Friend –

The trend we see in California schools today is the same we've seen for decades – California schools have notoriously censored Black students who support racial justice and the Black Lives Matter movement, and others who express controversial views. School administrators continue to suppress students' constitutional rights to free expression. Here are some of the troubling examples we've seen:

• A teacher destroyed student artwork that affirmed Black Lives Matter.
• A principal punished a student for wearing a shirt that read, "Nobody Knows I’m a Lesbian."
• A school forbid a Native American student to wear an eagle feather on his graduation cap.
• School officials excluded a 14-year-old Black boy from class because a teacher thought his haircut was "distracting."

Because of these egregious incidents, students must be empowered to speak up if they believe their constitutional rights to free expression are being violated at school. There is a team of ACLU attorneys and organizers that have your back.

Bookmark our new resource for student expression in schools.

Students wield incredible power to affect change in our society. From the "Little Rock Nine" to last summer's nationwide protests against police brutality, young people have been on the front lines to expand civil rights and civil liberties in California and across the country.

That's why our team put together this one-stop-shop for student advocacy. Students, and parents, can learn about the impact of youth-led movements, get accurate and up-to-date "Know Your Rights" information, and see examples of students successfully challenging free speech violations.

Don’t miss out on this valuable resource: Bookmark in your web browser now.

Thank you,

Brandon Greene
Pronouns: he, him, his
Racial and Economic Justice Director, ACLU of Northern California