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students and young people
Order your FREE copy of the ACLU of Florida's Student Rights Handbook
Student Rights Overview
- Protect students’ free speech rights, both on and off campus
- Establish comprehensive, medically accurate sexuality education in Florida’s public schools
- Fight discrimination and harassment of gay youth
Press Releases
- 5-8-09 - Federal Judge Approves Order Requiring Santa Rosa, Fla. Schools to Abide by First Amendment
- 4-20-09 - ACLU Calls on Secretary Napolitano to Release Youssef Megahed
- 4-7-09 - Unlawful Suspension of 8th Grader Draws ACLU of Florida Lawsuit Against Sumter County Schools
- 3-11-09 - ACLU Wins Preliminary Injunction in Yulee High School Gay-Straight Alliance Lawsuit
- 3-4-09 - Hearing on Motion for Preliminary Injunction in Nassau County Gay-Straight Alliance Case
- 2-23-09 - ACLU Marks Anniversary of Landmark Student Free Speech Decision With New Video
- 2-10-09 - ACLU Sues Nassau County Schools to Enforce Right of Gay Straight Alliance to Meet at Yulee High School and Yulee Middle School
- 1-12-09 - Federal Judge Orders Santa Rosa School District to Discontinue Religious Advancement
- 10-20-08 - Florida High School Student Wins Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award
- 8-27-08 - Santa Rosa County School Officials Misuse Their Public Positions to Promote Their Religious Viewpoints
- 7-30-08 - Okeechobee High School Gay-Straight Alliance Wins Groundbreaking Federal Lawsuit
- 7-23-08 - Palm Beach Student’s Rights Upheld by 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Pledge of Allegiance Case
- 6-27-08 - JUDGE ORDERS SCHOOL BOARD TO PAY ACLU $325,000 IN LEGAL FEES
- 6-13-08 - LAWSUIT AIMS TO REMOVE AMENDMENTS 7 AND 9 FROM FLORIDA’S NOVEMBER BALLOT
- 5-19-08 - Federal Judge Re-Opens Okeechobee Gay-Straight Alliance Case, Admits New Plaintiff and Re-instates Previous Plaintiffs
- 5-13-08 - Federal Judge Rules That Students Can’t Be Barred From Expressing Support for Gay People
- 5-12-08 - Three Miami-Dade High School Seniors Awarded ACLU Writing Competition Scholarships
- 4-10-08 - SEX SEGREGATION IN FLORIDA’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS A BAD MOVE, SAYS ACLU
- 4-2-08 - 'Just say no' to government-funded religion in Florida! Take Action TODAY
- 3-24-08 - TAKE ACTION: Your voice is urgently needed to prevent Government from using tax dollars to fund religion
- 3-21-08 - Social Justice Advocates Oppose Florida Legislators Trying to Regulate Teen Clothing
- 3-18-08 - Dismal High School Graduation Rates Violate Florida Constitution, Says ACLU Lawsuit
- 3-12-08 - Intelligent Design Should Not Be Taught in Florida’s Public School Science Classrooms
- 1-31-08 - ACLU SUES FLORIDA PANHANDLE HIGH SCHOOL FOR SUPPRESSING SPEECH IN SUPPORT OF GAY STUDENTS
- 1-28-08 - White House Pushes Controversial Student Drug Testing Agenda at Summit in Jacksonville on January 29
- 1-17-08 - ACLU Zelda Glazer Civil Liberties Writing Competition Open to Miami-Dade County Public High School Seniors
- 12-18-07 - ACLU to Florida Board of Education: Don’t Allow Religious Groups to Force Their Beliefs Into Science Classes
- 11-9-07 - Law Students from Nova Southeastern University Volunteering with Rights Restoration Coalition
- 11-6-07 - PANEL DISCUSSION ON TASERS AND FREE SPEECH IN GAINESVILLE, TONIGHT
- 9-18-07 - University of Florida Taser Incident Should Have Been Avoided, Says ACLU
- 8-31-07 - The ACLU of Florida Announces Two Victories in Pinellas and Lake Counties
- 8-15-07 - ACLU Lauds Brevard County School Board’s Vote to Revise Sex Education Curriculum
- 11-15-06 - ACLU Sues to Enforce Equal Access for Gay-Straight Alliance at Okeechobee High School
