COLORADO

Freedom of Expression
Early in 2007 six students from Loveland High School faced criminal harassment charges for posting a rap song that was seen as threatening on the Internet.  The song featured lyrics such as "My fists are my best friends – you're about to meet them too."  After a prosecutor decided that the lyrics were not directed at anyone, the harassment charges were dropped. 

Equal Access 
In January 2003 seven Palmer High School students in Colorado Springs went to court with the help of the ACLU after they denied permission to start a Gay/Straight Alliance. The school district at first argued that it only recognized student clubs if they were related to the curriculum, but the students demonstrated that this was not in fact the case.  Two years after the lawsuit was filed, the school district agreed to settle it and gave Palmer's Gay-Straight Alliance equality with other clubs on the school's campus. 

Freedom of Expression  - Internet
In 2006, a high school junior was suspended for five days after posting condescending remarks about his Littleton school on MySpace.com.  The student was suspended when the comments came to the attention of the school principal.  When he took steps to challenge his suspension in court with the help of the ACLU, he was quickly reinstated and his record was erased.

Freedom of Expression – Pledge of Allegiance
In 2003 the Colorado legislature passed a statute which required that all students and teachers in every public school recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of every school day. They could be excused if they had religious issues with the Pledge, or if a parent put their objections in writing.  When a suit was brought alleging that the statute violated First Amendment Rights, the judge barred its enforcement. By 2004 the state legislature had amended the statute and made the Pledge voluntary, not mandatory.