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Civil Rights

Civil Rights Newsletters

Children’s Internet Protection Act

The Children’s Internet Protection Act requires a public library to use "filtering" or "blocking" software on computers that are available to the public. A library that fails to do so would lose certain federal funds.

Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires a school district to evaluate a student’s special needs and to provide the student with an individualized education program (IEP) or an independent educational evaluation. Parents are allowed input into the planning and modification of their child’s IEP. Parents can bring a lawsuit against a school district for an alleged failure to provide an IEP.

Same Sex Survivor Benefits

The same sex marriage battle continues to intensify. State and federal legislators have proposed "Defense of Marriage" laws, some of which have become laws. In November 2004, voters in 11 states passed state constitutional amendments banning same sex marriage. Conservative, religious, liberal, and civil rights groups continue the debate over whether same sex couples should be permitted to enter into legal marriage. Those in favor of same sex marriages say that same sex couples seek "marriage equality" for the same reasons that everyone else does: to protect their relationships and to receive the same benefits and recognition as heterosexual couples and their families. Among those benefits are survivor or death benefits.

The Freedom of Religion and “Charitable Choice”

Increasingly, more social services are being provided by nonprofit organizations, including many religious or faith-based groups. Proponents say that such "charitable choice" makes it possible for more clients to receive services. Opponents counter that such federal approval–and funding–is an impermissible sponsorship of religion, which is prohibited by the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Although issues of religion and government seem to have come only recently to the forefront with President George W. Bush’s "faith-based initiatives," the concept of charitable choice was made part of the federal welfare reform law passed in 1996.

The Rehabilitation Act and Education for Disabled Students.

The Rehabilitation Act was passed to allow full participation in society by individuals with disabilities. The Rehabilitation Act, along with other federal laws such as the Civil Rights Law of 1964, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, guarantees equal access to education for disabled students.