June 1st 2025 Newsletter
Jaylen Moore
At my school, they started using metal detectors last year. The first time I walked through one, an officer pulled me aside because of a keychain that set it off. I didn’t think much of it until it started happening almost weekly. My friends and I joked about it at first, but it started to feel like we were being singled out, mostly the Black students.
I asked my social studies teacher why we even had metal detectors, and he encouraged me to research school safety policies. That’s how I learned that schools have a lot of power to enforce rules that don’t always treat students equally. I ended up writing a paper about it and even shared it at a district meeting. I never thought I’d care about education law, but now I do. I want to help make school feel safe without making kids feel like suspects.
Sofia Ramirez
My uncle was deported two years ago, and even though it didn’t happen to me directly, it changed how I look at everything, including school, jobs, and what it means to be safe. We’re a mixed-status family, so I learned quickly that the law isn’t just something in books. It’s real, and it affects every decision we make.
At school, I joined a student group that helps immigrant families understand their legal options. I translate for parents sometimes and helped set up a “Know Your Rights” event last fall. It makes me feel like I’m doing something that matters. I can’t change the system yet, but I’m not powerless either. That’s what learning about the law has given me, the feeling that I have a voice.
Ethan Zhao
When I started a club at school about civic action, I wanted to invite a local protest organizer to speak. The principal said no, that it might be “controversial.” I didn’t understand how that could be a problem, don’t we have freedom of speech?
I looked into the laws about students’ rights and found out that public school students do have protections under the First Amendment. With the help of a supportive teacher, I wrote a formal request citing state policy. Eventually, we got permission. That meeting was one of the most attended events at our school all year. Learning about the law helped me realize I didn’t have to accept “no” without asking why.
Carlos Martinez
In 10th grade, I started skipping school because my family was falling behind on rent. I picked up work with a cousin’s landscaping business just to help us keep the lights on. I thought I was doing the right thing. Then one morning, I got a court letter about truancy. It felt like I was being punished for trying to keep my family afloat.
That’s when my school counselor connected me with a program run by RightSide. They helped me understand the laws around school attendance and helped me talk to my principal. Together, we found a solution that let me work part-time and stay on track to graduate. I thought knowing the law was just for lawyers, but now I know it can be the difference between dropping out and getting a second chance.
Faith Brown
When my best friend came out as gay, everything changed, not between us, but with the school. He was told he couldn’t bring his boyfriend to prom, and when we asked why, they said it was a “school tradition.” That didn’t feel legal, or fair. We decided to push back.
We found similar cases in other states and wrote a letter to the school board with help from a teacher. It worked. They changed the policy quietly, but they changed it. That experience showed me how much people can get away with just because no one questions them. The law isn’t just about courtrooms. Sometimes it’s about standing up for your friend and refusing to accept “no” when it doesn’t feel right.
Ava Nguyen
At my high school, a new dress code was introduced that suddenly banned crop tops, hoodies, and even certain colors. At first, we all laughed about it, until my friend got sent home twice in one week for wearing a sweatshirt. It started to feel like the rules were being used more harshly on girls and students of color.
I ended up researching how much control schools have over student clothing, and what rights we still have under the First Amendment. I brought it up during a student council meeting, and we worked together to survey students and present concerns to the administration. The policy didn’t go away completely, but it was revised. That small change taught me that the law doesn’t only live in courtrooms, it exists in the little rules that shape our everyday lives.
Trevor White
My town doesn’t talk much about gun laws, but after a lockdown at my school during a shooting threat, I started paying attention. A lot of students were scared, but nobody really knew what the laws were about keeping guns away from schools. I felt like we were all just waiting for something bad to happen again.
So, I did what I could: I started a group project in history class about the Second Amendment and state gun safety laws. We invited a local official to speak and even talked to our school board about safe storage messaging. We didn’t change any laws, but people started having conversations. That felt like a win. It showed me that understanding the law isn’t about taking sides but asking better questions.
Jasmine Lee
My friend and I were taking photos in a park for a school project when a police officer told us to stop and asked for our IDs. We hadn’t broken any rules, we weren’t blocking anything or causing a scene. I gave my school ID, but my friend didn’t have hers. The officer got more aggressive and threatened to “take us in” if we didn’t leave.
We were shaken up and confused. That night, I started reading about our rights in public spaces and how students, especially students of color, can be targeted even while doing normal things. I shared what I learned with our school’s photography club, and now we include a short rights guide in our student welcome packet. I don’t want anyone to feel the fear we did just for being outside and doing something harmless.
“A lot of students were scared, but nobody really knew what the laws were about keeping guns away from schools.”
Jaden Clark
My older cousin was arrested last year for a fight outside a store. He didn’t start it, but he was the one taken away. He was 17 but got charged as an adult. Our whole family was devastated, he was working two jobs and trying to finish high school. That moment opened my eyes to how harsh the system can be for Black boys, even when they’re trying to do everything right.
I started reading more about juvenile justice and learned that Maryland lets teens be charged as adults depending on the case. I used to think laws were fixed and fair, but now I know they change depending on where you live and who you are. I joined a youth organizing group, and we’re working to end automatic adult charges for minors. It’s hard work, but I don’t want anyone else’s future stolen the way his was.
Emily Grant
My dad is an environmental activist. When he got arrested at a protest, I didn’t understand why, he didn’t break anything or hurt anyone. He just stood in front of a bulldozer and refused to move. That night, he told me about civil disobedience and how people sometimes choose to get arrested to send a message.
Since then, I’ve started learning more about protest rights and free speech laws. I even made a zine in my art class about the history of youth activism and what students are allowed to do legally when protesting. I’m not trying to get arrested like my dad, but I do want to be brave. Knowing the law helps you understand your choices, and your power.
