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Federal Judge Rules That Students Can’t Be Barred From Expressing Support for Gay People (05/13/2008)
PANAMA CITY, FL – After a two-day trial in which a Florida high school principal testified that he believed clothing or stickers featuring rainbows would make students automatically picture gay people having sex, a federal judge today ruled that the school violated students’ First Amendment rights of students. The case was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a junior at the school who had been forbidden by her principal to wear any sort of clothing, stickers, buttons, or symbols to show her support of equal rights for gay people.

ACLU Takes On High School Principal For Discriminating Against Male Couple (04/29/2008)
MEMPHIS – A public high school principal who posted the names of two boys on a list of students believed to be couples, revealing their relationship to their parents as well as other students and teachers, violated the students' constitutional right to freedom of association, the American Civil Liberties Union charged today. In a letter to school board officials in Memphis, Tennessee, the ACLU demanded today that the school reprimand the principal and take steps to ensure such actions never happen again.

Federal Appeals Court Says It's OK for School to Teach Children's Book Encouraging Tolerance for Gay People (01/31/2008)
BOSTON – A Massachusetts federal appeals court today ruled that an elementary school can continue to use children's books that encourage tolerance for gay people. The ACLU cheers the decision, which rejected the claims of parents who said exposing their children to such books violated their ability to direct the religious training of their children.

ACLU Sues Florida High School for Suppressing Free Speech (01/31/2008)
PONCE DE LEON, FL - A Florida high school has been trampling the First Amendment rights of students who support equal rights for gay people, according to a federal lawsuit filed today by the American Civil Liberties Union. In its lawsuit, the ACLU described an atmosphere of fear and censorship at Ponce de Leon High School, where the school board's attorney says even expressions like a rainbow sticker may mean students are members of an "illegal organization."

ACLU Demands Virginia High School Stop Censoring Gay Student (12/20/2007)
PORTSMOUTH, VA – The American Civil Liberties Union today demanded that a high school that punished a student for wearing a t-shirt featuring a lesbian pride symbol apologize to the student and guarantee that it will no longer illegally censor her in the future. School officials at I.C. Norcom High School had threatened the 17-year-old senior with suspension because a teacher was upset by her t-shirt, which bears an image of two overlapping female gender symbols.

Federal Court Agrees with ACLU: Schools Can Protect Both Gay Students and Religious Speech (10/26/2007)
CINCINNATI - A federal appeals court today agreed with the American Civil Liberties Union, ruling that a school policy designed to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students from harassment went too far in squelching the right of some religious students to express their views on homosexuality.

School Board Allows Gay-Straight Alliance Club in Rockton, Illinois (09/20/2007)
ROCKTON, IL -- After months of controversy and warnings from the American Civil Liberties Union that blocking a gay-straight alliance club from forming would violate federal law, a school board in Rockton, Illinois voted late Wednesday night to allow the club to meet on campus. The board's 5-2 vote reversed an earlier decision by a board committee that had recommended the board ban the club.

ACLU Tells Federal Court It Can Protect Both Gay Students and Free Speech (07/25/2007)
CINCINNATI – The American Civil Liberties Union today told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit that a school policy designed to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students from harassment went too far in squelching the right of some religious students to express their views on homosexuality. The group insists, however, that schools can protect students from anti-gay harassment constitutionally.

Censorship of Gay Student Is Discriminatory Free Speech Violation, Says ACLU of New Jersey (06/25/2007)
NEWARK -- The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey in a letter sent today called on the Newark Public Schools to rescind last week's decision to censor hundreds of East Side High School yearbooks that included a photo of a male student kissing his boyfriend. The ACLU-NJ advised the school district that its censorship of this photo violates free speech and New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination.

ACLU Gives Tennessee High School an F in Civics for Censoring Gay and Gay-Supportive Students (05/14/2007)
Jonesborough, TN -- After a high school principal suspended a student for participating in a silent demonstration to raise awareness about anti-gay violence, the American Civil Liberties Union demanded today that David Crockett High School apologize to the student and promise not to punish students who take part in such actions in the future.

Federal Judge Rules Okeechobee, FL Students Can Form Gay-Straight Alliance Club (04/06/2007)
OKEECHOBEE, FL - The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today welcomed a district court decision ordering Okeechobee High School to officially recognize and allow equal access to the Okeechobee High School Gay Straight Alliance.

ACLU and GSA Network Clear the Way for Gay-Straight Alliance Club in Madera, California (03/14/2007)
MADERA, CA – After students attempted for almost two years to gain recognition for a gay-straight alliance club (GSA) at Madera High School, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and GSA Network announced today that they have secured an agreement with the school board to allow the club to exist. The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and GSA Network negotiated on behalf of about 10 students who had been trying to gain recognition since the spring of 2005 for the club, which hopes to provide a safe haven for students to discuss lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues.

Judge Rejects Okeechobee School Board’s Attempt to Block Gay-Straight Alliance Anti-Discrimination Lawsuit (03/13/2007)
OKEECHOBEE, FL – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today applauded U.S. District Court Judge K. Michael Moore’s decision to deny the Okeechobee School Board’s motion to dismiss the case alleging discrimination against gay and straight students at Okeechobee High School.

New Jersey Supreme Court Rules That Schools Must Protect Students from Bias-Based Bullying (02/21/2007)
NEWARK, NJ - In a major victory for student rights, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey praised a decision released today by the New Jersey Supreme Court that extends anti-discrimination protections to schoolchildren subjected to bias-based bullying and harassment.

Gay-Straight Alliance Seeks Injunction to Gain Equal Access at Okeechobee, Florida High School (01/11/2007)
OKEECHOBEE, FL - The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today asked a federal court to order school officials to allow the Okeechobee Gay-Straight Alliance to start meeting. The motion seeks to grant the students access to meet on campus for the duration of the legal proceedings.

ACLU Hails Settlement in White County, Georgia Gay-Straight Alliance Case (01/10/2007)
ATLANTA, GA – The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement with officials in White County, Georgia, whom they sued for refusing to allow a gay-straight alliance club (GSA) to meet on campus. The ACLU represents students in the club, who have been trying to meet at White County High School since January of 2005.

Hillsborough County Schools Keep Open-Door Policy for Gay-Straight Alliances (12/13/2006)
TAMPA, FL - Students, parents and community leaders today commended the Hillsborough County School Board for rejecting a proposal to turn away students from extracurricular activities if they do not have a permission slip.

Trial for Orange County Teen 'Outed' by Principal Concludes (12/12/2006)
ORANGE, CA - The trial of an Orange County teenager who filed a lawsuit last year against the Garden Grove Unified School District in an effort to stop discrimination and harassment of gay and lesbian students on campus concluded Tuesday.

California High School Journalists Win Free Speech Victory (11/16/2006)
LOS ANGELES - A Kern County judge is expected to issue a court order today that will ensure that Bakersfield high school students are not wrongly censored and that student free speech rights in the Kern School District are preserved.