ST. LOUIS – The American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri sent letters Friday to the superintendents of both Mehlville and Kirkwood School Districts detailing why it is unconstitutional to refuse to accept students from unaccredited school districts. The letters also include offers from the ACLU-EM to discuss ways the school districts can honor the rights of the parents and children involved.
“The ACLU understands the issues of education and funding of schools in Missouri are complex and often thorny, but the right to education is paramount,” says Jeffrey Mittman, the ACLU-EM’s executive director. “All children, regardless of their race, where they live, or the income level of their parents, deserve a quality education. Without one, they lose the ability to develop to their full potential and contribute as citizens of Missouri.”
“School districts cannot arbitrarily refuse to accept students, as Kirkwood and Mehlville have done,” says Tony Rothert, legal director of the ACLU-EM. “The ACLU’s mandate is to keep government entities from improperly limiting or restricting the constitutional rights of students and their parents. We are available to help people enforce the law and look forward to hearing from families who want to see this happen.”
Copies of the letters to the superintendents of Kirkwood and Mehlville school districts can be found below. They were shared with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which has advised the ACLU that it is working to ensure that the educational needs of every student and family are met.