Student Speech and Privacy

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U.S. Supreme Court
Jan 2021
Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L.

Student Speech and Privacy

Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L.

On September 25, 2017, the ACLU-PA filed suit on behalf of B.L., a high school sophomore who has been cheerleading since she was in fifth grade and was expelled from the team as punishment for out-of-school speech.
Mahanoy Area School District V. B.l.. Explore Case.

All Cases

7 Student Speech and Privacy Cases

school classroom
Court Case
Sep 2025

Student Speech and Privacy

Racial Justice

Black Emergency Response Team v. Drummond

This lawsuit challenges an Oklahoma classroom censorship law, HB 1775, that severely restricts public school teachers and students from teaching and learning about race and gender.
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Black Emergency Response Team V. Drummond. Explore Case.
Court Case
Sep 2025
school classroom

Student Speech and Privacy

Racial Justice

Black Emergency Response Team v. Drummond

This lawsuit challenges an Oklahoma classroom censorship law, HB 1775, that severely restricts public school teachers and students from teaching and learning about race and gender.
Black Emergency Response Team V. Drummond. Explore Case.
Black girl runner crossing the red victory ribbon
Texas
Nov 2023

Student Speech and Privacy

Free Speech

Spring Branch ISD Advocacy – Dress Code Discrimination

On March 1, 2023, WRP and the Ƶof Texas sent an advocacy letter to Spring Branch Independent School District (“District”) on behalf of G.H., a Spring Woods High School student athlete. The ACLU’s investigation had revealed that the District maintained a discriminatory, sex-specific dress code and gender-based inequities in the school’s athletics program, and that the student was mistreated after objecting to these policies and practices. The advocacy letter raised concerns that the District’s actions reinforced invidious sex stereotypes, treated girl athletes as lesser than boy athletes, and potentially violated the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The District’s policies and actions harm all students, regardless of gender, but have particularly egregious consequences for Black girls and other girls of color.
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Spring Branch Isd Advocacy – Dress Code Discrimination. Explore Case.
Texas
Nov 2023
Black girl runner crossing the red victory ribbon

Student Speech and Privacy

Free Speech

Spring Branch ISD Advocacy – Dress Code Discrimination

On March 1, 2023, WRP and the Ƶof Texas sent an advocacy letter to Spring Branch Independent School District (“District”) on behalf of G.H., a Spring Woods High School student athlete. The ACLU’s investigation had revealed that the District maintained a discriminatory, sex-specific dress code and gender-based inequities in the school’s athletics program, and that the student was mistreated after objecting to these policies and practices. The advocacy letter raised concerns that the District’s actions reinforced invidious sex stereotypes, treated girl athletes as lesser than boy athletes, and potentially violated the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The District’s policies and actions harm all students, regardless of gender, but have particularly egregious consequences for Black girls and other girls of color.
Spring Branch Isd Advocacy – Dress Code Discrimination. Explore Case.
school classroom
Court Case
Jul 2023

Student Speech and Privacy

Racial Justice

Pernell v. Lamb

On Thursday, August 18, 2022 the ACLU, Ƶof Florida, Legal Defense Fund and Ballard Spahr filed a lawsuit challenging Florida's HB7 (aka the Stop W.O.K.E. Act) on behalf of a group of Florida educators and students in higher education.
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Pernell V. Lamb. Explore Case.
Court Case
Jul 2023
school classroom

Student Speech and Privacy

Racial Justice

Pernell v. Lamb

On Thursday, August 18, 2022 the ACLU, Ƶof Florida, Legal Defense Fund and Ballard Spahr filed a lawsuit challenging Florida's HB7 (aka the Stop W.O.K.E. Act) on behalf of a group of Florida educators and students in higher education.
Pernell V. Lamb. Explore Case.
This image shows the plaintiffs' original complaint, partially covered by large red text that reads "FILED."
Court Case
Feb 2023

Student Speech and Privacy

C.K.–W. v. Wentzville R-IV School District

The Ƶ of Missouri, joined by the National ACLU, filed a lawsuit challenging a school district's removal of eight critically-acclaimed library books that are by and about people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and other marginalized groups, as well as its policy requiring automatic removal of every book that any student, parent, or guardian formally objects to, regardless of the basis for or merits of that objection.
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C.k.–w. V. Wentzville R-iv School District. Explore Case.
Court Case
Feb 2023
This image shows the plaintiffs' original complaint, partially covered by large red text that reads "FILED."

Student Speech and Privacy

C.K.–W. v. Wentzville R-IV School District

The Ƶ of Missouri, joined by the National ACLU, filed a lawsuit challenging a school district's removal of eight critically-acclaimed library books that are by and about people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and other marginalized groups, as well as its policy requiring automatic removal of every book that any student, parent, or guardian formally objects to, regardless of the basis for or merits of that objection.
C.k.–w. V. Wentzville R-iv School District. Explore Case.
Governor Mifflin School District and Filtering of LGBT Online Content
Court Case
Feb 2013

Student Speech and Privacy

LGBTQ Rights

Governor Mifflin School District and Filtering of LGBT Online Content

The Ƶ and the Ƶof Pennsylvania have sent a letter requesting that school officials at Governor Mifflin School District in Berks County stop using Internet filters that violate students' First Amendment free speech rights. The district uses a sexuality filter that blocks sites that express support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, and an intolerance filter that blocks political advocacy sites that are labeled as intolerant.
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Governor Mifflin School District And Filtering Of Lgbt Online Content. Explore Case.
Court Case
Feb 2013
Governor Mifflin School District and Filtering of LGBT Online Content

Student Speech and Privacy

LGBTQ Rights

Governor Mifflin School District and Filtering of LGBT Online Content

The Ƶ and the Ƶof Pennsylvania have sent a letter requesting that school officials at Governor Mifflin School District in Berks County stop using Internet filters that violate students' First Amendment free speech rights. The district uses a sexuality filter that blocks sites that express support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, and an intolerance filter that blocks political advocacy sites that are labeled as intolerant.
Governor Mifflin School District And Filtering Of Lgbt Online Content. Explore Case.
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