Blast From The Past These archives are for all the various front page stories that you've come to expect on the NYRA page. If you miss a current story check back here, it'll be archived. Also for novelties sake scroll down and see what NYRA was up to months and years ago. It's interesting to see how far we've come.
December 17, 2009We Won!! NYRA Won $25,000 On Facebook!!
After an exhilarating and exhausting campaign to get the most votes in the Chase Community Giving contest on Facebook over the last month, NYRA has emerged victorious! Thank you everyone who voted for us over the last four weeks! With your help we were one of the top 100 organizations in the Chase Community Giving contest! For being one of the top 100, NYRA won $25,000 for youth rights.
This is a historic victory for the cause. NYRA was up against organizations with 10 or even 100 times our budget, but we still won. Winning this $25,000 sends a powerful message that NYRA is a strong, effective, and growing organization committed to including young people in the communities, societies and institutions in which they live. This money will magnify NYRA's impact. Our reach and presence, both online and off will be strengthened greatly by winning this contest. Thank you to everyone for voting for us and for pestering your friends, family and neighbors to help us win this contest. Your hard work has paid off!
The next round of the contest begins on January 15, please stay tuned for how to help us win $1 million. The first step to help is to join the NYRA Fan Page on Facebook. Can you help us get over 1,000 fans by the time the next round of the contest starts? Please join and invite all your friends!
November 17, 2009Help Youth Rights Win One Million Dollars!!
The most exciting opportunity for funding NYRA has ever seen has just begun. Chase Community Giving is giving away $5 million dollars to organizations through Facebook. Best yet, unlike previous Facebook contests this contest doesn't cost a dime to participate in, all you need to do is vote for NYRA.With so much money being given away, NYRA's chances of winning something in this contest are extremely good. The top 100 vote getters will win $25,000, money that would go a long way toward lowering the voting age, lowering the drinking age, repealing youth curfews, defending student rights, opposing abusive behavior modification camps and otherwise enhancing the rights, respect and dignity of young people in society. Voting began on November 15 and runs until December 11. The top 100 groups will not only win $25,000 but will be entered into the second round of the contest where the top group will win $1,000,000 and five runners up will win an additional $100,000 each. Chase Community Giving's advisory board will also give away an additional $1,000,000 to worthy causes that participated in the challenge. It is absolutely essential that you spread the word as widely as you can and tell all your friends on Facebook to vote for NYRA. If everyone votes and everyone does their part we are confident we can at least win $25,000. Please vote right away!
Southeast Florida's Lawsuit Moves Ahead
One of NYRA’s most legally active chapters, NYRA Southeast Florida has continued their good works in fighting against the enforcement of an illegal curfew in the city of West Palm Beach. The lawsuit itself, their piece de resistance, is tentatively scheduled for July 2010. It is a milestone for NYRA as a whole, as it is the first lawsuit filed by a NYRA chapter. For now, they have received an order from Judge Zloch to proceed with mediation, and will do so with the aid of Boca Raton civil rights attorney Barry Silver.
This is a very strong first step, forcing the City to evaluate, in the stark light of the law, just how unfair and undignified their curfew truly is, something the administration has repeatedly refused to do despite being shown compelling evidence. Under such scrutiny, the discriminatory ordinance is unlikely to long survive. According to NYRA SEFL’s lawsuit: "[a]lmost all conceivable actions of a minor including associating with his friends and family, speaking, traveling freely etc. are covered by the First Amendment.”
When reached for comment, NYRA President Jeff Nadel, one of NYRA SEFL’s most ardent political crusaders, said, “We're very glad that the lawsuit is progressing as it as, as we are simply unable to sit idly by as an unjust curfew is illegally enforced and as youth are intimidated by the City. The numerous exceptions in the curfew ordinance make it so the only way the curfew can be enforced is arbitrarily and discriminatorily.” Keep updated on the lawsuits progress here.
