A Handbook for Public School Students in Pennsylvania About this booklet If you are a public school student in Pennsylvania, you have rights. This booklet tells you about those rights, when you can use them, and when school officials and police can limit them. This booklet does not offer legal advice. It offers tips about how to handle certain situations and information on where to go for help. Most of the rights discussed in this booklet also apply to students in charter schools. Charter schools are public schools, but they are run independently of the school district. Charter schools must follow state and federal law, including the U.S. Constitution. This means that students facing serious disciplinary action (such as expulsion) have the same rights as students in public school. Like regular public schools, charters cannot deny a student enrollment because of a disability, not being fluent in English, or immigration status. About the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania (ACLU-PA) The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization that works to defend and promote the principles of freedom and equality embodied in the United States and Pennsylvania constitutions. We promote these rights through advocacy, education, litigation and legislative activity. Our Services Contact us if you think your rights, as described in this booklet, are being violated and you need legal help. All contact with us — calls, letters and emails — are confidential. We do not charge for our services. American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania www.aclupa.org Eastern Office Requests for legal assistance: 215-592-1513 • [email protected] 877-745-ACLU (2258) or www.aclupa.org/complaint Western Office 412-681-7736 • [email protected] Central Office 717-238-2258 • [email protected] Table of Contents FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION ...........................................................................................................................................................6 What You Can Say ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................6 What You Can Wear ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................8 Your Right to Meet and Protest ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 11 Your Right to Publish and Distribute Material .................................................................................................................................................................... 13 INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 RELIGION IN SCHOOL ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 18 Prayer in School ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................19 Accommodating Religious Students...................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Teaching Religion in School ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Religious Clothing and Accessories ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Holiday Celebrations and Displays ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 Religious Groups’ Access to Schools.....................................................................................................................................................................................26 KNOW YOUR RIGHTS 3 SCHOOL SECURITY AND YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS .................................................................................................................................................................. 28 Police Officers and School Security Guards .......................................................................................................................................................................29 Locker, Backpack, and Strip Searches .................................................................................................................................................................................. 33 Cell Phones ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 35 Drug Testing and Drug Dogs .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 37 STUDENT DISCIPLINE ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Suspensions ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 41 Expulsions ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................44 Weapons at Schools .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 47 Discipline of Students with Disabilities ................................................................................................................................................................................48 FAIR TREATMENT ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................50 Discrimination .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................50 Immigration ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 51 Language .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 52 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Students ............................................................................................................54 Students with Disabilities and Students Needing Special Education ......................................................................................................................56 Sexual Harassment .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................58 Bullying..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................59 4 KNOW YOUR RIGHTS ENROLLING IN SCHOOL ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 60 STUDENT RECORDS ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................63 MILITARY AND STUDENTS ...................................................................................................................................................................................................65