Schools

(NEW YORK, October 20, 1999) -- On behalf of a besieged student group at the University of Wisconsin, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund warned that free speech at public universities nationwide is at risk in the student-fee case being heard next month by the United States Supreme Court.

(NEW YORK, October 8, 1999) -- Ruling that the Salt Lake City Board of Education violated a federal statute and also may have violated the First Amendment, a Utah federal district judge has given the green light to gay and straight students suing the Board for trying to ban meetings of their student club and suppressing gay-positive views in existing and new student groups.

(Holmdel, NJ, September 7, 2005) — At a press conference today, Lambda Legal announced a lawsuit filed with the Superior Court of New Jersey in Monmouth County on behalf of a lesbian student who was verbally and physically attacked for two and a half years in Holmdel High School. While the abuse was brought to the school administration’s attention time and again, no effective measures were taken by the school to end it.

(NEW YORK, May 24, 1999) -— The United States Supreme Court ruled Monday that schools that willfully ignore sexual harassment of one student by another can be held liable for violating federal civil rights law. Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund praised the 5-4 decision, noting that abuse of lesbian and gay students often involves sexual harassment from their peers.

(LOS ANGELES, March 18, 1999) -- Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund announced Thursday that client James Merrick had settled his sexual orientation discrimination case with a California school district. As part of the agreement, the district will apologize for removing 15 students from the award-winning teacher's science classes and will strengthen district non- discrimination policy.

The settlement will be discussed at a news conference with Merrick, Lambda, and the California Teachers Association, on Thursday, March 18, at 2 p.m.

(LOS ANGELES, March 9, 1999) -- The California Labor Commissioner ordered a Bakersfield school district to stop removing eighth graders from a science class because the teacher is gay, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund said Tuesday.

The Commissioner ruled that Rio Bravo-Greeley Union School District officials' yanking 15 students from the classroom of award-winning teacher James D. Merrick, Ph.D. was a violation of state law. The California labor code prohibits employment discrimination based on actual or perceived sexual orientation.

(NEW YORK, January 4, 1998) -- Having won the first lawsuit in the country against the Boy Scouts of America's discriminatory ban on gay members and leaders, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund is going before the New Jersey Supreme Court to defend the victory on behalf of Eagle Scout James Dale.

(CHICAGO, November 19, 1998) -- Three University of Minnesota student organizations, already targeted by a religious conservative lawsuit to de-fund them, first must fight simply to be heard in their own defense in court, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund said Tuesday.

(NEW YORK, November 13, 1998) -- In a Utah federal court, an alliance of gay and straight students seeking equal treatment at their school will ask for a preliminary injunction against the Salt Lake City school board, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund said Friday.

Lambda, as lead counsel, the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights sued the school board on behalf of the East High Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) and three of its members.

(NEW YORK, June 22, 1998) -- In an important step in combating harassment of lesbian and gay students nationwide, the federal government reached agreement with the Fayetteville Public Schools in Arkansas on broad civil rights protections in the schools, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund said Tuesday. The "Commitment to Resolve," entered into by the federal government and the school system, remedies an administrative complaint brought by a Fayetteville student, William Wagner.