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Detailed Answers

Detailed Answers

• A military recruiter called my house. How did they get my personal information?.
• Are schools allowed to offer sports that open only to boys or girls?.
• But is any religious expression in school banned?.
• Can a police officer search a student at school?.
• Can I be excused from lessons that my parents or I object to for religious reasons?.
• Can I get in trouble for just visiting some sites?.
• Can I put my baby up for adoption without my parents’ permission?.
• Can I wear a T-shirt of jacket with a controversial symbol or message on it?.
• Can my school punish me for web sites I create and e-mail I write when I’m at home?.
• Can my school restrict me from wearing religious clothing items or jewelry at school?.
• Can police officers question students at school?.
• Can school officials sponsor prayers or other religious exercises in school?.
• Can school officials sponsor prayers or other religious exercises in school?.
• Can student groups hold religious meetings on school property?.
• Can the principal or a teacher search me?.
• Can the school make me wear a school uniform?.
• Can the school make me wear a school uniform?.
• Can the school place limits and restrictions on these activities?.
• Can the school punish me for what I do when I’m not on school grounds?.
• Can the school require me to submit to drug testing?.
• Can the school search student lockers and desks?.
• Computers in my school library won’t let me look at Websites.
• Do I have a right to freedom of speech while I am at school?.
• Do I have to register with the Selective Service?.
• Do I need my parent's permission to have an abortion? Will they be told?.
• Do I need parental consent to get birth control or talk to a doctor about STIs, pregnancy or drugs?.
• Do military recruiters have a right to come to public high schools to recruit students?.
• Do we have to salute the flag or say the Pledge of Allegiance?.
• If I’m going to be punished, what “due process” do I get?.
• If they find something in my locker or desk can they use it agai.
• May I receive other kinds of medical treatment without my parents’ permission?.
• Student Rights in Washington DC and the Maryland Suburbs.
• What is freedom of speech?.
• What is my legal right to be treated equally in school?.
• What kind of limitations can the school place on student publications?.

Freedom of Expression

Clubs And Activities

• Can a school ban gay student clubs or a gay-straight alliance on campus?.
• Can we start a club with limited membership?.
• Do I have a right to start a club at school?.

Demonstrations And Leaflets

• Are we allowed to walk out of class?.
• Can the school prevent us from distributing leaflets at school?.
• Do students have a right to rally or demonstrate at school?.
• If the school allows us to leave school to attend a rally off campus, can they censor our banners?.

Dress Codes, Uniforms and Personal Appearance

• Can a school say I can’t wear my hair in a certain way or say I can’t have a beard or a mustache?.
• Can I wear a T-shirt of jacket with a controversial symbol or message on it?.
• Can my school have a dress code or uniform policy that prohibits me from wearing religious clothing?.
• Can the school make me wear a school uniform?.
• Can the school tell me I can’t wear certain kinds of clothes in school?.
• What if the school only enforces the dress code against certain students?.

Flag Salute And Pledge Of Allegiance

• Do we have to salute the flag or say the Pledge of Allegiance?.

Freedom Of Religion

• But is any religious expression in school banned?.
• Can I be excused from lessons that my parents or I object to for religious reasons?.
• Can I be released from school early to attend prayers?.
• Can I get a government-funded voucher to attend a religious school?.
• Can I miss school for a religious holiday that isn’t a regular school holiday?.
• Can my school omit evolution or add alternatives like creation science or intelligent design?.
• Can my school restrict me from wearing religious clothing items or jewelry at school?.
• Can school officials sponsor prayers or other religious exercises in school?.
• Can student groups hold religious meetings on school property?.
• Can the choir director make us sing music with lyrics that conflict with my religious beliefs?.
• Can the school allow Christmas programs or other types of religious pageants or displays?.
• May students hand out religious materials in school?.
• What about a moment of silence?.
• What about prayers at our graduation or other school ceremonies?.

Internet Activity

• Can I get in trouble for just visiting some sites?.
• Can my school have the final say on stories in our online school newspaper?.
• Can my school punish me for how I use the Internet at school?.
• Can my school punish me for web sites I create and e-mail I write when I’m at home?.
• Computers in my school library won’t let me look at Websites.
• How do I know if a Web site or chat room is “sponsored” by my school?.
• How do I know what sorts of on-line postings outside of school will get me in trouble at school?.
• If I go on the Web from school computers can the school or the library block Web sites?.
• My friend broke-up with his girlfriend, does the First Amendment give him the right to email her?.
• So what kinds of off-campus web postings might be considered disruptive to school?.

