ACLU raises issue with single-sex education programs
The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Virginia sought a commitment today from multiple elementary and secondary schools in the Commonwealth to refrain from engaging in further unlawful sex segregation through single-sex programs in public schools.
Based on the most recent information obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests, at least four schools indicated that they previously operated single-sex education programs and activities, several of which are likely to have constituted sex discrimination in violation of federal law because they appear to have relied on harmful gender stereotypes, depriving students of equal educational opportunities merely because of their sex. Read more
ACLU: Voter ID bill a ‘bad bill’
The ACLU of Virginia expressed dismay at Gov. Bob McDonnell’s signing of a new law requiring Virginia voters to produce proof of identification at the polls or cast a provisional ballot.
McDonnell had attempted to amend the bill after it passed the House and Senate by allowing registrars to use a signature match in lieu of identification to determine the legitimacy of ballots. But legislators rejected the governor’s amendment, leaving him with a choice of signing a bill he did not support or vetoing it.
Instead, the governor signed the bill and issued an executive order requiring new registration cards for all voters prior to the November elections and the collection of statistics to determine the impact of the bill on voters. Read more
ACLU program encourages restoration of voting rights for former felons
Taking advantage of recent announcements from the governor that he will expedite restoration applications to enable former felons to vote in the November elections, the ACLU of Virginia has launched a program to encourage and assist individuals with the restoration of their voting rights.
The program begins with advertisements in today’s Voice newspaper in the Richmond area, and tomorrow’s Voice newspaper in Hampton Roads. Tomorrow’s Richmond Free Press will run a large format version of the ad. Read more
ACLU challenging residency requirement on candidate petitions
The ACLU Voting Rights Project and the ACLU of Virginia today filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Virginia law that imposes a state residency requirement on persons who circulate ballot petitions for presidential candidates who are not members of major political parties.
“Circulating petitions for candidates is at the core of our constitutionally protected right to free speech,” said Katie O’Connor, staff attorney with the ACLU Voting Rights Project in Atlanta. “By limiting the right to circulate petitions, Virginia’s law infringes on the First Amendment right of political parties, petition circulators, candidates and Virginia voters.” Read more
ACLU urges McDonnell to act on ex-felon voting rights
The ACLU of Virginia praised Gov. Bob McDonnell for recent comments favoring reform of Virginia’s felon disenfranchisement law, but says he is wrong to wait for the General Assembly to act.
“Gov. McDonnell continues to send out the most positive messages on restoration of voting rights of any Virginia governor in recent memory, and he should be praised for streamlining the restoration process,” said ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Kent Willis. “But he, not the General Assembly, has the authority to initiate immediate reforms.” Read more
ACLU: Surgeon should not be able to unmask critics
Online critics have a free speech right to anonymously comment on the work of a Florida plastic surgeon, according to a legal motion filed today in Henrico County Circuit Court.
Filed by Public Citizen and the ACLU of Virginia, the motion claims that a subpoena to compel internet provider Comcast to release the name of an online commenter should be quashed. Read more
Lawsuits filed against Portsmouth sheriff for cavity searches of contract workers
Attorneys for the ACLU of Virginia on Friday filed nine separate lawsuits seeking damages for nine female contract workers who were forced to strip naked and subjected to visual body cavity searches by officials at the Portsmouth City Jail. Each plaintiff is seeking monetary damages and a court order preventing the searches from ever occurring again.
According to legal papers filed Friday in the federal court in Norfolk, Portsmouth Sheriff Bill Watson ordered the searches in late April 2011 as part of an ongoing investigation of drugs being brought into the jail. At the time, each of the workers was an employee of Correct Care Solutions or Aramark Correctional Facility Food Service, private companies that supply health and food services to the jail. Read more
