The ACLU of Southern California plans to file suit against 35 California public school districts for charging students for things like using textbooks and sports uniforms, claiming that "the state has failed to protect the right to a free public education" by making it more difficult for poorer students to afford school necessities. This case is the first of its kind, and could potentially encourage similar suits to be filed in other states.
This case applies directly to Chapter 5 in the Birkland textbook. Lawyers have been filing lawsuits to close the quality of education gap between rich and poor students since the 1970's, to little effect. These lawsuits have focused on the amount of funding available, not the actual issue of whether or not public schools are allowed to charge students for activities. Education reform has been an issue on President Obama's agenda, and the by ACLU case putting the issue of education costs into the spotlight, this could provide a window of opportunity for the government to make some major policy changes in the future.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/education/10education.html?hpw
-Stephanie Doctrow
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