A Las Vegas high school student who sued the Clark County School District because she was not allowed to form a pro-life club at her school has won.
The school district has now decided that Angelique Clark, a junior at West Career and Technical Academy, can start a chapter of the Students For Life Club in her school.
"I wanted to have it in a school because that's where most people I talk to reside," Clark told KNPR's State of Nevada, "It's an important place to have it because that's where most people will hang out after school."
She said she hasn't started the club yet because school has just started but she is planning the first meeting. Clark also said about 25 people expressed interest in being part of it.
Clark started trying to form the club in December of last year but was surprised when she was told no because there are already several other non-curriculum-related clubs on campus.
"I was a little shocked that they would just say no because of the fact that it was too controversial, that pro-choice people would some how be left out, that there were people more qualified to talk about abortion than me so I shouldn't have a club," Clark said.
Before starting the lawsuit, Clark said she sent two demand letters to CCSD explaining her First Amendment rights under the Equal Access Act, but didn't get a response.
Although she was surprised that she wasn't allowed to form the club at first, Clark said she is not surprised the district acquiesced.
"I knew the law was on my side the whole time," she said.
The attention surrounding the lawsuit has lead to attacks on her position on abortion along with personal attacks.
"There's some pretty crazy negative feedback about this," she said.
She said she doesn't hate people who disagree with her, she believes they just don't fully understand the issue.
"That makes me feel that there is an ignorance or they don't understand fully what abortion is and they want to take it out on a person who has learned what abortion is towards a human being," Clark said.
Angelique Clark, student
