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Morse v. Frederick in the Supreme Court
The ACLU criticized the Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling in Morse v. Frederick, which held that Alaska public school officials did not violate Joseph Frederick's free speech rights by punishing him for displaying a banner during a public event. The case arose in 2002 when Frederick, then a student at Juneau-Douglas High School in Juneau, Alaska, was suspended for 10 days for holding up a humorous sign that the principal of the school, Deborah Morse, interpreted as a pro-drug message. Learn more >>
> ACLU Slams Supreme Court Decision in Student Free Speech Case (6/25/2007)

ACLU/SC and Big Bear School District Agree on Measures to Protect Students' Right to Free Speech (02/10/2009)
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and the Bear Valley Unified School District announced today that they will enter into a settlement that will protect students' right to free speech.

Schools Must Allow Talk About Obama's Inauguration, Says ACLU (01/14/2009)
Today the ACLU of Louisiana released a letter to the Superintendents of all school districts in Louisiana, reminding them to respect the rights of students and school personnel to discuss issues surrounding the inauguration of Barack Obama on January 20. The letter was prompted by reports of students being punished after Election Day for discussion of the election and its outcome.

Florida Student Who Won ACLU Lawsuit Wins Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award (10/21/2008)
MIAMI – The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that Heather Gillman has been selected by the Playboy Foundation to receive the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award for "her fearlessness in speaking out on behalf of the rights of gay students" at Ponce de Leon High School, located in Florida's Panhandle.

Florida High School Student Wins Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award (10/20/2008)
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida announces that Heather Gillman has been selected by the Playboy Foundation to receive the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award for "her fearlessness in speaking out on behalf of the rights of gay students" at her Ponce de Leon high school, located in Florida's Panhandle.

Appeals Court Sides with ACLU, Finds Watson Chapel Students' Free Speech Rights Violated (09/02/2008)
LITTLE ROCK — Today the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the decision of a federal judge in finding that the Watson Chapel School District (WCSD) violated the First Amendment rights of students when they disciplined them for wearing black armbands to protest the student apparel policy. In October 2006 the ACLU of Arkansas filed suit against WCSD alleging the district violated the free speech rights of those students and a federal judge agreed. The school district appealed to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, and today that Court upheld the lower court's ruling. The Court said that by winning this lawsuit, the student plaintiffs did something "that benefitted all of the students in the school" and "vindicated" students' right to free speech.

Ask Sybil Liberty About Your Right to Free Expression (12/31/1997)
ACLU's resident expert, Sybil Liberty, answers common questions about students' rights from a student point of view.

Scott v. Napa Valley Unified School District - Ruling on Submitted Motion for Preliminary Injunction (07/02/2007)

NYCLU Letter to the Katonah-Lewisboro School District (03/13/2007)
NYCLU Letter to the Katonah-Lewisboro School District regarding censorship of The Vagina Monologues.

Morse v. Frederick - Respondent's Brief (02/20/2007)
Whether school officials violated the First Amendment when they suspended a high school student for holding up a sign that the principal interpreted as a pro-drug message when the sign caused no disruption, was displayed at a public event on the public streets, and the student had not yet arrived at school for the day.

Lowry v. Watson Chapel School District Amended Complaint (02/06/2007)
Lowry v. Watson Chapel School District Amended Complaint

Lowry v Watson Chapel School Dist Brief in Support of Motion for Preliminary Injunction (10/10/2006)
Lowry v Watson Chapel School Dist Brief in Support of Motion for Preliminary Injunction

Tinker v. Des Moines (393 U.S. 503, 1969) (03/16/2007)
Background on the foundational free speech case from 1969.

All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go: Students and Their Parents Fight School Uniform Policies (11/04/1999)

Morse v. Frederick (02/20/2007)
Whether school officials violated the First Amendment when they suspended a high school student for holding up a sign that the principal interpreted as a pro-drug message when the sign caused no disruption, was displayed at a public event on the public streets, and the student had not yet arrived at school for the day. DECIDED