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ACLU Blasts Wyoming School for Having Police Escort Same-Sex Couple Out of Homecoming Dance (11/21/2003)
BIG PINEY, WY -- After two girls were marched out of a high school homecoming dance by police, the American Civil Liberties Union today sent a letter to school officials demanding that they allow same-sex couples to attend school dances.

Pennsylvania Town Must Pay $100,000 for Threatening to Tell Teen's Family He Was Gay (09/12/2003)
PHILADELPHIA - A settlement in the shocking case of a teenager who committed suicide after two police officers threatened to "out" him to his family sends a clear message to government officials to stay out of the private lives of lesbian and gay teenagers, the American Civil Liberties Union said today.

Victory for California School District's Diversity Education (09/04/2003)
SAN FRANCISCO - Following intervention by the American Civil Liberties Union, parents and students who sued the Novato School District over a diversity education program because of its message of tolerance for lesbian and gay people agreed to dismiss the lawsuit today, ending nearly two years of litigation. The lawsuit, Citizens for Parental Rights v. Novato Unified School District, attacked the Novato school district for presenting a play entitled Cootie Shots: Theatrical Inoculations Against Bigotry in two elementary schools.

After ACLU Intervention, Texas High School Agrees to Reinstate Amnesty International Club (08/07/2003)
SAN ANTONIO - The American Civil Liberties Union today reached an agreement with officials from the San Antonio Independent School District to reinstate Luther Burbank High School's Amnesty International Club, which had been banned in March after some of its members independently took part in a silent demonstration to raise awareness about violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people.

ACLU Secures Sweeping Changes in Arkansas School District (07/17/2003)
JACKSONVILLE, AR -- A lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union regarding an Arkansas school's treatment of a 14-year-old student for being openly gay today ended with district-wide policy changes to ensure fair treatment of lesbian and gay students.

ACLU of Hawaii to Present Youth Award to Student Founders of State's First Gay-Straight Alliance (07/07/2003)
HONOLULU -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii announced today that two Kalaheo High School seniors who started the state's first Gay-Straight Alliance in the public schools are the recipients of its first Youth Award to promote awareness of civil liberties.

Supreme Court Intervenes on Behalf of Kansas Youth Serving 17-Year Prison Sentence Because He's Gay (06/27/2003)
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court today ordered the case of a young gay man back to a Kansas appeals court for further consideration in light of yesterday's historic ruling on sexual intimacy. The American Civil Liberties Union represents Matthew Limon in this appeal.

ACLU and National Center for Lesbian Rights Help CA School District Fight Lawsuit Over Theater Program Promoting Diversity (06/02/2003)
SAN FRANCISCO - The American Civil Liberties Union and a gay rights organization today filed a motion to intervene in an existing lawsuit on behalf of a local parents group and a children's theater company who support a local school district that has come under fire for providing diversity education through the theater arts.

ACLU of WA Tells High Schools They Must Give Equal Rights to Gay-Straight Alliance Student Clubs (05/28/2003)
SEATTLE--Responding to problems of intolerance faced by students in several high schools, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington today issued a letter advising school officials statewide that their existing rules for student-organized clubs may discriminate against some student organizations, in violation of federal law.

ACLU Tells Texas High School: Keep Your Hands Off Gay-Supportive Students (05/27/2003)
SAN ANTONIO -- After a high school principal forcibly removed stickers from students' clothing during a silent protest to raise awareness of anti-gay violence, the American Civil Liberties Union demanded today that Luther Burbank High School stop censoring teens who took part in the protest and insisted that the school promise not to punish students who take part in such actions in the future.

ACLU Secures Victory for Gay-Straight Alliance at Kentucky High School (04/18/2003)
ASHLAND, KY - A federal court today ordered Boyd County High School, which shut down all school clubs in December in an attempt to silence community controversy over the school's Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), to let the GSA as well as all other clubs start meeting again.

Arkansas School District Agrees to Guarantee Gay Student's Right to be Out at School (04/10/2003)
LITTLE ROCK, AR -- In a court conference held this afternoon, the Pulaski County Special School District agreed with the American Civil Liberties Union and a federal judge that students have a Constitutional right to be openly gay in school.

Federal Appeals Court Says Schools Must Protect Gay Students from Harassment (04/08/2003)
SAN FRANCISCO - In a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the Federal Court of Appeals for the western states issued a historic decision today which holds school officials liable for failing to protect students from anti-gay harassment.

ACLU Sues Arkansas School District to Guarantee Gay Student's Right to Be "Out" at School (04/08/2003)
LITTLE ROCK, AR -- The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit in federal court today against the Pulaski County Special School District for its treatment of an openly gay 14-year-old student. The lawsuit contends that school officials violated Thomas McLaughlin's rights to free speech, equal protection, and privacy, and that they violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment by preaching to him and forcing him read the Bible as punishment.

ACLU Warns Arkansas School to Stop Persecuting Gay Student (03/13/2003)
JACKSONVILLE, AR -- The American Civil Liberties Union is challenging officials at Jacksonville Junior High School over repeated punishment of a 14-year-old student for being openly gay. In a letter to school officials sent today, the ACLU demanded that the school stop violating the student's rights and remove all unconstitutional disciplinary actions taken against him from his record by March 21 or face legal action.

Texas School District Settles ACLU Lawsuit By Allowing Gay-Straight Alliance (03/05/2003)
HOUSTON -- After months of delays and a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union, officials at Klein High School have agreed to allow students who want to form a Gay-Straight Alliance to begin meeting, according to a settlement agreement announced this morning.

ACLU Files Lawsuits Against Schools in KY and TX for Discrimination Against Gay-Straight Alliances (01/22/2003)
NEW YORK-- The American Civil Liberties Union today filed separate federal lawsuits against school officials in Kentucky and Texas challenging efforts to block students who sought to form Gay-Straight Alliances in their high schools.

ACLU Blasts KY Board of Ed's Decision to Ban All School Clubs Rather Than Allow Gay-Straight Alliance (12/20/2002)
ASHLAND, KY - In an attempt to avoid a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union, the Board of Education of Boyd County has decided to ban all school clubs in the district in an effort to shut down a recently formed Gay Straight Alliance in its high school.

ACLU Sues on Behalf of CA 8th Grader Barred from Gym Class Because of Sexual Orientation (12/17/2002)
LOS ANGELES - The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and the National Center for Lesbian Rights today filed a lawsuit on behalf of Ashly Massey, an eighth grader from the rural town of Banning who was forced to sit in the principal's office during physical education class after the gym teacher heard that she was a lesbian.