Home : Affiliates

ACLU Joins Lawsuit Challenging Trafficking Of Indian Guestworkers (11/17/2008)
NEW ORLEANS - The American Civil Liberties Union today charged that workers brought to the United States from India to work in shipyards after Hurricane Katrina were misleadingly recruited, exploited and mistreated. The ACLU and the law firm of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP joined a class action lawsuit brought on behalf of over 500 guestworkers charging the workers were trafficked into the U.S. through the federal government's H-2B guestworker program with dishonest assurances of becoming lawful permanent U.S. residents and subjected to squalid living conditions, fraudulent payment practices and threats of serious harm upon their arrival.

ACLU Defends Prisoner Punished For Writing A Complaint (11/10/2008)
NEW ORLEANS - The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana filed an appeal on behalf of a prisoner given additional time in prison simply for filing a complaint about his confinement. Under both Louisiana and United States law, a prisoner must file a written complaint (called an "ARP grievance") before taking legal action to challenge the conditions of confinement. Last spring prisoner Ernest Billizone submitted a written complaint about his confinement, following guidelines set out by the Louisiana Department of Corrections.

ACLU Urges Inclusion For All Types Of Families (11/06/2008)
NEW ORLEANS – Today the ACLU of Louisiana urged the newly-appointed Governor's Commission on Marriage and the Family to remain aware of the needs of all of Louisiana's families, regardless of religion, marital status, and including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered status. In an open letter to the Commissioners, the ACLU said: "We urge you to keep in mind that the strength of Louisiana lies in our diversity, and that none of us can make the most personal family choices for another. In the end, every family, no matter how constituted or what it looks like, is just as important and deserves just as much support as every other."

Man Arrested At Home After Katrina Allowed To Proceed With Lawsuit (10/10/2008)
Today the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal allowed James Terry to proceed with his lawsuit against Warden Cornel Hubert of Elayn Hunt Correctional Center, for damages resulting from his treatment during and after Hurricane Katrina.

ACLU Of Louisiana Opposes Rep. Labruzzo (09/24/2008)
NEW ORLEANS - The ACLU of Louisiana condemns State Rep. John LaBruzzo for suggesting that poor people, or those who use government services, should be sterilized to save taxpayer expense.

ACLU Calls On Governor Jindal To Renew Employment Protections (08/25/2008)
NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has stated his intention to end the state's policy of prohibiting discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and political beliefs in state employment and contracting. By doing so, he will strip lesbians and gay men from civil rights protections that have been in effect since 2004, and will also deprive state employees of protection on the basis of political beliefs. The ACLU of Louisiana calls on Gov. Bobby Jindal to protect the employment rights of Louisianans by renewing Executive Order 2004-54, signed by Gov. Kathleen Blanco.

ACLU Releases Report On Racial Profiling In Louisiana (08/06/2008)
NEW ORLEANS - Today the ACLU of Louisiana releases its report entitled Unequal Under the Law, the culmination of a year-long study on racial profiling in Louisiana. The ACLU's Racial Justice Fellow Liza Grote spent a year gathering and analyzing data from local law enforcement agencies and speaking with victims of racial profiling across the state. Grote said: "Throughout the last year I heard innumerable stories about people being targeted by law enforcement because of the color of their skin. Our studies show that in many cases these stories are true, and that people of color are not treated equally by law enforcement."

Judge Awards ACLU Fees For Lawsuit Over Jesus Picture In The Courthouse (07/23/2008)
NEW ORLEANS- Yesterday, a federal District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana awarded the American Civil Liberties Union $42,000 in attorneys' fees in a case they brought challenging the legality of a picture of Jesus Christ that was displayed at the Slidell City Courthouse.

ACLU of Louisiana Applauds Pro-Democracy Move in Louisiana (07/16/2008)
NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana's lawmakers stood up for democracy when they passed, and Gov. Bobby Jindal signed, a new law requiring the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to notify people leaving its supervision about how to regain their voting rights. The law, Act No. 604, also requires the Department to provide these individuals with voter registration applications.

