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For liberty to be preserved, it must be nurtured in the hearts and minds of young people. The ACLU educates young people about the many important rights they have and supports those who exercise their rights. In doing so, we help to prepare the next generation of guardians of liberty.

Helping Youth Move Forward: Bill Would Keep Juvenile Records Confidential

Vanessa Hernandez, ACLU-WA Staff Attorney and Equal Justice Works Fellow
Friday, January 27th, 2012 at 8:46 am
Since the turn of the century, juvenile courts have been separate from adult courts. The goal of juvenile courts, as the Supreme Court recognized over 50 years ago, is to determine how to rehabilitate juveniles and “save [them] from a downward career.” To further these goals, juvenile court records have historically been shielded from public view. This system allows juveniles to enter adulthood without being publicly labeled as criminals. Read More »
 
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Former Student Gains Major Settlement after Enduring Years of Harassment

January 26, 2012
A former student who endured severe and persistent harassment throughout junior high and high school has gained a major settlement from the Aberdeen School District, the ACLU of Washington announced today. The ACLU has represented Russell Dickerson III in a lawsuit saying that school district officials were aware of the harassment but failed to take steps reasonably calculated to end it. Read More »
 

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Student Rights and Responsibilities in the Digital Age

October 17, 2011
Coming soon. Read More »
 
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For Back to School Time: Resources Galore and a "Fairness Checklist"

Nancy Talner, ACLU-WA Staff Attorney
Friday, September 30th, 2011 at 9:40 am
It’s the beginning of Fall and that always means … Back to School time! For students, parents, and educators, the ACLU-WA has many resources about rights at public school. Read More »
 
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Learn how the law protects students at school.

Linda Mangel
Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 at 3:09 pm
No one should suffer through bullying and harassment. Students have a right to feel safe and welcome when they arrive at school. School districts have an obligation to provide a safe environment. Take a quiz and learn the facts about bullying. Read More »
 
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Court Rules Children Do Not Have Right to Counsel in Truancy Hearings

June 9, 2011
Reversing an appeals court ruling, the Washington Supreme Court today found that a child has no right to counsel under the due process clause of the state or federal constitutions at initial truancy hearings. The ACLU of Washington submitted a friend-of-the-court brief in the case (Bellevue v. E.S.) supporting the right to counsel at such hearings. The brief said that the child’s liberty, privacy, and education were all at stake, and that the risks of error – even in initial truancy proceedings – warranted the child’s right to be represented by counsel. Read More »
 
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ACLU-WA Was a Voice for Children in Olympia

Kathleen Taylor, Executive Director
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011 at 12:34 pm
ACLU-WA Legislative Director Shankar Narayan was one of a group of lobbyists recognized with a Voices for Children award at  the annual awards luncheon the Children’s Alliance on Tuesday.  The lobbyist group, known as the Racial Equity Team, was presented the award in recognition of their work to advance racial equality issues in the 2012 legislative session.  Read More »
 
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Drug-Sniffing Dogs in Schools Make Every Student a Suspect

Lisa Sullivan
Monday, June 6th, 2011 at 9:38 am
Last month, a high school in southeastern Washington conducted a suspicionless drug search. Students were asked to leave their classroom so that a police officer with a “drug-detection dog” could check their backpacks for signs of drug possession. After the search, two students were singled out for a more invasive search and questioning. One had marijuana paraphernalia in his backpack; in the other, no signs of drugs or drug paraphernalia could be found. Good news for the second student—after the humiliating and anxiety-producing search was complete, he was permitted to go back to class. Read More »
 
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Tux? Corsage? Constitution? Know Prom Night Rights

Do you know a student who is attending prom? For many young adults, prom is a highlight of the school year. For others, the experience can be marred by a violation of students' constitutional rights. Do you know your prom night rights?  Read More »
 
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