News & Commentary

Charlotte Dillon, a student at the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, is winner of the $1,000 Ethel S. Sorokin prize in this year's ACLU/CFAR essay contest. Her prize was awarded by state Supreme Court Justice Richard Palmer during the annual Milton Sorokin Symposium at the University of Connecticut Law School.Winner of the $500 second prize was Jordana Cepelewicz, a Greenwich High School student. The $250 third prize went to Kendall Witmer, also of Greenwich High.Almost 200 entries were received this year, responding to the 2010 First Amendment Essay Question:The confederate flag is a controversial symbol, which can mean different things to different people. When, if ever, does the First Amendment permit a public school to prevent students from wearing or displaying the confederate flag at school?"Instead of denying students their First Amendment rights," Ms. Dillon said in her winning essay, "schools should focus on monitoring how students react to the presence of the confederate flag. While interracial schools will undoubtedly experience tension over the flag, teachers can use this hostility as an opportunity to facilitate discussions over the feelings that the flag evokes and the reasons why the constitution allows students to display this controversial symbol."The full list of winners includes:Charlotte Dillon, First-Prize EssayJordana Cepelewicz, Second-Prize EssayKendall Witmer, Third-Prize Essay

The Center for First Amendment Rights, Inc. is proud to announce the 2008 essay contest winners:First Place: Aaron Kiersh of Westport's Staples High School for "What the First Amendment means to me..."Second Place: Ryan Baldassario of East Lyme High School for "Abridging the Freedom of Speech"Third Place (tie): Vera Solimon of East Lyme High School for "The Most Inalienable and Sacred of All Human Rights: The Constitutional Freedom of Religion", and Jack Aldrich of Westport's Staples High School for "In Defense of Voltaire".Honorable Mention: Alyssa Thomas of North Branford High School for "How the First Amendment Relates to My Life or World"

The ACLU-CT is kicking off our Abolition Day Campaign to educate Connecticut residents about the realities of the death penalty beginning with an Abolition Day rally at the State Capitol in Hartford on Sunday, October 4th, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.

On November 12, 2008, Judge Jonathan E. Silbert entered a court order allowing for same-sex marriage in Connecticut. Within minutes, Connecticut towns began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut, which was co-counsel in the case along with Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, was at the New Haven Superior Court, with plantiffs and other advocates, as Judge Silbert entered the order.Barbara and Robin Levine-Ritterman were the first couple to obtain a marriage license. Later, the ACLU-CT had the opportunity to speak with them about the case and what it means to their family. Here are some images from that historic day. 

Banned Book Week, an annual event led by the American Library Association, will be held Sept 27 to Oct. 4. The ACLU of Connecticut will hold two unusual events – remembering when comic books and popular singers drew censorship.MOST OFTEN CHALLENGED:The 10 most-challenged books of 2007, according to the American Library Association’s’ Office for Intellectual Freedom, were:1) “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell. Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group2) The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier. Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence3) “Olive’s Ocean,” by Kevin Henkes. Reasons: Sexually Explicit and Offensive Language4) “The Golden Compass,” by Philip Pullman. Reasons: Religious Viewpoint5) “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain. Reasons: Racism6) “The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker. Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language7) "TTYL,” by Lauren Myracle. Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group8) "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelou. Reasons: Sexually Explicit9) “It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie Harris. Reasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit10) "The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky. Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age GroupOff the list this year, are two books by author Toni Morrison. "The Bluest Eye" and "Beloved," both challenged for sexual content and offensive language.The most frequently challenged authors of 2007

By Ariana Davis, ACLU-CT 2008 Intern

 

Participants in the ACLU’s Stand Up for Freedom membership conference June 8-10 will visit their members of Congress on “Lobby Day” Tuesday afternoon, visits pre-arranged by ACLU staff. Topics ACLU hopes citizen-lobbyists will bring up include: