Pill Safeguards

FTC to Investigate Trans Industry's Threats of Child Suicide

1 Year after Butler: Here's What We've Learned About Those Multiple Suspended Secret Service Agents

GOP Senators to Defy Trump, Try to Save NPR & PBS

President Trump Hits a Home Run With June's Job Report

Pastor Expresses Shock, Claims ICE Arrested Iranian 'Christian Asylum Seekers' Attending His Church

John Kerry Admits Trump 'Was Right' on Immigration

Governor Newsom Protests ICE Raid on Marijuana Farm Allegedly Found Using Child Labor

'God's Definitely Real': Cross Necklace Saves Man's Life after He Was Shot in the Chest

Faith and Grief Intertwine in Texas Flood Recovery: 'Y'all Pray and Keep Praying'

African Leaders Agree: Trump Deserves a Nobel Peace Prize

Uh Oh, New Jersey Is Coming for Homeschoolers

DOJ Launches Nationwide Subpoena Offensive against Doctors, Clinics Providing 'Trans Surgeries' to Kids

ICE Nabs Dozens of Illegal Alien Pedophiles Roaming Freely in Walz's Minnesota

Trump Administration Moves to Bar Foreign Acquisition of US Farmland

Six Secret Service Agents Connected to Trump Butler Assassination Attempt Suspended

Biden's Doctor Pleads the 5th, Walks Out of Hearing on Joe's Mental Decline [WATCH]

Eleven Republican Members of Congress Demand NIH End Fauci's 'Barbaric' Animal Tests as Agency Clings to Cruel Legacy

California Rejects Trump Admin. Resolution to Keep Men Out of Women's Sports