Parkland’s School Board has approved a settlement agreement resolving a dispute which arose last spring when students wanted to establish a pro-life club at the high school.

In June, Superintendent Richard Sniscak reported the club’s application raised some concerns the high school administration found objectionable.

At that time, Solicitor Steven Miller said the district has certain parameters to be met by every club.

If the group would make revisions to be compliant with the district’s club policy, the application would be approved, Miller said at the time.

The students, with assistance from the Thomas More Society, filed a federal lawsuit against the school district in July.

According to information received from a Chicago public relations firm on July 11, the Thomas More Society filed a lawsuit against the Parkland School District regarding the administration’s decision on a proposed pro-life club.

Tom Ciesielka of TC Public Relations emailed The Press the following statement at the time:

“Today, attorneys have filed a lawsuit against Parkland High School and Parkland School District on behalf of students Elizabeth Castro and Grace Schairer.

The lawsuit, which was filed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from co-counsel Christopher G. Sweet of the American Catholic Lawyers Association Inc., alleges school administrators violated Castro and Schairer’s free speech rights when approval for the pro-life club was allegedly conditioned on the students giving up certain speech rights.

According to a news release provided on Oct. 24 by Parkland School District, from the beginning, the district requested the court schedule a settlement conference to bring about a positive outcome for the club to exist at the high school.

Working with the court, students have agreed to settle their suit and operate the club under terms of the settlement agreement.

The club, “Trojans for Life,” will be established as a provisional non-curricular-related student organization for two years.

If it continues to have active members, regular meetings, and a faculty advisor for two years, it will be granted non-provisional club status.

All newly created non-curricular-related student clubs must follow the two year provisional guidelines.

As part of the settlement, students agreed the organization will adhere to all rules, regulations, policies and practices applicable to all non-curricular-related high school clubs.

As in all other non-curricular-related student clubs, members have a right to express their viewpoints, provided the expressive activity does not interfere with the educational process.

Board policy indicates student expression shall not threaten serious harm to the school community, shall not encourage unlawful activity, and shall not interfere with the rights of others.

Students will be asked to provide parental consent, release, waiver forms before participating in any approved off-campus student club activity.

The administration notes approval of any student club is not an endorsement of the group’s goals, objectives, or activities.

Sniscak commented on the situation at the board’s Oct. 24 meeting.

“This was an amicable resolution,” Sniscak said. “It didn’t go to court. They have been meeting since September.”