News & Commentary

The

Yesterday, the ACLU of Illinois filed a new brief in our case, ACLU v. Alvarez, seeking to end prosecutions for recording public conversations with police. The brief, simultaneously arguing for a preliminary injunction and opposing the defendant's motion to dismiss the case, states:

Over

On behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, I mark with sadness the recent passing of our friend and our inspiration, Burt Joseph. The simple recitation of Burt's activities on behalf of our beloved Constitution - both for the ACLU and for other organizations - does not adequately capture the impact Burt had on the effort to protect civil liberties in the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois or across the nation.

Recently, the Roger Baldwin Foundation of the ACLU of Illinois spoke out on behalf of a concerned member of the Centralia community who learned that Centralia High School had a blanket policy compelling all students to stand during the morning recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. After the ACLU of Illinois was contacted, we sent a letter on February 2nd to the school district noting that compelling standing during the Pledge at the school is a violation of the First Amendment and runs counter to long standing case law on the subject. Read our letter to the high school officials.A few days after receiving the letter, the school

After a student at Oak Forest High School received a five-day out-of-school suspension for creating a Facebook fan page about his teacher at his home, the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois questioned the school's authoritative scope.According to a

The ACLU of Illinois participated in oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit Wednesday in Sherman v. Township High School District 214 challenging an Illinois state statute mandating a moment of silence as "an opportunity for silent prayer or for silent reflection on the anticipated activities of the day" before each school day begins. The ACLU of Illinois argued the law is unconstitutional, "because its principle purpose was religious, because the law had the effect of encouraging students to pray and because it favors silent prayer over religions with other forms of prayer."Adam Schwartz, senior staff attorney for the ACLU

Illinois recently raised the registration fee for lobbyists from $350 to $1,000, for each person who lobbies, and for each organization that employs such a person. Thus, for a non-profit organization that employs one lobbyist, the registration fee has jumped from $700 to $2,000. The ACLU of Illinois, with two full-time legislative advocates, must now pay $3,000. In this regard, Illinois is an anomaly: in 42 states, the lobby registration fee is $150 or less for a non-profit group and its lobbyist employee; and in the other 7 states, that fee is less than $365. The federal government charges no lobby registration fee at all. Moreover, Illinois exempts from this fee media organizations, and certain lobbying by religious groups.

The holidays are here. Have you thanked the First Amendment lately? The Springfield Chapter of the ACLU of Illinois re