ACLU of Louisiana Advises Educators of Students’ Right to Protest
National School Walkout planned for March 14
NEW ORLEANS — The ACLU of Louisiana sent an open letter today to the superintendents of all Louisiana public schools, in anticipation of Wednesday’s National School Walkout to commemorate the students and staff killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School shooting. The letter affirms the right of students to engage in political speech, and details guidelines for administrators on how they can legally respond to protest.
While the letter was sent only to traditional public school superintendents, the law applies to all publicly funded schools, including charters.
“Rather than focus on discipline, schools should regard National School Walkout day as an opportunity for a practical lesson in participatory democracy,” wrote Jane Johnson, interim executive director. “We hope that Louisiana school districts foster your students’ civic participation and responsibility on National School Walkout day, and help to ensure the health of our democracy in decades to come.”
A copy of the letter is online here: https://www.laaclu.org/sites/default/files/2018_national_school_walkout_letter_to_la_schools.pdf
Additional resources for student protesters are available on the ACLU website: https://www.aclu.org/issues/free-speech/student-speech-and-privacy/students-rights-speech-walkouts-and-other-protests
Stay informed
Every month, you'll receive regular roundups of the most important civil rights and civil liberties developments. Remember: a well-informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy policy.
The latest in Free Speech
-
ACLU Warns of Harm to Free Speech Online if Congress Dismantles Section 230
-
This Law Could Criminalize Everyday Conversations About Immigration
-
How Officials in Georgia are Suppressing Political Protest as ‘Domestic Terrorism’
-
Congressional Efforts to Ban TikTok in the U.S. Remain a Danger to Free Speech
ACLU's Vision
The American Civil Liberties Union is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America.
Learn More About Free Speech
Protecting free speech means protecting a free press, the democratic process, diversity of thought, and so much more. The ACLU has worked since 1920 to ensure that freedom of speech is protected for everyone.