Student Rights in School

03/08/2012

Counting On Us: Release of New Civil Rights Data Is the First Step in Helping Our Kids

By Deborah J. Vagins, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 5:21pm

Every day, students in public schools across the country are facing harsh disciplinary measures that may have dire consequences for the rest of their lives.

That was confirmed this week when the Department of Education released Part Two of its 2009-2010 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), which showed minority students face much harsher punishments and penalties in our nation’s public schools than others.

African-American students are 3 1/2 times more likely than their white peers to be suspended. Though African-American students made up only 18 percent of enrolled students, they accounted for 39 percent of those expelled, and were subject to zero tolerance policies at disproportionate rates. A shocking 70 percent of students arrested or referred to law enforcement were Latino or African-American.

03/07/2012

Pregnant and Parenting Teens

Humiliated, But Not Beaten. Fighting Back on Behalf of Pregnant and Parenting Teens

"The school department head made me stand up in front of my entire middle school and announced to everyone that I was pregnant."

03/06/2012

Corporal Punishment in Schools

ACLU Lens: New York Times Highlights Data Showing Harsh Discipline for Minority Students and Students with Disabilities

By Sandhya Bathija, Washington Legislative Office at 12:21pm

Today, the Department of Education will release crucial civil rights data exposing discipline practices in our country's public schools and certain juvenile justice facilities.

In a story published this morning, The New York Times provided a glimpse into this data, which shows that African-American students face harsher discipline measures than other groups. Overall, African-American students were 3 1/2 times as likely to be suspended or expelled than their white peers, the Times revealed. And research suggests African-American students are often punished more severely for the same infractions.

03/02/2012

Student Rights in School

Victory in Haywood! Anti-Gay, Proselytizing Principal Resigns Hours After Public Outcry.

By Robyn Shepherd, ACLU at 11:34am

The Jackson Sun reports that Dorothy Bond has resigned as the principal of Haywood High School in Haywood, Tennessee, after reports surfaced that she said gay students are “not on God’s path” and threatened to expel them if they publicly showed affection for members of the same sex. The ACLU also received reports that Haywood High School Principal Dorothy Bond not only made discriminatory remarks about LGBT people, but also told students that “life is over” for girls who became pregnant. We sent a letter to the superintendent yesterday afternoon asking the school to clarify students’ rights. Within hours, Bond was out.

03/01/2012

Student Rights in School

How Do I Marginalize Thee? One High School Principal Counts the Ways

By Heather L. Weaver, ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief & Amanda Goad, LGBT Project & Galen Sherwin, ACLU Women's Rights Project at 5:01pm

Just how many ways can one public school official violate students' legal rights? The principal of Haywood High School in Brownsville, Tennessee, seems to be going for a record.

At an assembly earlier this month, Principal Dorothy Bond reportedly threatened to expel any gay student who publicly shows affection for members of the same sex. According to students and families who contacted the ACLU, Principal Bond proclaimed that gay students are "not on God's path" and are "going to a bad place." No, the "bad place" is not Haywood High. Rather, as Principal Bond made clear to a lesbian student she earlier singled out for displaying affection for her girlfriend, Principal Bond believes that gay students are "going to hell." Principal Bond also allegedly interfered with efforts to establish a Gay-Straight Alliance at Haywood High and may have prevented students in same-sex relationships from attending the school prom as couples.

01/25/2012

GSA

On National GSA Day, Tell Congress to Stand Up for LGBT Students

By Ian S. Thompson, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 5:18pm

Today is National Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Day, a day to “strengthen the bond between LGBT people and straight allies” by recognizing the critical role that GSAs play in schools nationwide. GSAs are student-run extracurricular clubs that bring together LGBT and straight students to support each other, promote acceptance and are common in public school districts throughout the nation. They are crucial to providing a safe, supportive environment for LGBT students to educate the school community about homophobia, gender identity and sexual orientation issues.

01/20/2012

SNDA

Teach Respect, Demand Non-Discrimination

By Ian S. Thompson, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 10:24am

On Wednesday, a new international effort to combat racism and intolerance in schools was launched at the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) with the full backing of the U.S. government. The effort, “Teaching Respect for All,” is designed to develop curriculum for use across the globe to promote tolerance and respect for all people. Importantly, the effort will allow countries to adept the curriculum for different contexts and needs.

01/09/2012

Sen. Al Franken

Senator Franken Releases New "Making It Better" Video

By Ian S. Thompson, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 1:50pm

Sen. Al Franken's new video supports passage of the Student Non-Discrimination Act, which would protect LGBT students from discrimination and harassment in public schools.

01/06/2012

SNDA

Vicious Anti-Gay Rhetoric? Check. Facts? Not So Much.

By Ian S. Thompson, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 2:26pm

On Thursday, subscribers to the conservative Weekly Standard received an email fundraising pitch from the president of a fringe anti-gay organization, Public Advocate of the United States, which directed tremendous venom at the Student Non-Discrimination Act, labeling it the “Homosexual Classrooms Act.” The email, first reported by Justin Elliott writing on Salon.com, opens with the following outrageous and hate-filled accusation, which would be laughable if it were not so deeply offensive:

12/08/2011

Student Rights in School

My Name Is Ceara Sturgis, and I Am Not a Troublemaker

By Ceara Sturgis at 11:55am

Public schools should never make a student feel like an outcast just for being who they are.

American Civil Liberties Union