A Pennsylvania Catholic high school has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that public school members of a regional athletic conference attempted to push faith-based schools out of the league by changing its governing rules.
Bishop McCort Catholic Academy filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania against multiple public school districts in the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, alleging violations of federal civil rights protections.
The complaint claims that public schools within the conference conspired to remove Catholic institutions by changing conference rules to allow member schools to be expelled without cause. The lawsuit alleges the effort targeted Bishop McCort and other religious schools in the conference because of their faith-based identity.
The legal challenge comes amid growing tensions between public and private schools over governance of interscholastic athletics and raises constitutional questions involving religious freedom and equal protection.
Conference Renewal Triggered Dispute
The Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference, which includes schools from several counties in western Pennsylvania, was formed in 2022. Since its creation, Catholic schools including Bishop McCort, Bishop Guilfoyle Academy and Bishop Carroll High School have competed alongside public school districts in the league.
The dispute arose late last year as conference members prepared to renew participation agreements for the 2027–2031 membership cycle.
According to the lawsuit, representatives from several public school districts submitted a proposed amendment to the conference constitution in October that would change how membership renewals are decided.
Under the amendment, schools would be required to submit letters committing to another four-year membership term. Continued participation would then require approval by a two-thirds vote of conference members at a formal meeting.
Bishop McCort’s lawsuit argues that the new rule would allow schools to be expelled or excluded from the conference even if they had not violated any rules.
Under the conference’s original 2022 constitution, schools could only be expelled “for cause,” meaning a member institution must have taken actions that harmed the league.
Attorneys for Bishop McCort say the proposed change effectively opened the door for public schools to vote religious institutions out of the conference.
Amendment Approved Despite Opposition from Catholic Schools
The lawsuit states that the amendment was approved Nov. 19 during a vote among conference members.
Public school districts voted in favor of the change, while the three Catholic schools—Bishop McCort, Bishop Guilfoyle and Bishop Carroll—opposed the amendment.
A meeting had initially been scheduled for December to determine which schools would remain members for the next four-year cycle. That meeting was later rescheduled for Jan. 27.
Concerned that the new voting structure could be used to remove it from the conference, Bishop McCort filed its lawsuit Jan. 23.
The complaint was submitted by Thomas Smith, the school’s chief administrative officer, along with attorneys George R. Farneth II of Pittsburgh and Nicholas A. Miller of Bridgeville.
Constitutional Claims
The lawsuit alleges several constitutional violations, including infringement of the First Amendment’s protection of religious expression and a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
It also alleges that public-school districts within the conference conspired to exclude Catholic schools from the league.
“The purpose of the legal action was to protect Bishop McCort’s constitutionally protected First Amendment right to offer a faith-based academic program, complete with extracurricular athletic activities, without deprivation through state conduct,” Smith said in the complaint.
Bishop McCort asked a federal judge to issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the amendment while the legal challenge proceeds.
The complaint also cites language from the PIAA constitution stating that all students should have equal opportunities to participate in interscholastic athletics regardless of “race, color, sex, creed, religion or ethnic background.”
Warning of Legal Battle
In December, Ralph Cecere, superintendent of the Homer-Center School District and chairman of PIAA District 6, sent a letter to conference members warning that removing a school from the conference could result in legal action.
“District 6 and the PIAA do not recognize leagues or conferences,” Cecere wrote. “Schools are permitted to enter into contracts and compete against any PIAA member school, and we are in no way directing you on how to proceed. We are just informing you that if the vote goes against any LHAC member school, your district may … have a legal battle to address.”
Bishop McCort’s lawsuit interprets the letter as evidence that the PIAA was aware of the potential legal conflict but declined to intervene.
The complaint further alleges that the PIAA has historically scrutinized student transfers from public schools to Bishop McCort and has demonstrated bias against religious institutions.
The PIAA declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing ongoing litigation.
Conference Ultimately Renewed Membership
Despite the concerns raised in the lawsuit, conference members voted Jan. 27 to renew membership for all schools, including the three Catholic institutions, for the next four-year cycle.
Homer DeLattre, athletic director at Hollidaysburg Area School District and director of the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference, said all 22 member schools were approved for continued participation.
DeLattre said the controversial amendment was not discussed during the Jan. 27 meeting.
Even though Bishop McCort’s membership was renewed, the lawsuit remains active.
Nicholas Miller, one of the attorneys representing the school, said the renewal vote does not resolve the legal claims raised in the case.
“The underlying issue of religious discrimination has not been addressed,” Miller said.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages, and any decision to withdraw the case will ultimately be made by Bishop McCort.
Wide Range of Defendants
In what attorneys have described as a “David versus Goliath” dispute, the small Catholic school — which enrolls roughly 350 students — named 19 public school districts as defendants.
The districts include Bald Eagle Area, Bellefonte, Bedford, Bellwood-Antis, Central Cambria, Chestnut Ridge, Clearfield, Forest Hills, Johnstown, Hollidaysburg, Huntingdon, Penn Cambria, Penns Valley, Philipsburg-Osceola, Richland, Somerset, Spring Cove, Tyrone and Westmont-Hilltop.
The lawsuit also names Bishop Guilfoyle Academy and Bishop Carroll High School as parties because they are members of the conference, though no damages are being sought from those schools.
Case Moves Forward in Federal Court
U.S. District Chief Judge Cathy Bissoon denied Bishop McCort’s request for a temporary restraining order, describing such relief as an extraordinary remedy.
However, the case has been referred to the federal court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution program.
The matter has since been reassigned to U.S. District Judge Christy Criswell Weigand. A date has not yet been set for arguments on a preliminary injunction.
Although the immediate threat of removal from the conference has passed, the lawsuit highlights broader tensions over the role of private religious schools in public athletic leagues.
For Bishop McCort and its supporters, the case represents a larger fight over whether faith-based institutions can participate in interscholastic athletics without facing exclusion by public-school majorities.
“The question,” the complaint states, “is whether religious schools can participate in athletic conferences without being subject to exclusion through discriminatory rules adopted by public-school members.”
