by Jeffrey A. Mittman, executive director of the ACLU of Missouri
The new school year is here! Are you and your students equipped to protect their rights this school year?
Protect your students by educating yourself and talking with your students about their rights.
- Protecting the First Amendment rights of all students. Just last fall, we successfully fought for the rights of students who were disciplined for peacefully protesting at their high school. In the end, the punishment was dropped and the students' First Amendment Rights were protected. These students clearly knew their rights better than their school administrators.
- Fighting for the rights of LGBT students. LGBT rights have gained attention in recent years, yet countless LGBT youth are still bullied and discriminated against in their schools. Harassing students for who they are, or if their appearance or behavior doesn't match gender stereotypes, is unacceptable.
- Working to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. The school-to-prison pipeline is the process by which children of color or with disabilities are disciplined more harshly than white students for the same behavior. The punishment often pushes kids out of the classroom and right into the juvenile and criminal court systems.
Do you know if your school’s policies discriminate against students? Do you know whether students are allowed to form LGBT-related clubs at your public school? Can they bring a same-sex date to a school dance? Let us know if a child's rights are being trampled.
Share this information with friends and family who have school-aged children and let them know that we want to hear from them.
Here's to a year full of positive learning experiences for all students!