A Catholic graduate student has filed a federal lawsuit against Springfield College after being expelled for refusing to observe an abortion procedure during her clinical training. Alina Thopurathu, an Indian-American woman and devout Catholic, claims the Massachusetts college violated her religious rights and breached its own policies by dismissing her from the physician assistant program.
The suit seeks $500,000 in damages and names the college president and three program administrators as defendants. Thopurathu argues she was removed from her clinical rotation, and ultimately expelled, after expressing religious objections to witnessing a second-trimester abortion at a hospital.
According to the complaint, Thopurathu notified faculty of her concerns and later submitted anonymous feedback about the requirement. Instead of accommodating her deeply held religious beliefs, Springfield College allegedly began a retaliatory campaign. She was removed from her clinical placement in December 2022, failed in multiple courses in spring 2023 despite previously strong academic performance, and was officially dismissed from the program in August 2023.
The lawsuit states this expulsion violated her civil rights under federal law and her contractual agreement with the institution. Her legal counsel accuses the college of religious discrimination, stating that the program’s actions reflect a hostile environment for students who oppose abortion on moral or faith-based grounds.
Springfield College, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, has not publicly responded to the lawsuit. The physician assistant program, like many in the medical field, may require students to engage with controversial procedures. However, Thopurathu contends that the college’s refusal to provide an exemption or alternative assignment demonstrates a blatant disregard for conscience protections.
Legal experts suggest the case could set a precedent for religious liberty rights in medical education. If successful, it may force colleges to implement clearer policies that respect students’ First Amendment protections while balancing clinical training requirements.
Thopurathu is pursuing damages for emotional distress, reputational harm, and lost educational and professional opportunities. Her case adds to growing concern among religious communities about increasing pressure in academia to conform to progressive social norms, even at the cost of personal conscience.
