Back-to-school toolkit for K-12 schools addresses privacy protections and free speech, LGBTQ+ and immigrants’ rights.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 28, 2025
Contact:
Emily Hagan-Howe, Communications Director
[email protected] | 802-243-3339
Montpelier, VT –The ACLU of Vermont sent updated guidance to Vermont school leaders, educators, and partners yesterday, outlining the legal obligations—and opportunities—that schools have to protect students’ rights. With this toolkit, the ACLU seeks to provide greater clarity in the context of a shifting federal policy landscape ahead of the 2025-2026 academic year.
Hillary Rich, Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU of Vermont: “We know that Vermont educators are committed to ensuring the safety and freedom of students to learn, grow, and express themselves. We also know that the federal government has sown chaos and confusion—including a barrage of unconstitutional executive orders, many of which are now tied up in litigation. This guidance aims to cut through the noise and help school leaders, teachers, and students better understand the application of civil liberties in our schools—in particular, the rights of immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, and people of color.”
This back-to-school toolkit includes updated information about school personnel’s rights and responsibilities to:
- Protect immigrant families’ privacy and noncitizen students’ right to learn
- Comply with ongoing anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ youth
- Foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in schools
- Teach about a range of topics free from politically motivated censorship
Monica Allard, Staff Attorney, ACLU of Vermont: “Vermont’s progress toward greater educational equity has been slow and uneven, but it has probably never faced greater obstacles than today. From the ACLU of Vermont’s founding, through our successful advocacy in the landmark school funding case Brigham v. State of Vermont, and up to the present, our commitment to advancing the rights and liberties of Vermont students has never wavered. Schools are the heart of our communities, vital to a functioning democracy, and we hope this guidance proves to be a helpful resource at a time of unprecedented challenges and uncertainty.”
The ACLU of Vermont’s back-to-school toolkit is available here.
