LOS ANGELES—A broad coalition of education and civil rights organizations sent a letter today to all California county and district superintendents and charter school administrators urging immediate action to direct additional resources to the state’s neediest children.

Civil Rights Groups File Lawsuit after State Education Officials Failed to Act in Response to January 2013 Report Documenting the Illegal Practice LOS ANGELES — The ACLU of California (ACLU), the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC), and the law firm of Latham & Watkins LLP today filed a civil rights lawsuit on behalf of public school students, parents, and educators against the State of California and state education officials related to the denial of language instruction to tens of thousands of English Learner (EL) students across California, in violation of federal and state law. 

The ACLU Foundation of Southern California (ACLU/SC), and the law firm of Nixon Peabody LLP sent a letter to administrators at Sultana High School and the Hesperia Unified School District in San Bernardino County demanding that school officials stop censoring the speech and activities of the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) school club, stop discriminating against lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender and queer/questioning (LBGTQ) students in the school, and allow students to wear gender non-conforming clothing to the upcoming prom.  

By March 1, 2013 all public schools in California, including charter schools and alternative schools, must have a process in place for students and parents to file a complaint if they believe their school is charging fees as a condition of participating in educational activities. Such fees violate the California Constitution, which has guaranteed children free schools for well over a hundred years, and create a pay-to-learn system that discriminates against children from lower-income families. 

The ACLU Foundation of Southern California and the law firm Traber & Voorhees today announced settlement agreements that will protect students in Glendale Unified School District (GUSD) from discrimination as well as arbitrary detentions and searches by police officers on campus.

The American Civil Liberties Union of California and the law firm Morrison & Foerster LLP today announced that they would dismiss a class action lawsuit filed against the State of California on behalf of public school students who had been charged fees as a condition of taking academic courses. The announcement follows Governor Jerry Brown’s September 29th signing of Assembly Bill 1575 (AB 1575), a bill authored by Assemblymember Ricardo Lara and sponsored by the ACLU of California.

The ACLU of Southern California (ACLU/SC) has sent a letter to Orange County schools seeking their collaboration to end bullying, which plagues many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) students. The harassment and torment of bullies has significantly impacted the climate at several local schools, as well as the emotional and physical well-being of LGBTQ students.

Many public school districts across New York State provide sex-ed instruction that is inaccurate, incomplete and biased, according to a report released today by the New York Civil Liberties Union that analyzes sex-ed materials that have been used in 82 public school districts.

The American Civil Liberties Union of California today announced its endorsement of Proposition 30, the Schools and Local Public Safety Protection Act.