School Rights

Students do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate. You can express opinions peacefully.

You cannot be forced to say the Pledge of Allegiance or stand for it.

Schools can search lockers without a warrant if they have reasonable suspicion of a rule violation.

Dress codes cannot discriminate based on gender, race, or religion, or censor political messages unless disruptive.

Schools generally cannot punish you for speech posted on social media outside of school hours.

Schools can confiscate phones, but they generally cannot look through your texts or photos.

You have the right to be treated equally, including bringing a same-sex date to prom.

Public schools cannot force you to pray, but you can pray individually on your own time.

If a school allows extra-curricular clubs, they must allow GSA or religious clubs.

You can distribute literature at school, though the school can regulate the time and place.

Schools have a legal duty to protect students from harassment and bullying.

Schools cannot expel or exclude students because they are pregnant or parenting.

You have the same rights with School Resource Officers as with regular police. You can remain silent.

Students with disabilities have a right to a free appropriate public education and an IEP.

You can be punished for missing class during a walkout, but the punishment cannot be harsher than for regular truancy.

Transgender students generally have the right to use bathrooms matching their gender identity.

School boards cannot remove books from libraries just because they dislike the ideas in them.

In many states, parents or students can opt out of sex education classes.

Schools must provide language support to students who are learning English.

Schools cannot ask about your citizenship status or deny enrollment to undocumented students.