Civil Rights & Individual Liberties Archives

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School Cellphone Bans Swept the Country: Did They Work?

August 31, 2026

As summer winds down, Massachusetts lawmakers are working to reconcile State House and Senate bills that would prohibit students from using cellphones and other personal devices from the first school bell to the last, beginning in the 2026-27 school year.¹ If the effort succeeds, Massachusetts will join a movement that has spread with remarkable speed. […]

Should the Federal Government Influence How Museums Present American History?

April 28, 2026

The administration of President Donald Trump has raised concerns that federally funded institutions, such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), wield the power to either heighten or ease racial tensions through what the administration calls “divisive” and “ideologically driven” narratives. The administration is scrutinizing the portrayal of the nation’s heritage […]

Should ICE Agents Be Required to Visibly Identify Themselves?

December 05, 2025

In recent months, videos of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducting operations while wearing masks or face coverings have sparked debates about law enforcement accountability, transparency, safety, and privacy. In response, some lawmakers at the federal and state levels have introduced legislation aimed at requiring ICE agents and other law enforcement officials to visibly […]

The Rise and Impact of Phone Bans in U.S. Public Schools

September 12, 2025

In recent years, cell phones have moved from novelty to necessity in daily life, but in U.S. public schools, they’ve also become a battleground. Facing growing concerns about distraction, mental health, and safety, state legislatures and school boards across the country are implementing bans on student phone use during the school day. Supporters say the […]

Book Bans in Schools and Libraries

June 09, 2025

Book banning—along with other ways of restricting public access to written expression—has been a common and controversial issue throughout the history of the United States. For example, Harper Lee’s novel, “To Kill A Mockingbird,” has been repeatedly banned in schools and public libraries across the country since it was published in 1960. Challenges to the […]

State and Federal Legislation on Gender-Affirming Care for Minors

October 09, 2024

In the past six years, the introduction of bills in state legislatures to ban gender-affirming care for transgender and gender diverse youth has increased exponentially. In 2018, two such bills were introduced. In 2023, there were 185. Arkansas became the first state to ban gender-affirming care for youth in 2021; now, there are 26 states […]

The 13th Amendment, Crime Legislation, and America’s High Incarceration Rate

May 08, 2024

Today, 25 percent of the world’s documented prison population is incarcerated in the United States. Despite America being the land of the free, there are more recorded prisoners here than in any other country: 2,068,800. So, how did the United States get here? Over the last 40 years, numerous factors have contributed to the dramatic […]

Drag Bans: A Violation of the First Amendment?

April 26, 2023

Last month, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a first-of-its-kind law banning “adult cabaret entertainment” on public property or in any location where people under 18 could be present. Senate Bill 3, commonly known as the “drag ban,” in part defines these performances as “male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a […]

TikTok & The First Amendment

March 31, 2023

On March 23, 2023, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing as part of an ongoing review of TikTok and its connections to the Chinese government. TikTok CEO Shou Chew was the focus of the hearing and took questions from members of Congress on a wide range of topics, including the […]

The Supreme Court Weighs the First Amendment and Minority Rights

December 16, 2022

The case of a Christian website designer from Colorado who opposes same-sex marriage reached the Supreme Court on December 5. Because the Court said it would only address freedom of speech issues, the hearing pitted concerns over discrimination against freedom of artistic expression.1 Why Did This Case Reach the Supreme Court? Lorie Smith wants […]