Single-Sex Classrooms - A Bad Idea for Maine
oami, March 14, 2013 - 7:46amToday, the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs is holding a public hearing on LD 699, which seeks to allow Maine public schools to segregate classrooms by sex. We will testify in opposition, alongside many of our partners including Equality Maine and the National Organization for Women.
On top of the questionable legality of single-sex schooling in public schools, segregating students by sex in Maine's schools raises significant educational and pedagogical concerns.
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On top of the questionable legality of single-sex schooling in public schools, segregating students by sex in Maine's schools raises significant educational and pedagogical concerns.
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Thoughts From an ACLU Intern
Danny, March 13, 2013 - 2:18pmAs an intern with the ACLU of Maine, all I'm hoping to bring is my own perspective.
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Not Just a Gun Bill
jill, March 12, 2013 - 4:50pmToday, Augusta was an exciting place to be!
People from all across Maine came out to testify in a public hearing before the legislature's Judiciary Committee on whether or not concealed weapon permit information should be made available to the public.
We testified in opposition to this bill, based on our desire to strike a balance between personal privacy and the public's right to know.
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People from all across Maine came out to testify in a public hearing before the legislature's Judiciary Committee on whether or not concealed weapon permit information should be made available to the public.
We testified in opposition to this bill, based on our desire to strike a balance between personal privacy and the public's right to know.
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The Change in Maine: The Pine Tree State Leads the Way on Solitary Confinement Reform
Rachel, March 11, 2013 - 4:54pm
A Declaration of Conscience
Jon, March 11, 2013 - 4:30pmFor those of us who grew up in Maine, the name Margaret Chase Smith is one we’ve heard since we were little children. Her place in history is undeniable: the first woman to represent our state in Congress; the first woman from any state to serve in both the House and the Senate; and the first woman in American history to run for president for a major party.
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This Week in Civil Liberties: Militarization, Marriage, Civil Rights and Arkansas
Ryan, March 8, 2013 - 6:05pmEach Friday, we’ll bring you updates on the latest civil liberties news from Maine and the nation.
Militarization of the Police | continue reading
Militarization of the Police | continue reading
Take Action to Limit Drones
edward, March 7, 2013 - 2:14pmMainers shouldn’t have to fear that the government could use unmanned drones to spy on our homes and our backyards. Unfortunately, cheap technology and a change in the federal rules make the specter of backyard surveillance a real and terrifying possibility.
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Militarizing The Police
zach, March 6, 2013 - 3:09pmToday, the ACLU of Maine joined colleagues across the country in filing public records requests aimed at uncovering important information about the web of connections between the military and the police. We already know that, in some states, military equipment and tactics are regularly used in domestic interactions with civilians. This development has been driven by federal policies of funneling money, training, and equipment to state and local police departments. | continue reading
The Right to Vote...for All
shenna, March 5, 2013 - 9:55pmYesterday, I joined our partners at the NAACP and the League of Women Voters in testifying against LD 573, a proposed constitutional amendment that would strip some felons of the right to vote while incarcerated.
In Maine, as in Vermont, the right to vote is not lost upon incarceration. LD 573 would take away that right and in so doing would erode the fabric of our democracy by decreasing voter participation and discouraging people with certain criminal convictions from maintaining a stake in their constructive reintegration into society.
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In Maine, as in Vermont, the right to vote is not lost upon incarceration. LD 573 would take away that right and in so doing would erode the fabric of our democracy by decreasing voter participation and discouraging people with certain criminal convictions from maintaining a stake in their constructive reintegration into society.
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'Do Not Track' Laws Are Long Overdue
Jon, March 4, 2013 - 6:11pmAs we’ve blogged about before, our electronic privacy laws are woefully out-of-date. The law that protects the privacy of your electronic life — email, cell phone location records, Facebook posts, search history, cloud computing documents — was passed in 1986, the same year I was born. | continue reading