In these times of quick fixes to all problems no matter how large, there are few organizations that have the staying power of the ACLU to defend the civil rights of the most vulnerable.
Diocese of Peoria withdraws from foster care case
The Diocese of Peoria has announced that it is abandoning litigation and transferring all of its foster care and adoption operations, including children, case workers, supervisors and clinical services, to... Continue reading
Summary Judgment in Catholic Charities Case against DCFS
August 18, 2011 – Yesterday, Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge John Schmidt heard arguments in a lawsuit against the State of Illinois filed by several Catholic Charities agencies. The lawsuit... Continue reading
Proviso East student successfully challenges policy prohibiting young women from wearing tuxedos to prom
CHICAGO – Little less than a year after a young Mississippi woman captured national headlines successfully challenging a local school policy that denied her ability to wear a tuxedo to... Continue reading
Statement on Appellate Court Decision Upholding Illinois’ Moment of Silence Law
Friday, October 15th, 2010 Chicago – Earlier this morning, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued a divided ruling upholding Illinois’ mandatory moment of silence law. The... Continue reading
Civil Rights Groups Respond to End of Court Supervision of Integration Plan for Chicago Public Schools
September 25, 2009 – Late on Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Charles Kocoras issued a ruling ending a long-standing consent decree that sought to promote racial integration in Chicago Public... Continue reading
Victory for Children in State Custody
Federal Judge rules that state budget cuts violate consent decree, will do “irreparable harm” CHICAGO – Following an extraordinary, late afternoon, two-hour hearing on Monday, June 29th, U.S. District Court... Continue reading
Budget cuts endanger lives of children in child welfare system, ACLU of Illinois tells federal court
CHICAGO – Budget cuts forced by Governor Pat Quinn and the Illinois General Assembly endanger the safety and lives of children in the state’s foster care system. The draconian budget... Continue reading
Keeping Chicago Public Schools Integrated
Without a Specific Plan for the Future, Civil Rights Groups Urge Court to Maintain Integration Plan for Chicago Public Schools Chicago – Three prominent civil rights organizations today urged a... Continue reading
Free Speech, Freedom from Discrimination must be Balanced in High School T-Shirt Case
Courts need to balance and reconcile two competing and equally important legal rights when determining whether public high schools can limit student speech that disparages other people on the basis... Continue reading
