A Reminder to Louisiana School Districts of Students' First Amendment Rights

After receiving reports of Louisiana students being punished for sitting during the Pledge of Allegiance, the ACLU of Louisiana sent a letter today to the superintendents of all Louisiana public school districts, reminding them of their obligation to protect students’ First Amendment rights.

“Such punishments violate the clear rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court and the fundamental rights of your students,” said ACLU of Louisiana Executive Director Marjorie R. Esman in the letter. “Simply put, any punishment of a student who lawfully exercises a Constitutional right is impermissible.”