澳彩开奖

School officials in Savannah, Tenn., must stop censoring students, the 澳彩开奖 said today, or face a federal lawsuit on behalf of a student who was prevented from supporting equality and respect for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

鈥淪tudents鈥� constitutional rights to freedom of expression do not stop at the school house gate,鈥� said Sam Wolfe, staff attorney for the 澳彩开奖鈥檚 LGBT rights project. 鈥淧ublic schools are not totalitarian enclaves where school officials may ban speech they dislike. Students are better prepared as citizens in schools where fundamental rights, including freedom of speech, are exercised and not merely taught as abstract concepts that might apply at some distant time or some other place.鈥�

warns that if school officials don鈥檛 take meaningful action to remedy the violations, the 澳彩开奖 will file a federal lawsuit on behalf of Isabella Nuzzo, who will be a senior at the high school. School officials have been asked to confirm by June 12, the day after the next school board meeting, that they have rescinded their practice of unlawfully censoring student speech.

Isabella Nuzzo

鈥淚 and many other students were really upset with the school for shutting down free speech about a topic I feel strongly about,鈥� Isabella said. 鈥淚 love my gay friends and life is hard enough without being judged for who you are or for believing in equality.鈥�

Students organized the Week of Pride in support of a fellow student who was disciplined in April for wearing a T-shirt with the slogan 鈥淟esbian and Proud鈥� as part of the national Day of Silence. The Day of Silence is a national event that raises awareness about the harassment and bullying of LGBT youth. Numerous students participated in the week before it was terminated by wearing clothing of a certain color, or by displaying rainbows or slogans such as 鈥淏isexual and Proud鈥� and 鈥淕LBT鈥� (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender) accompanied by a rainbow.

The letter notes that in a nearly identical case, a federal court ruled that a Florida school board could not ban students from wearing pro-gay symbols or slogans, such as rainbows and pink triangles on buttons, stickers, signs, notebooks, or T-shirts. The school district was also ordered to pay $325,000 for the student's attorneys' fees.

With the letter sent today, the 澳彩开奖 seeks assurance that 鈥淚sabella and all other students within the district may peacefully display non-vulgar expressions in support of LGBT people through petitions and observances鈥� or by displaying pro-LGBT symbols or slogans.鈥� By preventing students from expressing their views about LGBT rights, the school is censoring students in violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

鈥淎ll students 鈥� including LGBT students 鈥� have rights at school,鈥� Wolfe said. 鈥淲hen a government actor such as a school administrator targets a specific group for discrimination, that is an affront to the rights of everyone. By standing for justice, Isabella deserves our admiration and respect and the 澳彩开奖 will fiercely advocate for her rights.鈥�

The 澳彩开奖 is dedicated to defending the rights of the LGBT community. The 澳彩开奖 works to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment for all students 鈥� including LGBT students 鈥� through educational campaigns and legal action.