ACLU Seeks Investigation Into Tasing Death In Winnfield (07/16/2008)
NEW ORLEANS - Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana sent a letter urging the District Attorney of Winn Parish to investigate the tasing death of Baron DeAundrae Pikes, who died on January 17 from electrocution while in police custody. Mr. Pike's death certificate clearly shows that he was tased no fewer than nine times – while already in police restraints – and that he died as a result of electroshock injuries.

ACLU Asks School Board Not to Adopt Unconstitutional Policy on Prayer (07/08/2008)
NEW ORLEANS - Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana sent a letter urging the Terrebonne Parish School Board not to enact a policy which would require school prayer at high school graduations, and require that only English be included in the ceremony. The issue arose after two Vietnamese students gave parts of their valedictory speeches in Vietnamese, to address their families, this past year.

ACLU Joins New Orleans Gay Pride Festivities (06/26/2008)
New Orleans - This weekend, the American Civil Liberties Union will participate in New Orleans's Gay Pride festival to support the LGBT community and to call attention to the discrimination lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people face throughout Louisiana.

ACLU Files Brief In Defense Of Religious Speech (06/04/2008)
NEW ORLEANS - At the invitation of the Alliance Defense Fund, the ACLU Foundation of Louisiana has submitted an amicus "friend of the court" brief at the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. In the case, Netherland v. City of Zachary et al, the ACLU stresses that the First Amendment protects the right of an individual to quote Bible verses on the public streets. John Todd Netherland was arrested in Zachary on charges of disturbing the peace - for quoting the Bible. In its brief, the ACLU emphasizes that the government has no authority to censor speech and that "when a citizen attempts to quote the Bible in public, the Constitution protects his right to do so without fear of criminal prosecution."

Benjamin E. Smith Award Goes To Retired Judge Calvin Johnson (05/02/2008)
NEW ORLEANS - On Saturday, May 10, the American Civil Liberties of Union of Louisiana will hold its annual dinner and membership meeting at the Denechaud Room in the Le Pavillon Hotel on Poydras Street.

Court Agrees Public Schools Cannot Hand Out Bibles to Students (04/22/2008)
NEW ORLEANS - Today, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana ruled against a public school in Tangipahoa Parish that handed out Bibles to 5th-graders, saying the school infringed students' religious freedom. On May 9, 2007, the principal at Loranger Middle School invited the Gideon group into the school to distribute Bibles. Students were pulled out of class, brought outside of the principal's office and put in a line to receive Bibles.

Federal Court Blocks Louisiana from Funneling Taxpayer Funds to Favored Churches (10/05/2007)
NEW ORLEANS - In a victory for religious liberty, a federal judge today issued an order blocking the payment of taxpayer-funded grants to two Louisiana churches. The court found that "these non-neutral, direct money grants of taxpayer funds to favored houses of worship are clearly unconstitutional." The order comes as a result of a lawsuit filed last month by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Louisiana.

ACLU of Louisiana Urges Legislature to Reject National ID (06/20/2007)
BATON ROUGE - The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today urged the state legislature to join the growing list of states that have rebelled against the Real ID Act—a giant unfunded Congressional mandate that would federalize Louisiana drivers' licenses, turn them into a national ID system, and force them to give up sensitive information for storage in a national database.

Louisiana Legislators Should Not Put Taxpayer Money in the Plate for Churches and Ministries to Use for Evangelistic Purposes (06/15/2007)
BATON ROUGE - The ACLU of Louisiana urges the State Senate to strip earmarked tax dollars out of the budget that go directly to fund churches and evangelistic ministries in violation of the First Amendment. The State House has already passed the appropriations bill that contains at least 10 questionable items inserted by legislators without any detailed information about the churches and groups slated for special favors.

Tangipahoa Parish School Officials Endorse Teacher's Graduation Prayer in Defiance of Supreme Court Decision (06/06/2007)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today filed a case against the Tangipahoa Parish School Board because of an official prayer by a teacher at a graduation ceremony. The legal action, on behalf of a parent and his two children who attend Tangipahoa public schools, represents a record sixth court case by the ACLU against the same district for government-endorsed religious activities over the past 13 years.

