Demanding Accountability for Censorship in Howard County Public Schools

When: Thursday, August 22, 2024, at 6:00 p.m.

Where: Howard County Public School System Central Office, 10910 Clarksville Pike Ellicott City, MD 21042

What:
Starting in October 2023, high school administrators in the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) engaged in a pattern of censorship against students who organized walkouts in opposition to the Gaza genocide. Notably, at River Hill High School, a student member of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) faced strict limitations when attempting to organize a walkout. The administration initially denied the walkout and later imposed stringent conditions, prohibiting the use of words such as “Palestine,” “Gaza,” “apartheid,” or “siege,” claiming these terms represented an anti-Israel political stance and were not “inclusive.”

Similarly, at Long Reach High School, a student testified before the Howard County Human Rights Commission in June, revealing that the school’s administration altered the terms of the walkout on the day of the event. They prohibited signs, chants, and restricted the number of speakers to one, also refusing to announce the walkout over the school P.A. system.

On June 4, 2024, the ACLU of Maryland filed a demand letter to HCPSS Superintendent William Barnes, citing the censorship at River Hill High School as a violation of students’ First Amendment rights.

As the school system considers its response to the ACLU’s letter, Howard County for a Free Palestine, Our Revolution Howard County, ACLU-MD, and CAIR-MD will be holding a press conference to demand immediate action from HCPSS.

Who:

• Representatives from Howard County for a Free Palestine
• Representatives from Our Revolution Howard County
• Representatives from ACLU-MD
• Representatives from CAIR-MD
• Community members and students

Demands:

1. Public Apology and Acknowledgement: HCPSS should issue a public apology to the community for the actions taken by school administrators to suppress speech and censor students, specifically detailing the ways in which students’ First Amendment rights were violated.
2. Know Your Rights Training Program: HCPSS should provide a formal “Know Your Rights” training program to students annually or at a minimum to incoming ninth-grade students. This program should be implemented through the superintendent’s office by establishing a First Amendment protection program for students and staff.
3. Uninhibited Walkout: HCPSS must allow a completely uninhibited walkout in Fall 2024, similar to previous walkouts on other issues. The school system should allow MSAs and student groups involved in past walkouts to ensure this event is conducted without censorship.

Community members will also be testifying during the public forum of the Board of Education at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on August 22, 2024, to emphasize these demands.

Watch a video on Instagram of Sergio España speaking at the press event.