Student & Youth Rights

In school, young people not only learn about their constitutional rights but also see firsthand how those rights may be affected by the actions of others. The ACLU of Utah is dedicated to protecting students' constitutional rights and helping them understand their rights in school.

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In school, young people not only learn about their constitutional rights but also see firsthand how those rights may be affected by the actions of others. The ACLU of Utah is dedicated to protecting students' constitutional rights and helping them understand their rights in school.

Know Your Rights

(Updated March 2018)

Utah Students! Know Your Rights: A Guide for Utah Public High School Students

You'll discover what you need to know about:

  • Your Right to an Education
  • Freedom of Speech & Expression Religious Freedom
  • Search and Seizure
  • Discrimination
  • Discipline Student Records
  • Military Recruitment

View The Guide

Students' Rights: Speech, walkouts, and other protests

A resource from National ACLU. If you're a public school student, you don't check your constitutional rights at the schoolhouse doors. But whether schools can punish you for speaking out depends on when, where, and how you decide to express yourself. That's why it's essential that everyone — especially students and allies — learns about students' rights.

View the Resource

Complete ACLU of Utah Know Your Rights Resources

We have many free resources that can answer any questions about what behavior is acceptable in certain situations. Click the button below for a complete "Know Your Rights" Guides and other information that can educate you about what rights you have in certain situations.

View the Lists of Guides

The Latest

Press Release
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Lawsuit Challenges Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for Violating Rights of International Students in Utah

The ACLU of Utah argues that DHS violated the students’ Fifth Amendment due process rights.
Issue Areas: Deportation and Due Process, Immigrants' Rights, Student & Youth Rights
News & Commentary
The exterior of the the Education Department (ED) headquarters in Washington, DC.

Trump’s Attack on the Department of Education, Explained

The Trump administration just put millions of students’ education and civil rights at risk by closing key Department of Education offices and firing half of its workforce.
News & Commentary
Legislative Session 2025 Banners

ACLU UT'S ELLIE MENLOVE TESTIFIED AGAINST HB77

Read testimony from Ellie Menlove, Legislative and Policy Counsel, opposing HB77 (Flag Display Amendments)
Press Release
Graphic for the ACLU of Utah that reads "press release".

Comment on Judge Striking Down Biden's Title IX protections for LGBTQ+ Students

By joining the lawsuit to overturn this rule, the State of Utah has failed young gender-diverse Utahns, undermining the civil rights of these students who deserve the freedom to live openly and safely in school. Read Here.
Issue Areas: LGBTQ+ Equality, Student & Youth Rights, Gender Equality