ACLU of Louisiana Calls on Governor's Program on Abstinence to Fix Medical Inaccuracies in Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Curriculum (05/31/2007)
NEW ORLEANS - The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today sent a letter to the Governor's Program on Abstinence (GPA) identifying medically inaccurate information in its abstinence-only-until-marriage curriculum. The ACLU called on the GPA to correct the inaccuracies and to review the entire curriculum to ensure that it provides students with accurate unbiased information consistent with Louisiana and federal law.

ACLU Announces Multi-State Action Calling on Government to Fix Medical Inaccuracies in Federally Funded Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Curricula (05/09/2007)
NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union today announced a multi-state action calling on the federal government to fix medical inaccuracies in federally funded abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula. Eleven ACLU affiliates sent letters to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) alerting the agency to problematic curricula in their states and asking HHS to take steps to remedy the situation.

Louisiana Court Affirms Christian Protester's Free Speech Rights (01/29/2007)
NATCHITOCHES, LA - The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today announced a federal court's decision in its free speech lawsuit on behalf of Christian protester Edwin Crayton, whose rights were violated by Natchitoches' unconstitutional permit requirements.

ACLU Tells New Orleans Police Chief to Get Tough on Crime But Respect Civil Liberties (01/10/2007)
NEW ORLEANS - In response to the severe crime problem in New Orleans, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today called on Police Chief Warren Riley to "get tough" and lawfully target known criminals, while respecting and protecting the constitutional freedoms of residents. The ACLU also called for independent oversight of the police to build trust with the public, and urged public officials to engage in preventative measures to strengthen communities and families and rebuild support structures.

Appeals Court Finds Louisiana School Board Improperly Engaged in Sectarian Prayer During Meetings (12/16/2006)
NEW ORLEANS—In a religious freedom case brought by a local family and the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has ruled that the Tangipahoa Parish School Board acted improperly by promoting their own sectarian religious beliefs during meetings.

ACLU of Louisiana Challenges Discriminatory Parade Fees (11/16/2006)
NEW ORLEANS - The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana announced today the filing of a federal lawsuit to challenge excessive escort fees applied to Social Aid and Pleasure Clubs and second-line parade groups in New Orleans.

ACLU of Louisiana Files Lawsuit to Protect Free Speech Rights of Christian Protestor (10/27/2006)
NATCHITOCHES, LA -- Today the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana filed a lawsuit on behalf of a lone protestor who was denied his free expression rights by the city of Natchitoches. Edwin Crayton, a devout Christian, sought to stand in front of Wal-Mart in Natchitoches with a sign protesting the corporation’s alleged position on gay marriage.

ACLU Report Details Horrors Suffered by Orleans Parish Prisoners in Wake of Hurricane Katrina (08/10/2006)
NEW ORLEANS -- As the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, the American Civil Liberties Union's National Prison Project today released Abandoned & Abused: Orleans Parish Prisoners in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina. The report documents the experiences of thousands of men, women and children who were abandoned at Orleans Parish Prison (OPP) in the days after the storm.

ACLU Report Details Horrors Suffered by Orleans Parish Prisoners in Wake of Hurricane Katrina (08/10/2006)
NEW ORLEANS -- As the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, the American Civil Liberties Union's National Prison Project today released Abandoned & Abused: Orleans Parish Prisoners in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina. The report documents the experiences of thousands of men, women and children who were abandoned at Orleans Parish Prison (OPP) in the days after the storm.

ACLU Wins Major Lawsuit Against Sex-Segregated School in Louisiana (08/03/2006)
DENHAM SPRINGS, LA -- The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Louisiana today announced victory in a lawsuit filed on behalf of thirteen-year-old eighth grader Michelle Selden who sought to have the same educational opportunities as boys. The Livingston Parish School Board has agreed to refrain from segregating students on the basis of sex in the coming school year.

ACLU Files Lawsuit Against Sex-Segregated School in Louisiana (08/02/2006)
DENHAM SPRINGS, LA -- The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Louisiana today filed a lawsuit on behalf of thirteen-year-old eighth grader Michelle Selden who wants to have the same educational opportunities as boys. She wants to stop the Livingston Parish School Board from segregating students on the basis of sex in the coming school year.

