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Federal Judge Rules that the state of Hawaii Department of Education Must Fulfill Its Obligation to Homeless Children (02/14/2008)
HONOLULU – U.S. District Court Chief Judge Helen Gillmor has ordered the Hawaii Department of Education (DOE) to change its enrollment procedures to ensure equal access for homeless children. After hearing from civil rights groups and attorneys representing three homeless parents and their five children on 2/11/08, Judge Gillmor granted their motion for preliminary injunction in part and their motion to proceed as a class action.

Advocates Testify On Impact Of School Suspensions And Demand Passage Of The Student Safety Act (01/23/2008)
NEW YORK – The New York Civil Liberties Union and a coalition of advocates today called on the New York City Council to pass the Student Safety Act, legislation that would provide much-needed transparency and scrutiny to the disciplinary and security policies in New York City public schools.

ACLU of Ohio Tells School Officials to Stop Forcing Students to Turn Over Cell Phones (11/27/2007)
MASON, OH – In a letter today to Dr. David Allen, principal at William Mason High School, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio warned school officials that their current practice of seizing student cell phones and reading personal text messages was poor policy and unconstitutional. Recently, the ACLU of Ohio received complaints from students and parents at the school because several administrators began confiscating phones and reading private text messages to determine if the students attended private parties off school grounds during the weekend.

ACLU of Ohio Launches Teen Health Publication in Spanish (11/26/2007)
CLEVELAND- Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio unveiled its new Spanish guide on teen health, “Tu Salud y La Ley: Una Guía para Adolescentes.” A translated and updated version of, “Your Health and the Law: A Guide for Teens,” this booklet provides insight into both Ohio and federal laws regarding teen health care with the adolescent reader in mind.

Civil Rights Lawyers Ask Court to Block Laws Illegally Denying Homeless Children Equal Access to Education (11/06/2007)
HONOLULU – Advancing their class action lawsuit, Lawyers for Equal Justice (LEJ) and the ACLU of Hawaii today filed a motion in federal court seeking an order to immediately halt state officials from enforcing laws and policies that block access by homeless children to public education. These measures are in violation of federal law.

ACLU Takes the Fight for Civil Liberties to the Comic Book Pages (09/05/2007)
NEW YORK -- From Iron Man being appointed President Bush’s Secretary of Defense to the release of Marvel’s “Civil War” series, comic books today are bringing political issues directly to their readers. Now, the American Civil Liberties Union — the real-world organization on the frontlines of the battle to protect civil liberties — is putting on a mask and cape and venturing into the comic book world.

ACLU Announces Winners of 2007 Youth Activist Scholarship (04/19/2007)
NEW YORK -- The American Civil Liberties Union announced today the winners of its Youth Activist Scholarship for 2007. Eleven high school seniors from across the country will each receive a $4,000 college scholarship in recognition of their outstanding work to protect civil liberties, especially for young people.

ACLU Announces Third Annual Stand Up for Freedom Contest (04/12/2007)
NEW YORK, NY – The American Civil Liberties Union StandUp campaign launched its third annual “Stand Up for Freedom Contest,” challenging a new generation of visionaries and activists to produce a podcast or video public service announcement (PSA) about the ways that the Bush administration is abusing its power.

Arrest of 13-Year-Old for Writing on Desk Should Be Wake-up Call for City, NYCLU Says (04/06/2007)
NEW YORK - The New York Civil Liberties Union today condemned the treatment of a 13-year-old girl who was arrested after she wrote the word "okay" on her school desk. The NYCLU said the incident sheds light on the fatal flaws in New York City's use of law enforcement to impose discipline in classrooms.

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.

Defense Department Reforms Student Military Recruiting Database to Settle NYCLU Lawsuit (01/09/2007)
NEW YORK - In an agreement to settle a lawsuit brought by the New York Civil Liberties Union on behalf of several high school students, the Department of Defense today announced major changes to its database of information about high school students, which is used for military recruitment efforts. The changes will protect the privacy of American high school students and give students and their families more tools to exempt themselves from aggressive military recruitment in their schools and their homes, the NYCLU said.

ACLU Presents "inSECURITY," the New Spoken-Word Album from Steve Connell & Sekou (tha misfit) (12/12/2006)
NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union will host a CD release party tonight for “inSECURITY,” a new live CD written and performed by award-winning artists Steve Connell and Sekou (tha misfit). The event will be held at the Bowery Poetry Club in New York City and will feature a special performance by the artists.

What Good are Rights if You Don’t Know You Have Them? (11/02/2006)
ORONO, ME -- Do students shed their rights at the school house door? Maybe some of them. High school students from northern Maine will have chance to talk about what they can and can’t say or do, how much privacy they can expect, and what they can do to get involved and make change in their school, town or state when they gather for “Life, Liberty, &…,” a civil liberties conference for young people hosted by the Maine Civil Liberties Union. The event takes place Friday, November 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. at the University of Maine at Orono Memorial Union Bangor Room.

ACLU Files Lawsuit Against Sex-Segregated School in Louisiana (08/02/2006)
DENHAM SPRINGS, LA -- The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Louisiana today filed a lawsuit on behalf of thirteen-year-old eighth grader Michelle Selden who wants to have the same educational opportunities as boys. She wants to stop the Livingston Parish School Board from segregating students on the basis of sex in the coming school year.

Single Sex School in Louisiana Denies Girls and Boys Same Educational Opportunities (07/31/2006)
NEW ORLEANS -- The American Civil Liberties Union today released a demand letter sent last week to Southside Junior High School officials in the Livingston Parish School District. The letter called for the immediate stop to plans to segregate students on the basis of sex in the coming school year.

Student Rights: Zero Tolerance Policies, Equal Protection and Racial Profiling (07/20/2006)
MIAMI; The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida’s Greater Miami Chapter presents the last episode of this season’s informative ;FreedomWatch; series, airing on Miami-Dade;s Cable-TAP channel. The show, which is currently running, takes a look at “zero-tolerance” policies aimed at students and asks the question: Do Zero Tolerance Policies Provide Equal Protection -- or are these policies based on Racial Profiling?

ACLU Freedom Files: "Youth Speak" Showcases Young People Who Stand Up for Their Rights (06/05/2006)
NEW YORK - The ACLU Freedom Files helps viewers get to know the everyday people whose rights are threatened and shows the human side of our fight to protect civil liberties. The "Youth Speak" episode, premiering this June, tells the stories of young people who fought back when their rights were violated and highlights activists who are working to protect the rights of their peers.

School Fees Ruled Unconstitutional After ACLU of Indiana Challenge (03/30/2006)
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Supreme Court today ruled in favor of parents represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana in a state constitutional challenge to mandatory student fees charged by Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation for all K-12 students.

ACLU of Ohio Files Lawsuit Over School’s Strip Searches of Teenage Girls (02/02/2006)
COLUMBUS, OH - The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio today filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court on behalf of eight students who were illegally searched by staff at the Vern Riffe Career Technology Center on January 20, 2006. The lawsuit names the school district, the superintendent and three staff members as defendants. In all, 20 students were searched.

ACLU Fights to Keep Three Students from New Orleans in Mississippi Public School (01/23/2006)
JACKSON, MS -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi today announced that it will represent three displaced students from New Orleans at a hearing before members of the Jackson Public Schools disciplinary committee. The ACLU charged that school officials are discriminating against the students by subjecting them to harsher disciplinary action than students who live in Jackson.