- 11-03-06 - Abstinence-only Sexuality Education in Leesburg May Endanger Youth; Comprehensive Education Needed
- 8-22-06 - ACLU Disappointed in Miami-Dade School Board Decision on Censorship
- 7-24-06 - Censorship Overruled in Miami-Dade Schools
- 7-20-06 - Student Rights: Zero Tolerance Policies, Equal Protection and Racial Profiling
- 7-17-06 - Veterans for Peace to Be Granted Equal Access With Military Recruiters in Pinellas County Schools, Says ACLU
- 6-21-06 - ACLU Files Lawsuit Against the Miami-Dade County School Board Over Book Censorship
- 6-13-06 - ACLU Sues State of Florida Officials Over New Travel Ban Law; Educational and Scientific Research Will Be Hampered
- 6-01-06 - ACLU Preserves Rights of Students in Landmark Florida Case; Students Have Right Not to Recite Pledge
- 4-18-06 - ACLU of Florida Supports SAFE Schools Rally to Defend Local Policies on Bullying
- 3-16-06 - The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida Launches Teen Health Website, Toll-free Legal Helpline
- 12-22-05 - ACLU of Florida Files Lawsuit on Behalf of Boynton Beach High School Student Punished for Refusing to Stand for the Pledge
- 10-03-05 - Students Invited to Attend Workshop on How to Start Gay/Straight Alliance
- 10-03-05 - ACLU Accepting Applications for the 2006 ACLU Youth Activist Scholarship
- 8-02-05 - ACLU Honors Two High School Seniors From Across Florida
for Their Commitment to Civil Liberties - 4-22-05 - After ACLU Intervention on Behalf of Student Wearing Anti-Bush T-shirt, Broward School Board Agrees to Amend Code of Conduct
Legal Documents
- Vamos a Cuba lawsuit is dismissed after Cert denied in U.S. Supreme Court
- Complaint in Palm Beach County Graduation Rates Case
- Opinion in Boynton Beach Pledge of Allegiance Case
- Complaint in Boynton Beach Pledge of Allegiance Case
- Complaint in the Killian 9 case
- Final brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals
- Case of the Month Archives (including lesson plans for teachers)
General Resources
- Download a wallet-size LGBT "Know Your Rights" card here!
- Order your FREE copy of the ACLU of Florida's Student Rights Handbook
- Ask Sybil Liberty (everything you ever wanted to know about your rights)
- Student Clubs - How to get involved
- Student Internships - Get a head start on your career & learn how to help the ACLU
- Student Memberships - Join the ACLU!
- Teachers Network - Join our network of teachers dedicated to educating students about the Bill of Rights; materials and resources provided
- Case of the Month Archives (including sample lesson plans for teachers)
- ACLU E-mail Alerts (Subscribe to stay alert and involved!)
Free Speech Resources
- ACLU Letter Re. Justin Cambest and Anti-Bush T-shirt
- Broward County Schools Response Re. Justin and Anti-Bush T-shirt
- Proposed Changes to Broward County Code of Student Conduct
- Click here to learn more about your right to free expression
- Briefing paper on freedom of expression
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Resources
- NEW: LGBT Students Know Your Rights! Fact sheet in .pdf format
- Making Schools Safe - 96-page manual, produced by our National ACLU Lesbian & Gay Rights Project, geared toward helping activists and organizations work with educators to combat anti-gay harassment in schools.
- Get a Safe Schools Policy - Model anti-harassment policy.
Military Recruiting & "No Child Left Behind" Resources
- Summary of NCLB and FERPA laws.
- "Frequently Asked Questions about FERPA and NCLB."
- Sample opt-out form
- Form to remove name from Joint Advertising and Marketing Research & Studies Office (JAMRS) military recruitment database. JAMRS is a program of the Department of Defense
- ACLU letter to school superintendents.
- ACLU chart detailing opt-out policies of school districts across Florida.