Single Sex School in Louisiana Denies Girls and Boys Same Educational Opportunities (07/31/2006)
NEW ORLEANS -- The American Civil Liberties Union today released a demand letter sent last week to Southside Junior High School officials in the Livingston Parish School District. The letter called for the immediate stop to plans to segregate students on the basis of sex in the coming school year.

U.N. Human Rights Body Slams Louisiana Actions During Katrina (07/28/2006)
NEW ORLEANS — A United Nations human rights body today criticized Louisiana officials for their actions during Hurricane Katrina, including a police blockade on Gretna New Orleans Bridge, which left thousands of mostly black residents trapped in the city, and the failure to evacuate prisoners from the flooded Orleans Parish Prison. The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, which has long called for investigations into the conditions at the prison and on the bridge, welcomed the report and its recommendations.

ACLU Demands Release of Information on Racial Profiling and Use of Force by New Orleans Police (04/06/2006)
NEW ORLEANS -- In response to news reports of an assault on an African American woman by three white police officers, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today filed a Public Records Act request with the New Orleans Police Department seeking information on racial profiling and police misconduct. The civil liberties group is calling for a swift and impartial response to the assault, and seeks systemic reform of the police department.

ACLU Urges New Orleans City Council to Review Conditions at Prison (12/08/2005)
In response to reports that hundreds of prisoners have returned to Orleans Parish Prison, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today urged the City Council to conduct a full and thorough review of the conditions within the facility. In letters to each council member, the ACLU expressed concern that Sheriff Marlin N. Gusman re-opened the prison despite the lack of adequate evacuation plans or medical staff and equipment.

Men and Women at Orleans Parish Prison Detail Chaos Following Katrina (11/17/2005)
NEW ORLEANS -- In legal papers filed today by the American Civil Liberties Union, 45 men and women formerly detained at Orleans Parish Prison recount disturbing details of being abandoned without food or water and abused by guards after Hurricane Katrina struck.

Sheriff Illegally Withholding Records on Orleans Parish Prison, ACLU Lawsuit Charges (11/10/2005)
BATON ROUGE, LA--The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today filed a lawsuit charging that Orleans Parish Prison officials are violating state law by refusing to turn over public records that would shine light on why prisoners were abandoned when Hurricane Katrina struck.

ACLU Calls on New Orleans City Council to Hold Hearing on Plans to Re-Open Prison (10/21/2005)
NEW ORLEANS -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today sent letters to New Orleans City Council members urging them to immediately schedule a hearing on plans to re-open the Orleans Parish Prison (OPP), which the ACLU says plunged into chaos after Hurricane Katrina hit.

Men Tell Court They Were Left to Drown in New Orleans Prison (10/06/2005)
NEW ORLEANS -- In legal papers filed today by the American Civil Liberties Union, two men detained on minor charges recount disturbing details of being abandoned without food or water in over-crowded, flooded cells for days at the Orleans Parish Prison during Hurricane Katrina. The ACLU submitted declarations from the men, who have since been released from prison, along with an emergency request to allow attorneys to inspect the prison before officials remove evidence.

ACLU Seeks Information on the Fate of 6,500 New Orleans Prisoners (09/28/2005)
NEW ORLEANS - Citing eyewitness reports of locked prisoners being abandoned to drown in their cells in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the American Civil Liberties Union today demanded access to the relocated prisoners it represents under a longstanding class-action lawsuit over prison conditions.

ACLU Troubled by Court's Refusal to Hold Louisiana Governor's Program on Abstinence in Contempt for Continuing to Preach with Taxpayer Dollars (06/24/2005)
NEW ORLEANS -- The American Civil Liberties Union was disconcerted by a Louisiana court's refusal late yesterday to hold the Governor's Program on Abstinence in contempt of a 2002 order requiring the state to keep religion out of the taxpayer-funded program.

Louisiana School Board Repeatedly Defied Federal Court Order, Charges ACLU (04/05/2005)
NEW ORLEANS--The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today filed a motion for criminal contempt against the Tangipahoa Parish School Board for defying an agreed on court order banning official prayer at athletic events. This marks the second contempt motion filed against the school board within the past two weeks for violating court orders.

