Student Rights Icon

Student Rights

For liberty to be preserved, it must be nurtured in the hearts and minds of young people. The ACLU educates students 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.

REPORT: Washington Schools Routinely Physically Restrain and Isolate Students

Advocates call on the Legislature to Clarify the Law and Adopt Reforms to Protect Students 

Resources

ACLU-WA Honors WA Immigrant Solidarity Network, Spokane’s Every Student Counts Alliance, and Auburn’s Youth United

News Release, Published: 
Friday, November 3, 2017
The ACLU of Washington is honoring a statewide immigrant support network, a Spokane group that has advocated for reform of school discipline policies, and a group of Auburn students that have advocated for the rights of immigrant youth with its annual awards for 2017.
Read more

Pushed out, kicked out: Stories from families with special education students in Washington

Published: 
Monday, October 2, 2017
Christian: Punished and forced into online school for taking too long in the restroom
Read more

Know Your Rights: Police In Schools

Document, Published: 
Thursday, September 7, 2017
Many schools have police officers stationed on campus. Other schools may call police to respond to particular situations. Even though you are in school, you still have rights when interacting with police.
Read more

Pushed out, kicked out: Stories from families with special education students in Washington

Published: 
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Washington's special education students are entering the school to prison pipeline because schools suspend or expel them twice as much as their peers.
Read more

Pushed out, kicked out: Stories from families with special education students in Washington

Published: 
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Ten-year-old Tory moved from Georgia and started in the Clover Park School District in June 2015. While Tory was once excited to go to a school with supportive teachers, now he is anxious about school as a place where he will be mistreated by teachers and humiliated in front of his peers.
Read more

Pushed out, kicked out: Stories from families with special education students in Washington

Published: 
Friday, July 28, 2017
Washington's special education students are entering the school to prison pipeline because schools suspend or expel them twice as much as their peers.
Read more

Pushed out; kicked out: Stories from families with special education students in Washington

Published: 
Friday, July 21, 2017
Washington's special education students are entering the school to prison pipeline because schools suspend or expel them twice as much as their peers.
Read more

Equal Access Act

Document, Published: 
Friday, May 5, 2017
Many schools allow students to form clubs, like a drama club or a debate club. Under the law, schools cannot discriminate against student clubs, like Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) for example, simply because they disagree with the message or purpose of a club. This document provides information about the federal Equal Access Act and protections for student clubs.
Read more

Pages