Study finds 83 Christian universities maintain ties with Planned Parenthood

A recent report from Students for Life of America (SFLA) revealed that 83 Christian colleges and universities across the United States have ties to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s leading abortion provider. 

The investigation by SFLA’s Demetree Institute for Pro-Life Advancement examined 732 Christian-affiliated institutions for the fourth year in a row for any connections to abortion services, including listing Planned Parenthood as a health resource, promoting its events on campus, and advertising the abortion corporation’s volunteer, internship, or career opportunities.

This research is part of SFLA’s Christian Schools Project, which is aimed at raising public awareness about the connections between Christian institutions and the abortion industry “so that change can be made.” 

In 2023 alone, Planned Parenthood ended the lives of at least 392,715 preborn children through abortion.

SFLA President Kristan Hawkins urged on her X account, “We must demand these institutions sever all connections with abortion providers immediately and fully commit to the pro-life values they were founded on… [T]rue Christians cannot support abortion.”

According to the study, schools were graded from A+ to F based on their level of affiliation with abortion services. An “F” grade is assigned to institutions with four or more infractions. For example, Emory University, which received an “F” for having eight infractions, notes on its website that “Emory Healthcare will perform abortions in compliance with state and federal law.”

In addition, the study found that 65 professors at Christian schools have connections to the abortion industry through events or publications, and 14 of those professors have been directly affiliated with abortion industry leaders like Planned Parenthood through previous employment or board positions. Researchers noted that this finding indicates “a more insidious problem brewing at Christian schools that suggests their staffing choices do not reflect the foundational values of their institutions.”

A notable example is Saint Louis University, a Catholic institution in Missouri that almost received an “A” grade. However, Professor Brietta Clark’s promotion of “abortion care” in her article, “Protecting Health After Dobbs,” and her involvement in campus events advocating for abortion as health care led to the school’s lower rating.

Conversely, 58 institutions earned an “A+” for having no infractions and actively supporting pro-life alternatives, such as local pregnancy resource centers—a 32% increase compared to 2023. Another 591 schools received an “A” for either having no infractions or cutting ties with Planned Parenthood after being notified by SFLA.

Sadly, some schools that previously received an “A” rating were downgraded this year. For example, Saint Elizabeth University in New Jersey decreased from an “A” to an “F” due to the number of times they now refer students directly to local abortion vendors instead of pregnancy resource centers.

The report also highlights a troubling trend: Christian schools’ support for abortion-related services has increased by 10% annually since 2022 following the reversal of Roe v. Wade. The study noted, “In the continuing wake of Roe v. Wade’s reversal, Christian schools are choosing to fall in with the Culture of Death, instead of holding fast to Christian teaching which calls them to protect the vulnerable.”

As a result of the study, 12 Christian schools severed their ties with the abortion industry in 2024 alone after being contacted by researchers, bringing the total number of connections removed since 2021 to 54. The hope is that more institutions will follow suit and realign with pro-life values.

“If the pro-life movement wishes to change the entire landscape of higher education in the United States to become life-affirming, it is essential to start with religious schools that already should align with the Christian belief that all life is valuable and worthy of protection,” the study emphasized.