ACLU Asks Court to Stop Louisiana Governor's Program on Abstinence From Continuing to Preach with Taxpayer Dollars (03/24/2005)
NEW ORLEANS - In a court hearing today, the American Civil Liberties Union asked a U.S. District Court in Louisiana to find the Governor's Program on Abstinence in contempt of a 2002 order requiring it to keep religion out of the taxpayer-funded sex education program.

ACLU Asks Court to Hold Louisiana's Abstinence-Only Program in Contempt, Citing Numerous Violations of 2002 Order (01/20/2005)
NEW ORLEANS - The American Civil Liberties Union today asked a U.S. District Court in Louisiana to find the Governor's Program on Abstinence in contempt of a 2002 order requiring it to keep religion out of the taxpayer-funded sex education program.

ACLU Asks Louisiana to Remove Religious Content from Abstinence-Only Website, Citing Numerous Violations of 2002 Agreement (11/17/2004)
NEW ORLEANS - The American Civil Liberties Union today asked Louisiana to remove all religious content from a state-sponsored abstinence-only sex education website, saying the material violates a 2002 legal settlement and court order prohibiting the use of taxpayer dollars to fund religious activities in the Governor's Program on Abstinence. The ACLU promised further legal action if the offending material is not taken down within 30 days.

ACLU Raises Concerns Over Psychiatric Services After Suicide at Orleans Parish Prison (06/08/2004)
NEW ORLEANS- At a hearing tomorrow before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alma L. Chasez, the American Civil Liberties Union will argue for reconsideration of the court's dismissal of mental health care issues from its oversight at the Orleans Parish Prison, following the apparent suicide of a 34-year-old man placed in four-point restraints.

ACLU of Louisiana Opposes Renewed White House Push for Taxpayer Funded Religious Discrimination (01/15/2004)
NEW ORLEANS -- Responding to President Bush's renewed lobbying for his controversial faith-based initiative in New Orleans yesterday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today reiterated its concern at the unilateral way in which the White House is pushing its agenda -- which was rejected by Congress -- and warned that the new approach would permit religious organizations to use taxpayer funds to discriminate in employment and the provision of services based on religion.

ACLU of Louisiana Hails Federal Court Decision Overturning Ban on Immigrants Becoming Lawyers (09/19/2003)
NEW ORLEANS- The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today hailed a State Supreme Court ruling striking down a law that prohibited certain immigrants from practicing law in the state. On equal protection grounds, the court's decision agreed with the ACLU's argument that the rule arbitrarily discriminates against non-immigrant aliens who lawfully reside in the United States.

ACLU Files Lawsuit on Behalf of Louisiana Inmate Punished for Mother's Internet Ad Seeking Legal Help for Her Son (09/18/2003)
BATON ROUGE, LA- In a federal lawsuit filed today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana charged officials at the state penitentiary at Angola with violating an inmate's rights when they punished him because his mother posted an online advertisement seeking legal assistance for her son.

Louisiana Man Becomes 108th Innocent Exonerated from Death Row (05/09/2003)
NEW ORLEANS- The release today of John Thompson, who spent over 16 years on Louisiana's death row for a crime he did not commit, should be a wake-up call for elected officials and state leaders all across this country.

ACLU of Louisiana Lawsuit Causes Repeal of Laws that Threatened Local Free Speech (04/21/2003)
NEW IBERIA, LA -- Reacting to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, city officials here have repealed a series of laws that violated the free speech rights of individuals seeking to protest on public property.

ACLU of Louisiana Raises Constitutional Concerns in Police Use of DNA Dragnets to Hunt Serial Killer (01/15/2003)
NEW ORLEANS -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today urged local law enforcement officials to focus on credible evidence and suspicion in their search for a serial killer, rather than continuing a DNA dragnet that has already netted samples from 800 white men in the Baton Rouge area and another 100 in Lafayette.

