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Arkansas Students Can Wear Armbands as Form of Protest, Federal Judge Rules (10/19/2006)
PINE BLUFF, AR -- In a victory for students’ free speech rights, federal Judge Leon Holmes ruled that students may wear black armbands to protest the restrictive uniform policy imposed by the Watson Chapel School District. The decision comes in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas charging that the school district violated the Constitution by suspending and punishing students who wore the armbands to school during a day of protest.

Arkansas Students Wrongly Punished for Wearing Armbands to School, According to ACLU Lawsuit (10/10/2006)
LITTLE ROCK, AR -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas today filed a federal lawsuit charging that the Watson Chapel school district violated students’ free speech rights by suspending students for wearing black armbands in opposition to the school uniform policy.

ACLU of Vermont Wins in Appeals Court Over Right of Student to Wear Anti-Bush T-Shirt (08/30/2006)
MONTPELIER, VT – The American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont announced today that the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court’s ruling and affirmed the free speech rights of a Williamstown Middle School student to wear a T-shirt critical of President Bush.

ACLU of Florida Says Veterans for Peace to Be Granted Equal Access With Military Recruiters in Pinellas County Schools (07/17/2006)
LARGO, FL – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida announced today that the Pinellas School District has agreed to allow Veterans for Peace the same access to students that military recruiters receive, for the purpose of presenting alternative career information.

In Landmark Florida Case, ACLU Preserves Right of Students Not to Recite Pledge (06/01/2006)
WEST PALM BEACH, FL -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today applauded a district court ruling striking down a state law requiring students to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The pledge will continue to be recited in public school classrooms, but the unconstitutional practice of forcing all students to stand and recite the pledge will be halted.

ACLU of Ohio Successfully Defends Student’s Free Speech (04/27/2006)
HOLLAND, OH -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio today applauded a decision by the Springfield School Board to reinstate eighth-grade student Jessica Schoch. Schoch was not allowed to attend school or participate in extracurricular activities after school officials discovered a MySpace.com profile that parodied a school administrator.

ACLU of Ohio Defends High School Student Expelled Over Parody Profile on MySpace.com (04/25/2006)
HOLLAND, OH- The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio said today that it will defend the free speech rights of a student who was expelled for posting a spoof profile on MySpace.com, an online social networking site used mostly by teenagers and young adults.

ACLU of Virginia Seeks Guarantee of Student Free Speech in Prince William Schools (04/24/2006)
RICHMOND, VA– The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia today said it has asked the Prince William County Schools to make an unambiguous statement guaranteeing free speech rights for students and to ensure fair treatment for students who wear message-bearing T-shirts. The request comes in the wake of the controversial punishment last month of two Occoquan Elementary School students – ages 5 and 8 -- for wearing T-shirts to school proclaiming “Latinos Forever.”

ACLU of San Diego Defends 15-Year-Old High School Honors Student Disciplined for Wearing an American Flag in Her Back Pocket (04/13/2006)
SAN DIEGO -- Fallbrook Union High School officials violated the First Amendment when they ordered 15-year-old honors student Malia Fontana to remove the small American flag she was carrying in her back pocket, the American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego and Imperial Counties said in a letter delivered to the school today.

ACLU of Alaska Hails Court Ruling Affirming Student’s Free Speech Rights (03/10/2006)
ANCHORAGE – In a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska, a federal appeals court today strongly affirmed the free speech rights of a Juneau high school student who was suspended in 2002 for displaying a sign saying “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” at an off-campus event not sponsored by the school.

After ACLU of Colorado Intervention, High School Student Suspended for Off-Campus Internet Posting Is Back in School (02/21/2006)
LITTLETON, CO -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado announced today that an agreement has been reached between Littleton High School and school authorities and junior Bryan Lopez, who was suspended for posting satirical commentary about the school the Internet.

ACLU of Virginia Demands Apology and Damages for Student Arrested for Protesting Campus Military Recruiters (02/17/2006)
FAIRFAX, VA -- In a letter sent to George Mason University officials, the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia today demanded that school officials apologize and pay $50,000 in damages to Tariq Khan, a GMU student who was arrested for protesting the presence of military recruiters on campus.

ACLU of Rhode Island Slams Secret Service Investigation of Student Essay (02/02/2006)
WEST WARWICK, RI -- In response to news that a seventh grade student is being investigated by the Secret Service because of an essay he wrote, the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island today criticized school officials and law enforcement for “criminalizing student thought.”

ACLU of New Jersey Helps Protesting Student "Skirt" School's No-Shorts Policy (01/25/2006)
NEWARK, NJ - The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey today announced that it has reached an agreement with the Hasbrouck Heights School District on behalf of Michael Coviello, a 17-year-old male student who was prohibited from wearing a skirt to school.

ACLU of Florida Defends High School Student Punished for Refusing to Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance (12/22/2005)
WEST PALM BEACH, FL -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today filed a federal lawsuit against Palm Beach County school officials for harassing and punishing 17-year-old Cameron Frazier when he expressed his First Amendment right to not participate in the Pledge of Allegiance. The ACLU lawsuit is challenging a Florida law and a Palm Beach County school board policy mandating that students receive written permission from their parents before declining to recite the oath.

ACLU of Virginia Asks Hampton University to Accommodate Student Free Speech on Campus (12/01/2005)
HAMPTON, VA -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia today sent a letter asking Hampton University officials to refrain from punishing seven students accused of violating school policies by distributing leaflets on campus. The letter recommends that the university revise its rules governing demonstrations and distribution of literature in order to ensure student free speech rights on campus.

Civil Rights Groups in New Mexico Denounce High School Contest Soliciting Anti-Gay, Anti-Choice Student Essays (11/22/2005)
FARMINGTON, NM – The American Civil Liberties Union and other civil rights groups are protesting an essay contest at Farmington's Piedra Vista High School that asked students to explain why preserving marriage between men and women is vital society and why unborn children merit respect and protection.

Following ACLU Action, Virginia University Drops Charges Against Student Arrested for Protesting Campus Military Recruiters (11/14/2005)
RICHMOND, VA – The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia announced today that government lawyers in Fairfax County have agreed to drop their case against Tariq Khan, a George Mason University student who was arrested while protesting the presence of military recruiters on campus.

ACLU of Northern California Seeks Information About Undercover Surveillance of University Organizations (04/27/2005)
FRESNO, CA -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California and a Fresno State University student group today filed requests with the local sheriff's department and the FBI after university officials disclosed that several plainclothes police officers were present at a student-sponsored lecture last fall. The sheriff's department is currently under investigation following disclosures that it infiltrated an anti-war group in 2003.

ACLU Announces Winners of 2005 Youth Activist Scholarship (04/12/2005)
NEW YORK -- The American Civil Liberties Union today announced the winners of its Youth Activist Scholarship for 2005. Ten high school seniors from around the country were selected to receive $4,000 each to honor their outstanding work to protect civil liberties, especially the rights of young people.