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August 12, 1998
MEDIA RELEASE: CONTACT:
- Chris Ahmuty, ACLU of Wisconsin, 414-272-4032
Today, the ACLU of Wisconsin and the NAACP--Milwaukee Branch released
a free flyer answering questions about student rights under the Milwaukee
Parental Choice Program. The two organizations, which oppose school
vouchers, want parents and students to know their rights, now that the
program is expanding this fall.
"The ACLU and NAACP are distributing the flyer to parents because information
on student rights is not readily available," said Felmers Chaney, President
of the NAACP--Milwaukee Branch.
"The ACLU/WI and NAACP-Milwaukee Branch believe that laws against discrimination
are not self-enforcing. Parents and students must know that they
are protected when participating in a taxpayer supported program at any
school. Without knowing their rights, parents and students will not know
how to remedy violations when they occur," said, Chris Ahmuty, executive
director of the ACLU of Wisconsin.
The flyer describes the eligibility and random selection process set
forth for the program. It then goes on to tell parents that according
to the law as interpreted by the courts and the Department of Public Instruction,
choice schools may not discriminate. They may not discriminate not
only on the basis of race, but they may not discriminate on the basis
of religion, sexual orientation and the other categories covered by Wisconsin's
Pupil Nondiscrimination Law.
Further, because of federal laws, the schools may not discriminate on
the basis of gender or disability. Finally, the ACLU and NAACP tell
parents that their students should have rights in suspension and expulsion
proceedings and that parents have a right to review their childrens' records.
The free flyer is available from the ACLU/WI at 272-4032 or NAACP--Milwaukee
Branch at 871-1000 and is also available on the ACLU/WI
web site.
Ahmuty added, "When tax dollars go to private institutions, taxpayers
as well as parents deserve to know that those tax dollars will not support
discrimination."
Chaney concluded, "We know from experience with so-called choice academies
in the south, that private schools have been used to segregate children
in the past. We can't let that happen in Milwaukee."
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