ACLU Announces Settlement in Case Against Taxpayer Financing of Religion in Louisiana Abstinence-Only Programs (11/13/2002)
NEW ORLEANS-The American Civil Liberties Union today announced a settlement with the Louisiana governor's office in a case challenging the use of taxpayer dollars to fund religious activities in the Governor's Program on Abstinence.

ACLU Criticizes Decision in Louisiana Transgendered Case (09/17/2002)
NEW ORLEANS - Late yesterday afternoon, a United States District Judge decided that the federal ban on sex discrimination does not apply to people who are transgendered. He then dismissed Peter Oiler's case against the Winn-Dixie grocery store chain, even though Winn-Dixie never claimed that Oiler's off-the-job cross-dressing interfered with his work in any way.

ACLU Hails Federal Court's Decision to Halt Taxpayer Financing of Religion in Abstinence-Only Programs (07/25/2002)
NEW ORLEANS, LA-Citing misuse of taxpayer dollars, a federal district court today blocked the state of Louisiana from funding religious activities in the Governor's Program on Abstinence. 

ACLU Hails Federal Court's Decision to Halt Taxpayer Financing of Religion in Abstinence-Only Programs (07/25/2002)
NEW ORLEANS, LA-Citing misuse of taxpayer dollars, a federal district court today blocked the state of Louisiana from funding religious activities in the Governor's Program on Abstinence. 

ACLU Files Civil Rights Suit Filed Against City of Shreveport for Violation of PETA Protesters' Free Speech Rights (05/29/2002)
SHREVEPORT, LA -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, going to bat again for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, filed a federal lawsuit today against the City of Shreveport and six of its police officers for civil rights violations stemming from the wrongful arrest of three activists during a demonstration against circus animal abuse last year. The lawsuit seeks damages and other sanctions against the city on behalf of the three individuals who were falsely arrested, imprisoned and maliciously prosecuted. 

Louisiana Family Seeks ACLU Help in Ending Sponsored Prayers in Public Schools (05/17/2002)
BATON ROUGE, LA--Acting on behalf of a family that declined to be identified for fear of retaliation, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to end public school endorsement of prayer during graduation and award ceremonies.  

Louisiana Family Seeks ACLU Help in Ending Sponsored Prayers in Public Schools (05/17/2002)
BATON ROUGE, LA--Acting on behalf of a family that declined to be identified for fear of retaliation, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to end public school endorsement of prayer during graduation and award ceremonies.

ACLU Asks Court to Stop Taxpayer Financing of Religion in Abstinence-Only Programs (05/09/2002)
NEW ORLEANS, LA-Charging abuse of tax dollars to fund programs that preach religion in abstinence-only education, the American Civil Liberties Union today filed a lawsuit here in federal court against Louisiana public officials. 

Citing Free Speech Rights, LA Court Rejects Government's Extremist Tactics in Culture War Against Raves (02/04/2002)
NEW ORLEANS--In a ruling the American Civil Liberties Union called a "major victory" for free speech rights, a federal judge today permanently blocked federal agents from banning masks, pacifiers, and glow sticks at a local dance venue as part of its nationwide war against rave concerts. 

ACLU of Louisiana Calls For a "Safe and Free" Super Bowl (01/29/2002)
NEW ORLEANS--The American Civil Liberties Union today called upon the Secret Service to conduct its security operations at the Super Bowl without unnecessary infringements on the privacy and other rights of citizens attending the game and to be more open about the tools that it will be using. 

Winn-Dixie Admits Firing Man for Cross-Dressing Off-Duty; ACLU Asks Federal Court To Rule Without Holding Trial (01/23/2002)
NEW ORLEANS - Southern grocery giant Winn-Dixie plainly concedes that its sole reason for firing an employee of two decades was that off-duty he sometimes cross-dressed as a woman, the American Civil Liberties Union told a federal judge today in papers seeking a ruling without a trial in its sex discrimination lawsuit against the company. 

In Victory for Religious Liberty, Unanimous Appeals Court Finds LA's School Prayer Law Unconstitutional (12/12/2001)
NEW ORLEANS--In a victory for religious liberty, a federal appeals court today said that a Louisiana law authorizing ""spoken prayer"" at public school-sponsored events, including in the classroom, was unconstitutional. 

