Earlier this year, we surveyed our members and supporters to incorporate the input of our constituency as we continue our work defending civil rights and liberties across the state of Wisconsin. 

Responses helped shape our strategies, cultivate our outreach efforts, and ensure we are not operating in a vacuum. As we head toward a more critical juncture in securing rights and liberties for all Wisconsinites, the ability to engage and move in conjunction with our membership and supporters is pivotal. 

Here’s a snapshot of the results:

There were 195 survey respondents (64 male, 116 female, and 12 nonbinary/other), spanning a diverse socioeconomic range. The top three issue areas you said were important to you were Racial Justice, Freedom of Speech, and LGBTQ+ Rights. Many survey respondents reported that they prefer to be involved directly through donating, volunteering and/or ACLU-WI advocacy and activism efforts. As for frequency of engagement, there was a wide range of preferences, with many respondents wanting to engage with ACLU-WI content either daily through social media outlets like our TikTok, weekly by navigating to our blog, or quarterly by keeping up with our newsletter.

Shoutout to Suzanne C. and Micheal H. for being randomly selected to score ACLU-WI swag packs!

The ACLU of Wisconsin is thrilled to announce two new resources designed to empower students, teachers, and parents in advocating for safer and more inclusive public schools: a toolkit, The Guide to Advocating For Your Civil Rights and Liberties in Wisconsin Schools, and an online blog post, Know Your Rights as a Transgender Student.

The Guide to Advocating For Your Civil Rights and Liberties in Wisconsin Schools addresses many pressing issues facing Wisconsin schools today. It provides essential information to help students, parents, and faculty understand and advocate for their rights, including:

• Harassment and Discrimination: Learn how to recognize and respond to bullying and discrimination.
• Gender Identity Rights: Understand the rights regarding pronouns, names, and bathroom access.
• Book Bans and Censorship: Discover strategies to fight against censorship in schools.
• School Governance: Gain insights into how school boards function and how to influence policy decisions.

The toolkit, which was funded by the Trans Justice grant from the National American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Affiliate Support and Nationwide Initiatives (ASNI), aims to educate our community so that they can protect and advance civil liberties in public schools across Wisconsin. As stated in the guide, “Every student has the fundamental right to a safe, inclusive, and enriching learning environment.” However, challenges such as book banning, discrimination, censorship and harassment threaten this ideal.

Our second resource, Know Your Rights as a Transgender Student, addresses the specific rights and protections for transgender and gender-nonconforming students in Wisconsin. Key highlights include:

• Bathroom and Locker Room Access: Public schools must allow students to use facilities that align with their gender identity. Denying this right violates Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause.
• Participation in Activities: Under Title IX, students have the right to participate in school activities that are consistent with their gender identity. This includes sports and extracurricular clubs.
• Dress Codes: Dress codes must not discriminate based on gender or force conformity to sex stereotypes. Schools cannot restrict clothing choices based on traditional gender roles.
• Use of Pronouns: Schools must respect students’ preferred names and pronouns, and policies should reflect this commitment.

These resources are not just informational — they’re tools for action. We believe that by empowering students, parents, and educators with knowledge, we can foster a more inclusive and respectful school environment for everyone.

The ACLU of Wisconsin's Community Engagement Department runs three cornerstone youth programs: Student Alliance, which works directly in schools; Youth Social Justice Forum (YOSO), a one-day student gathering in the fall; and Summer Justice Institute (SJI), a week-long program in the summer.  

All three programs together create a circle of programming for students, giving them opportunities to engage with and grow in their understanding of their civil rights and liberties, learn about the work currently being done in the community, grow their leadership skills, and build connections with their peers and other community members. Students participate in workshops, site visits, artistic endeavors, and more as they dive deep into what civil rights and liberties mean to them.

Student Alliance

Youth programming at the ACLU of Wisconsin returns after a small summer break, and our Youth Partnership Manager, Abby Homuth, will be back in the classroom with members of the Student Alliance programs. 

As the ACLU of Wisconsin works daily to protect our rights, Student Alliance members understand that young people are the next generation of vigilant defenders of civil and human rights. Student Alliance invites impassioned and creative individuals interested in gaining the skills and knowledge needed to become effective advocates and organizers for their community to become involved at their school! If you or someone you know is interested in leading a Student Alliance at their high school or college campus, contact the ACLU staff for more information.

YoSo

The ACLU of Wisconsin's Youth Social Justice Forum (YoSo) is right around the corner! YoSo is a one-day, free event at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center on Saturday, November 16, where students can come together to build leadership skills through various outlets such as advocacy and self-expression. 

This year, YoSo will provide students with Know Your Rights Training to continue building their understanding of how to best advocate for themselves and their peers in school and the community. YoSo is open to all high school students and is entirely free. Food and workshop supplies will be provided. Sign up for YoSo 2024 here.

More about Abby Homuth

Meet our fearless Youth Partnership Manager, Abby Homuth. Abby came to the ACLU with a wide variety of experience working with youth, providing support to those impacted by the juvenile and criminal legal systems, advocating for the best interest of youth and families by supporting their education, personal development, mental health needs, and more.

Abby leads, develops, and facilitates the affiliate’s youth and public education programs, such as the ACLU Student Alliances, Youth Social Justice Forum, and Summer Justice Institute. In her role, Abby leads, organizes, and recruits young people, striving to create youth programming that engages young people through art, activism, education, and community organizing.

This year, Abby is most excited to continue growing our cornerstone programs and building connections with other community organizations – collaborating across southeastern Wisconsin with other social justice. youth-serving organizations to create partnerships with other organizations that are doing important work.

The ACLU-WI youth programs work to provide safe spaces for high school and college-aged students to grow in their leadership skills. Whether running a Student Alliance at their school or participating in YoSo or Summer Justice Institute training, students are engaging with opportunities to expand their comfort with leadership positions and community engagement. With a focus on increasing the accessibility and visibility of the ACLU youth programs, Abby wants to ensure the affiliate sets up young leaders for success!