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The American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont [ACLU VT]
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The American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont is freedom's watchdog, working in the courts, legislatures, and communities to defend individual rights and personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
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Learn How To Protect Your Privacy Online!

When you learn, share, shop, and connect online, a lot happens behind the scenes that companies and the government don't want you to know. The sites that you visit can collect detailed information about you -- your interests, politics, relationships, and more. This information can be shared, sold, or handed over to the government -- without a warrant.

Look behind the curtain to see what's really happening to your personal info. See what you can do right now to take back control and keep details about your private life from being used and abused.

Student Rights Handbook -- Know Your Rights!

"Can they do that?" It's a question we get asked all the time from students in Vermont public schools. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the 1969 Tinker vs. Des Moines case that students "don't shed their constitutional rights" at the schoolhouse gate.

Our Student Rights Handbook touches on everything from dress codes to censorship, searches to discipline. Learn about your rights at school -- and exercise them.

Multimedia Corner

Would You Ask This Man For His Papers?

Would you ask this man for his papers? Why? Because of the color of his skin? Because of the language he's speaking? Because he's doing yard work? The fact is, there is no way to tell who is documented and who is not. If Arizona law SB 1070 is allowed to go into effect, American citizens WILL be subjected to racial profiling. People in this country legally will be stopped, interrogated, and harassed simply because of what they look like or the language they are speaking. That's not right and it's not constitutional. Help us protect the constitution. Help stop SB 1070. What Happens in Arizona, Stops in Arizona.

Other recent ACLU videos (all on YouTube*):

From our 2009 annual meeting:

From our 2009 civil liberties conference on First Amendement rights:

*Please note that by playing these clips, YouTube will place a long-term cookie on your computer. Please see YouTube’s privacy statement on their Web site to learn more. To view the National ACLU’s privacy statement, click here. You can also go directly to YouTube to view the videos there.
Arizona Travel Alert!

Vermonters should be aware of potential threats to the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individuals planning to travel or stay in Arizona. Read more. And catch the video "Would You Ask This Man For His Papers?" below, left, in our Video Corner..

Civil Liberties Journal

Vermont Fails Campaign Finance Disclosure Test

August 30, 2010

We like to think Vermont politics are clean and transparent. They very well might be, but it’s sometimes hard to know given the lax reporting requirements for state political campaigns.

Read the rest of this entry »

Events

The Art of Ben Stein: Show and Sale

Ben Stein of Burlington was an architect, outdoorsman, dancer, traveler, and artist -- and a long-time supporter of the ACLU, serving as a member of our board and legal panel. Ben died earlier this year. His family is honoring his memory through a show and benefit sale of his paintings through Sept. 5.

 

An Evening Without

We're noting Banned Books Week again this year with a program of readings from banned works on Sept. 30 in Brattleboro. Well-known Vermont authors will read passages from books targeted by censors. The event is being held in conjunction with the Brattleboro Literary Festival.

 

Items of Interest

Want to know what the government knows about you?

File a FOIA.

Here's how.

 

Are police tracking you through your cell phone? When you carry a cell phone, you’re constantly broadcasting your whereabouts. That’s OK when you want to send or receive a call. But it’s not OK when law enforcement is tracking you without a warrant. Read about our lawsuit to find out whether cell phone tracking is being used by law enforcement in Vermont.

Questions for candidates. We've been compiling a list of civil liberties questions you might ask candidates.

Military recruiters can access students’ contact information — unless you say “no." Learn about student opt-out rights and how to submit an opt-out form to your school.

 

 

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