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ACLU of West Virginia and Americans United Seek Removal of High School Portrait of Jesus (06/28/2006)
CHARLESTON, WV - The American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia and Americans United for Separation of Church and State today asked a court to order the removal of a large portrait of Jesus prominently displayed outside the principal's office at Bridgeport High School, saying that the display is an unconstitutional endorsement of religion.

ACLU of New Jersey Defends Second-Grader's Right to Sing Religious Song (06/05/2006)
NEWARK, NJ - The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey today filed a friend-of-the-court brief in a case seeking to uphold an elementary school student's right to religious expression.

Federal Judge Rules Against School-Mandated Prayer at Kentucky High School Graduation Ceremony (05/19/2006)
LOUISVILLE, KY – The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky announced today that U.S. District Judge Joseph H. McKinley, Jr. has issued a temporary restraining order to prevent Russell County High School from including prayer during its graduation ceremony tonight.

Maine High Court Upholds School Tuition Program (04/26/2006)
PORTLAND, ME -- In a 6-to-1 decision, the Maine Supreme Court today ruled that the state is not required to fund religious education with taxpayer money.

ACLU of Ohio Demands Schools Stop Teaching Intelligent Design as Science (02/14/2006)
TOLEDO, OH -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio today sent a letter to the Toledo Public Schools demanding that they cease allowing staff to teach intelligent design in science classrooms throughout the district.

ACLU Hails Historic Ruling in Dover, Pennsylvania "Intelligent Design" Case (12/20/2005)
HARRISBURG, PA - "Intelligent design" is a particular religious belief, not a valid scientific theory, and teaching it in public school science classrooms violates the Constitution, according to Judge John E. Jones III's ruling today in Kitzmiller v. Dover.

ACLU Applauds Decision in "Intelligent Design" Case (12/20/2005)
HARRISBURG, PA -- The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded a court ruling that it is unconstitutional to teach "intelligent design" as an alternative to evolution in a public school science classroom. Judge John E. Jones III, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, today ruled that "intelligent design" is a particular religious view and not a scientific theory. In his ruling, Judge Jones sharply rebuked the Dover Area School Board and its legal representation, Thomas More Law Center, stating, "the students, parents, and teachers of the Dover Area School District deserved better than to be dragged into this legal maelstrom, with its resulting utter waste of monetary and personal resources."

Parents, Scientists Testify in Court on Major Flaws in "Intelligent Design" (10/13/2005)
HARRISBURG, PA -- The plaintiffs in Kitzmiller v. Dover, the first legal challenge to teaching ""intelligent design,"" are expected to wrap up their case by early next week. Eleven parents filed the federal lawsuit against the Dover Area School Board arguing that presenting ""intelligent design"" in public school science classrooms violates students' religious liberty. The parents are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the law firm of Pepper Hamilton LLP.

Expert Witness in Kitzmiller v. Dover Says Intelligent Design is Disguised Creationism (10/05/2005)
HARRISBURG, PA - Testimony today in Kitzmiller v. Dover , the first legal challenge to teaching intelligent design, traced the historical progression from creationism to intelligent design and revealed the true nature of the design theory: that it is creationism in disguise.

ACLU of New Jersey Joins Lawsuit Supporting Second-Grader's Right to Sing "Awesome God" at Talent Show (09/20/2005)
NEWARK, NJ -- The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey today announced that it is seeking to participate as a friend-of-the-court in the case of a second-grade student who was barred from singing a religious song in a voluntary, after-school talent show.

Federal Judge Denies Pennsylvania School Board's Move to Stop Trial in "Intelligent Design" Challenge (09/13/2005)
HARRISBURG, PA -- A federal judge today denied an attempt by the Dover Area School Board to prevent a lawsuit challenging the presentation of "intelligent design" in public science classrooms from going forward. The trial will begin as scheduled on September 26, and the legal team representing the 11 parents who filed the lawsuit will host a pretrial media teleconference on Friday, September 16 at noon.

ACLU Applauds School Board Vote to Remove Evolution Disclaimers From Science Textbooks (07/14/2005)
LITTLE ROCK, AR -- The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded the Beebe School District for formally voting to remove the stickers it had placed in science textbooks undermining the validity of evolution and introducing the religious concept of an "intelligent designer" behind the origin of life. Tuesday night, July 12, the school board voted three to two to remove the stickers, overcoming concerns about the cost of a lawsuit that might be filed by the ACLU and potential difficulties in monitoring how teachers might present intelligent design.

Louisiana School Board Repeatedly Defied Federal Court Order, Charges ACLU (04/05/2005)
NEW ORLEANS--The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today filed a motion for criminal contempt against the Tangipahoa Parish School Board for defying an agreed on court order banning official prayer at athletic events. This marks the second contempt motion filed against the school board within the past two weeks for violating court orders.

Maine Civil Liberties Union Urges High Court to Keep Government Out of Religion Business (03/24/2005)
PORTLAND, ME - The Maine Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments today in a case that will determine whether the state can be forced to fund religious education with taxpayer money through its school voucher program.

ACLU of Arkansas Action Results in Removal of Evolution Disclaimers From Science Textbooks (02/10/2005)
LITTLE ROCK, AR--Following action by the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, the Beebe School District today agreed to remove stickers it had placed in science textbooks undermining the validity of evolution and introducing the religious concept of an ""intelligent designer"" behind the origin of life. After receiving complaints about the stickers from community members, the ACLU wrote a letter to the superintendent of the school district demanding that the stickers be removed.

Federal Judge Orders Georgia School District to Remove Evolution Disclaimers (01/13/2005)
ATLANTA-A federal judge today ruled that placing disclaimer stickers warning that evolution is ""a theory, not a fact"" in public school science textbooks is an unconstitutional government intrusion on religious liberty.

Virginia School Board Votes to Allow Students to Sit During Pledge of Allegiance (01/11/2005)
RICHMOND, VA--Under pressure from the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia -- and based on recommendations from its own lawyers -- the Spotsylvania County School Board last night voted to remove a policy requiring students to stand during recitations of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Pennsylvania Parents File First-Ever Challenge to "Intelligent Design" Instruction in Public Schools (12/14/2004)
HARRISBURG, PA-The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and attorneys with Pepper Hamilton LLP filed a federal lawsuit today on behalf of 11 parents who say that presenting ""intelligent design"" in public school science classrooms violates their religious liberty by promoting particular religious beliefs to their children under the guise of science education.

ACLU Applauds Appeals Court Decision Striking Down Florida School Voucher Program (11/12/2004)
MIAMI - The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today hailed a federal court ruling that the state's school voucher program is unconstitutional because it allows tax dollars to be spent on religious schools.

Parents Challenge Evolution Disclaimer In Georgia Textbooks (11/12/2004)
ATLANTA-Court arguments ended today in a federal lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia on behalf of a group parents challenging that a warning sticker placed in science textbooks claiming that evolution is ""a theory, not a fact"" is government intrusion on religious liberty.