What right to privacy does a student have when she parks her car at school? Can a principal search a student's backpack because a teacher says she saw the student smoking? Are students allowed to wear shirts with expletives printed on them? Can a group of students form a club after school around a specific religion? Can a teacher make students pray before lunch?
These are some of the questions we consider at the annual ACLU of MAINE Bill of Rights Student Conferences. Often students aren't aware of their constitutional rights at school. We try to spread the word across the state that students don't leave their rights at the schoolhouse gate. Students rotate between workshops on the first, fourth and fourteenth amendments. From observing attorneys debate to running a mock trial, students consider our constitutional rights in a variety of ways, and always leave knowing more.
If you're a student who would like to attend or a teacher who would like to bring students, email Brianna Twofoot at [email protected]. Our conferences are currently scheduled for:
- Farmington - October 21 at the University of Maine at Farmington
- Belfast - October 26 at the Hutchinson Center
- Portland - November 3 at the University of Southern Maine in Portland
Join us! Come learn about student rights. For more information, call Brianna at 207.774.5444.