First Amendment
Learn more about how the freedoms of speech, religion, and assembly play out in schools
Law & Courts
Ten Commandments Law for Public Schools Is 'Impermissible,' Judge Rules
The Louisiana law would require displays of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom.
Student Well-Being
Student Journalists Want to Cover Politics. Not Everyone Agrees They Should
Student journalists are grappling with controversial topics鈥攁 lesson in democracy that's becoming increasingly at risk for pushback.
Law & Courts
A School Board Tried to Make Public Comments Civil. It Went Too Far, Court Says
The rules blocked protected speech or were inconsistently applied, judges say.
Equity & Diversity
Explainer
Religion in Public Schools, Explained
Public schools cannot promote any particular religion, and they must respect the individual religious beliefs of students and staff.
Law & Courts
A District's Rule Against Misgendering Students Is Likely Constitutional
A federal appeals court did not block a policy barring students from using pronouns that don't align with a classmate's gender identity.
States
Does a Ten Commandments Display in Classrooms Violate the Constitution?
Louisiana is poised to become the first state to require all schools to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
Law & Courts
Court Backs School That Barred Student's 'Two Genders' Shirt
The court said the shirt could be understood to demean transgender and gender-nonconforming students, and administrators could prohibit it.
Law & Courts
Federal Judge Overturns New Hampshire Law on Teaching 'Divisive Concepts'
The judge holds that the law is unconstitutionally vague because it does not make clear to educators what topics they may not teach.
School & District Management
Israel-Hamas War Poses Tough Questions for K-12 Leaders, Too
High school students have joined walkouts, while charges of antisemitism in three districts will be the focus of a House hearing this week.
States
School Chaplain Bills Multiply, Stirring Debate on Faith-Based Counseling
Proponents say school chaplains could help address a mental health crisis. Opponents raise concerns about religious coercion.
Law & Courts
When Blocking Social Media Critics, School Officials Have Protections, Supreme Court Says
The court said public officials' own pages may be "state action," but only when they are exercising government authority.
Teaching Profession
Teachers Face Backlash鈥攁nd Discipline鈥攆or Political Stances on Israel-Hamas War
Recent clashes over teachers' views on the war raise concerns about political expression inside and outside the classroom.
Law & Courts
What the Supreme Court Had to Say About School Board Members Blocking Constituents
The justices take up a case involving school board members who blocked some constituents from posting comments on public social media pages.
Law & Courts
School Board Members' Use of Social Media Faces Key First Amendment Test in Supreme Court
The justices will decide whether school board members engaged in government action when they blocked parents who posted repetitive comments.