Library And Classroom Books

• Can school officials remove books from the library or a teacher's assignment?.
• How does this affect our use of the Internet on school library computers?.

Speech And Expression

• Can students bring in speakers to talk about political issues?.
• Can the school place limits and restrictions on these activities?.
• Do I have a right to freedom of speech while I am at school?.
• What is freedom of speech?.

Student Publications

• Can they ban our publication just because it criticizes school officials or is controversial?.
• What can I publish if it’s not school-sponsored?.
• What kind of limitations can the school place on student publications?.
• Where can I go for more information about student publications?.

Get Involved

Clubs And Activities

• ACLU Club Information.
• ACLU-NCA Future Leaders Initiative Council.
• First Amendment Project.

How to Solve Problems

How ACLU Can Help

• Need Legal Help?.

Problems – What Can You Do?

• Can students address the school board?.
• Can we file a written grievance that someone has to act on?.
• What do we do about a complaint in our school?.

Military Registration & Recruiters

Freedom of Speech and the Military

• Can outside groups critical of the military get equal time on campus to present their views?.
• Can student groups critical of the military meet on campus?.

Recruiters

• A military recruiter called my house. How did they get my personal information?.
• Do military recruiters have a right to come to public high schools to recruit students?.
• The Army is coming to my school to give a test. Do I have to take it?.

Registration for the Draft

• Do I have to register with the Selective Service?.
• If I register, does that mean that I agree to enlist in the military?.
• What happens if I refuse to register?.

News

News Items

• Md. student paper wins fight over article on allegations against principal.
• 1 in 10 schools are 'dropout factories'.
• A juggling act on No Child Left Behind.
• A Lesson About Copycats.
• ACLU Asks Esmeralda County To Stop English-Only Rule On School Bus.
• Angry Parents Question School Closings.
• AT&T Giving $100 Million to Fight Dropouts.
• Bare-bottom prom invite went too far.
• Blocking the Transmission of Violence.
• Defenders of Freedom Comic Book Launched.
• DOD Publishes Rule on Military Recruiting and ROTC Access to Higher Ed Institutions.
• Eastern High's PTA Seeks Staff Changes Group Wants Rhee to Dump Teachers.
• Geek Chic: Sorry, Boys, This Is Our Domain.
• I Know What You Did Last Math Class.
• Idaho student says teacher tossed his Mexican flag in trash.
• Judge: Gideon Bibles don't belong in school.
• Locke High sends a message: No more disturbances.
• Louisiana panel blocks anti-droopy pants bill.
• Montgomery Finds Racial Slur Offends, No Matter the Context.
• Montgomery Students Protest Cuts to Magnets.
• Montgomery Students Protest Cuts to Magnets.
• Months after middle school contraceptives furor: 1 taker.
• New online map tracks censorship battles.
• New Parental Escort Policy at the Boulevard at the Capital Centre.
• No criminal charges in water polo photos posted on gay website.
• No Warrant, No Search!.
• Parents of Special-Ed Students Oppose Changing Consent Rule.
• Predicted ESOL Savings Debated.
• Radio on Bus Fosters Quiet, but Not Peace.
• Ruling backs high school's decision to bar band from playing 'Ave Maria'.
• School's cross-dressing day angers Christian network.
• Sexual Harassment at School.
• Suburban Schools Reject Metal Detectors.
• Suburban Schools Reject Metal Detectors.
• The Boy on the Bus.
• This time, ACLU not leaning left: Defends sophomore's right to wear anti-gay t-shirt.
• Thousands Converge on Jena LA to Protest Treatment of Six Black High Schoolers.
• Va. county to look at Saudi school texts.

School Records & Information Privacy

Information Privacy

• Can information in my school records be given to other people without my permission?.
• Can the school give out my information to military recruiters?.

School Records

• Can I have something corrected if my record is wrong?.
• Can the school put my height and weight in a sports program without asking?.
• Do I have a right to see my files?.
• What is in my school records?.

Sexual Health & Education

General

• Do I need parental consent to get birth control or talk to a doctor about STIs, pregnancy or drugs?.
• Do students have a right to sex education at school?.
• May I receive other kinds of medical treatment without my parents’ permission?.
• Will my parents be told if I seek medical treatment or advice about sexual health?.

