American Civil Liberties Union : Lesbian Gay Rights : Schools Youth

The LGBT Project fights discrimination and moves public opinion on LGBT rights through the courts, legislatures and public education. >> More About the Project





The Youth & Schools program strives to make public schools safe and bias-free, defending free expression in public schools and working to help students establish gay-straight alliance clubs.	> Federal Appeals Court Rules Osseo, MN School Must Treat Gay Student Club Equally > Okeechobee, FL High School Gay-Straight Alliance Wins Groundbreaking Federal Lawsuit

The LGBT Project's Youth & Schools program has a ton of online information for students, but also for parents, teachers, and school administrators. Here's how to get around:

"What's Your Problem?" contains information to help you better understand your rights, what steps you should take to fight back, and how we might be able to help
"Change Your School" gives you the tools you need to make your school a safer, more welcoming place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students
"Library" is a huge collection of information about schools issues for LGBT youth and links to handouts, letters, and legal briefs from both the ACLU's website and elsewhere on the web
"Get Help" tells you how to contact us with questions about experiencing anti-gay discrimination in your school and how to find out what your rights are under the law

Lesbian Gay Rights : Schools Youth : Press Releases

view all

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.

Federal Appeals Court Rules Osseo, MN School Must Treat Gay Student Club Equally (08/29/2008)
MINNEAPOLIS – Finding that school officials violated federal law in limiting access for a gay rights club, a federal appeals court today issued a permanent injunction that orders Osseo Area Schools to let the club have the same access to school facilities and resources as all other clubs. The ruling came as the result of a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota today on behalf of Straights and Gays for Equality (SAGE), a student club at Maple Grove High School.

Okeechobee, FL High School Gay-Straight Alliance Wins Groundbreaking Federal Lawsuit (07/30/2008)
OKEECHOBEE, FL – A Florida federal court today ruled that school officials in Okeechobee, Florida must allow a gay-straight alliance (GSA) club to meet on campus. In a precedent setting order arising in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, Judge K. Michael Moore upheld his earlier ruling that GSAs do not interfere with abstinence-only education and, in a legal first, held that schools must provide for the well-being of gay students.

Settlement With Lake County School District Calls For Comprehensive Approach To Protecting Students From Anti-Gay Harassment (06/25/2008)
SAN FRANCISCO — The ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) has reached a settlement with the Upper Lake Union School District that contains a comprehensive series of steps the district will undertake to protect students from anti-gay harassment and discrimination. The agreement is on behalf of a student who was persistently subjected to verbal taunting and physical abuse throughout elementary and middle school based on his gender identity and perceived sexual orientation. The ACLU-NC sought this settlement in light of federal and state laws that allow for school administrators to be held liable if they fail to take adequate measures to remedy anti-LGBT harassment and discrimination.

Nashville High School Students Celebrate Comprehensive Non-Discrimination Policy (06/11/2008)
NASHVILLE, TN – Students are celebrating today after last night’s decision by the Nashville school board to protect students and school employees from gender identity and sexual orientation discrimination. The American Civil Liberties Union also applauds the decision, hailing the hard work and advocacy by students that led to the change.

Lesbian Gay Rights : Schools Youth : Publications

Know Your Rights! - Students Wallet Card (06/15/2007)
You have the right to be yourself. This wallet card provides LGBT students with the basics – outlining students’ legal rights in public schools.
> Order online!

Making Schools Safe Training Manual (01/31/2006)
This is an abridged version. Contact us for copies of the full manual.

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

Lesbian Gay Rights : Schools Youth : Legal Documents

view all

SAGE v. Osseo Area Schools - 8th Ct. Opinion Affirming Permanent Injunction (08/29/2008)
Opinion by the U.S. District Court of Appeals upholding students' permanent injunction against the school in SAGE v. Osseo Area Schools

Gonzalez v. School Board of Okeechobee County - Order Granting Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment; Denying Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (07/29/2008)

Gillman v. Holmes County School District - Opinion and Order (07/24/2008)

Gonzalez v. School Board of Okeechobee County - Order Granting Plaintiffs' Motion to Alter Judgment (05/19/2008)

Lesbian Gay Rights : Schools Youth : Legislative Documents

view all

Sign-on Letter to Omnibus Appropriations Bill Conferees Urging No New Funding to Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs Under the Special Projects of Regional and National Significance (SPRANS) Grant Program funded through the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill (02/05/2003)

Letter to the Senate on First Amendment Issues in Sen. Helms' "Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act" Amendment to ESEA (05/21/2001)

Letter to the House on the First Amendment Issues in Rep. Hilleary's "Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act" Amendment to ESEA (05/21/2001)

Letter to the House on H.R. 4892, "The Scouting for All Act " (09/12/2000)

Letter to the House on the Solomon Amendment (03/25/1999)

Lesbian Gay Rights : Schools Youth : Resources

view all