ACLU Lawsuit Fights Government's Extremist Tactics In Culture War Against Raves (08/21/2001)
NEW ORLEANS-- Saying the government's war on drugs has reached bizarre new extremes, the American Civil Liberties Union today asked a federal court to prohibit the government from banning the use of glow sticks, pacifiers and masks at a rave here this weekend. 

ACLU Defends PETA's Next-to-Nude "Tiger Lady" Against Indecency Charges for Exposing Cruelty to Animals (07/24/2001)
SHREVEPORT, LA -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana entered court today to defend the free speech rights of "Tiger Lady" Cynthia Lieberman and other protesters with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who were arrested here on May 29 on charges of "indecent acts and obstruction of public passage." 

Eleven-Year-Old Muslim Girl Harassed After Declining Bible From School Principal, ACLU of LA Charges (04/10/2001)
ALEXANDRIA, LA-- The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana filed a lawsuit here today on behalf of an 11-year-old Muslim girl who was humiliated when she refused to accept a Bible handed out by her public school principal. Later, a teacher forced her to participate in a classroom quiz game about Jesus. 

ACLU Responds with Humor After Louisiana School Bars Girl From Class for Failing to Wear a Belt (03/20/2001)
CHALMETTE, LA - At a news conference today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana presented local high school officials with much needed uniform accessories -- belts inscribed with the ACLU logo -- in response to a complaint filed by a parent after his daughter was removed from class for violating the dress code by not wearing a belt. 

ACLU Files Civil Rights Case Against Winn-Dixie Stores For Firing Trucker Who Cross-Dresses Away from Work (10/23/2000)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against grocery store giant Winn-Dixie on behalf of a heterosexual male truck driver who was fired because away from work he sometimes dresses in women's clothing and expresses a feminine identity.

ACLU Says Louisiana Dress Code Denies Rastafarian Children the Right to an Education (09/18/2000)
LAFAYETTE, LA--The American Civil Liberties Union believes that Rastafarian children have the right to enroll in and attend school without having to choose between their religion and their education. In pursuit of that right, the ACLU today filed a lawsuit on behalf of two parents and their eight children who profess and practice the Rastafarian faith, tradition and belief system.

Louisiana Court Orders Sheriff to Return Confiscated Music to Skating Rink (08/28/2000)
NEW IBERIA, LA -- Saying that a local sheriff may not censor the music at a skating rink, a federal judge today ordered officials to return all confiscated music, including the "Hokey Pokey," and songs by Britney Spears and Snoop Doggy Dog, to the rink owner.

ACLU Says Louisiana Sheriff Can't Censor 'The Hokey Pokey' at Skating Rink; Britney Spears CD Seized as 'Evidence of a Crime' (07/07/2000)
NEW IBERIA, LA -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today filed a lawsuit asking whether playing the "Hokey Pokey" can be considered a criminal act.

Louisiana Supreme Court to Consider Sodomy Law As States Nationwide Strike Down Similar Measures (04/10/2000)
NEW ORLEANS -- As state courts nationwide continue striking down laws that criminalize private, non-commercial sexual intimacy between consenting adults, the Louisiana Supreme Court will hear arguments Tuesday on whether the state's "crime against nature" law violates the right to privacy guaranteed in the Louisiana Constitution.

ACLU Challenges McCarthy-Era Anti-Communist Propaganda Law (12/15/1999)
NEW ORLEANS -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today filed a federal lawsuit challenging a remnant of the McCarthy era witchhunts that makes possession of so-called "communist propaganda" a felony punishable with up to six years in jail and a $10,000 fine.

ACLU Challenges Louisiana School's Ban on Armbands As Violation of Students' First Amendment Rights (11/01/1999)
BOSSIER CITY, LA -- Reenacting a 30-year-old landmark constitutional debate, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a sophomore honor student who was threatened after she wore a black armband in protest of a mandatory school uniform policy.

Hair Testing by Schools Intensifies Drug Debate (06/14/1999)
NEW ORLEANS, LA -- Despite the fact that the federal government remains unconvinced of the accuracy of hair testing for drugs, the practice is now being adopted by some private schools, The New York Times reported today.