HIV/AIDS

• Can I go to school if I have HIV or AIDS?.

Pregnancy

• Can I put my baby up for adoption without my parents’ permission?.
• Can my parents or boyfriend force me to terminate my pregnancy?.
• Can school officials make me leave school if I become pregnant, or forbid me from activities?.
• Do I need my parent's permission to have an abortion? Will they be told?.
• Do I need to have permission from my boyfriend or father of my child in order to have an abortion?.

Student Discipline & Due Process

Discipline For Off-Campus Conduct

• Can the school punish me for what I do when I’m not on school grounds?.

Discipline For Students With Disabilities

• Can students with disabilities be suspended or expelled?.
• Can students with disabilities be suspended?.
• Do schools have to treat students with disabilities differently when it comes to school discipline?.
• Is there a right to appeal discipline decisions for students with disabilities?.

Due Process

• If I’m going to be punished, what “due process” do I get?.

Long-Term Suspensions and Expulsions in D.C.

• Can a teacher or school official suspend me and send me home without first notifying my parent?.
• How long can the school system keep records of disciplinary actions?.
• Process for considering a suspension for 11 days or more.

Long-Term Suspensions And Expulsions In Maryland

• Can a teacher or school official suspend me and send me home without first notifying my parent?.
• How long can the school system keep records of past disciplinary actions?.
• Process for considering a suspension for more than 10 days.

Short Suspensions In D.C.

• Procedural protections for suspensions of 10 days or fewer.

Short Suspensions In Maryland

• Procedural protections for suspensions of 10 days or fewer.

Student Discipline In D.C.

• Is it legal for a teacher or school official to hit a student?.
• What are grounds for suspension and expulsion?.
• What is the difference between being suspended and expelled?.

Student Discipline In Maryland

• Are there procedures the school must follow to suspend or expel me?.
• Is it legal for a teacher or school official to hit a student?.
• What are grounds for suspension and expulsion?.
• What is the difference between suspension and expulsion?.

Student Searches & Incidents with Police

Drug Testing

• Can the school require me to submit to drug testing?.

General

• Can school officials strip-search students?.
• Can the principal or a teacher search me?.
• Limits on asking questions?.
• What is the “reasonable suspicion” needed for a search?.

Police Contacts Outside of School

• If I am arrested outside of school, will my school be notified?.
• What are my rights if I am stopped by a police officer outside of school?.

Police Officers at School

• Can a police officer search a student at school?.
• Can I be arrested when I am at school?.
• Can police officers question students at school?.
• Is it okay to have police at school?.
• What is “probable cause”?.
• Why is it easier for school officials to search students in school than it is for police?.

Searches

• Can a school use a metal detector on students withour reason?.
• Can the school search an entire class just because they suspect one student?.
• Can the school search student lockers and desks?.
• Can the school use drug-sniffing dogs?.
• How does the Constitution apply to students at a school function?.
• If they find something in my locker or desk can it be used against me?.

Video Surveillance In Schools

• Can a school put up a camera to watch us in school or on the bus?.

Your Right To Education

Discrimination and Harassment

• Are school officials liable for not preventing or effectively intervening on reported harrasment?.
• Are schools allowed to offer sports that open only to boys or girls?.
• Can a school exclude a student who is HIV positive?.
• Can I bring a same sex date to the school prom?.
• Can my school exclude me from activities or classes if I am married, pregnant, or a parent?.
• Do gay and lesbian students have rights?.
• Do I have to get shots and vaccinations?.
• May boys and girls be treated differently in school?.
• What is my legal right to be treated equally in school?.

Non-English Speaking Students

• Do non or limited English speaking students have a right to be educated in their own language?.

Private School Students

• Do I have any rights if I attend a private school?.
• Does that mean a private school can treat students any way they want?.
• What laws protect me in a DC private school?.
• What laws protect me in a Maryland private school?.
• What rights do students in charter schools have?.
• What rights do students in District of Columbia charter schools have?.
• What rights do students in Maryland charter schools have?.

School Attendance

• At what age can I leave school legally?.
• Can I choose which school to attend?.
• Can school officials ever prevent me from attending?.
• If I am 18 years old, can I excuse myself for my absences?.
• What about school attendance for homeless students?.

Special Education

• Do schools have to provide special help to students with learning or physical disabilities?.

Copyright 2005 by Run Digital