NYRA Sponsors First National Youth Rights Day
NYRA advisor Robert Epstein and NYRA Executive Director Alex Koroknay-Palicz have created the first National Youth Rights Day. The day, the first of its kind, will take place on April 14, 2010. This ground breaking event promises to be an opportunity to come together for the movement and a chance to bring youth rights into the news. NYRA and Dr. Epstein have begun inviting other prominent youth rights organization and supporters to co-sponsor this day. While expected to be a small event this year, it is hoped by all involved that National Youth Rights Day will continue to grow in future years. April 14 is the birthday of esteemed youth rights and unschooling pioneer, John Holt. This spring Epstein's new book, Teen 2.0, will hit shelves. It is the hope of all that the first annual National Youth Rights Day will help put the spotlight on the rights of youth and expose more people to the important arguments made in Teen 2.0. Mark your calendars because April 14, 2010 is sure to be a good day for youth rights.
Youth Candidate Barred from Running
It is not often a political candidate comes along who challenges the norm; politics in general is a fairly routine affair. Then there is Brett McClafferty. At the age of 19, he ran for mayor of the city of Streetsboro, Ohio. After the election – an election he lost by a single vote – the city, with no small amount of encouragement by the victor, passed an amendment to the city laws raising the age of candidacy to 23 for mayor and city council. NYRA has issued a press release condemning this action as both arbitrary and unconstitutional.
NYRA President Jeff Nadel said of the issue, “There are so many citizens and organizations in this country working to get young people more involved in politics. There are young people across this nation that work each day to effect positive change. Brett McClafferty, a courageous young man, ran for office because he wanted to serve the people of Streetsboro. After his one-vote defeat, the City decided that they no longer wanted young people involved in solving the issues that face us. They instituted an arbitrary minimum age for candidacy that we feel will not survive a challenge in court.”
McClafferty has written a book based on his experiences, “The Age of Politics,” published through AuthorHouse Publishing.
October 23, 2009Teens Rally in Gainesville for their Rights
Leaders from the National Youth Rights Association - Southeast Florida chapter and NYRA's project the Community Alliance for the Ethical Treatment of Youth joined local youth rights activists in Gainesville, FL
for a teen rights rally yesterday. By all accounts the rally was well attended and exciting for all in attendance. The rally was organized by a group called Bring Brendan Home which formed after the abduction of Brendan Spelman by an escort service hired by his parents to bring Brendan to the abusive residential treatment center, Diamond Ranch Academy in Utah. Brendan has not been heard from since he was abducted on August 31, 2009. The rally was organized by friends of Brendan to bring attention to the situation of Brendan and tens of thousands of other young people currently held against their will in behavior modification facilities around the country.
The rally also addressed wider issues of youth rights and invited speakers from the National Youth Rights Association to discuss the rights of young people in the United States and how ageism contributes to the prevelence of abusive behavior modification camps for teens. NYRA's President, Jeffrey Nadel spoke at the rally along with CAFETY Vice-President Chris Noroski and NYRA-SEFL Vice-President Zachary Goodman. The rally attracted positive press coverage from the Gainesville Sun and local news.
Money Bomb Planned for October 28-29
The 2009 edition of America's Giving Challenge has begun on Facebook Causes, and NYRA is serious about winning. Grants will be distributed to organizations that attract the most donors during the one month contest, with a top prize of $50,000 to the winning organization. Each day during the contest the organization with the most donors that day will win a $1,000 grant. NYRA will be competing strongly for this prize, members are strongly encouraged to make a donation from 3 PM EST on October 28 to 3 PM EST on October 29.
With over 47,000 members in NYRA's cause to lower the drinking age, NYRA is looking forward to a strong showing. With 47,000 members, NYRA has one of the largest causes in this competition, if properly motivated this cause could shatter all fundraising expectations. Every donor giving $10 or more will count toward winning the prize. With young Americans putting their lives on the line in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world, but not being respected as equal citizens here at home, now is the time to send a strong message to lawmakers across the nation that young people are tired of being treated like second-class citizens. Demand equality, donate to NYRA's money bomb.
2009-2010 NYRA Board of Directors Takes Shape
The voting for the board of directors began on July 1st and closed a month later during the Annual Meeting. The votes have been tallied and on the board this year are incumbents, Alex Koroknay-Palicz, Keith Mandell, Katrina Moncure, Stefan Muller, Jeffrey Nadel, and Steve Ross who will be joined by newcomers Jackie Ferro, president of NYRA-Nanuet, and, Brian Lombrowski, president of CAFETY. Winning incumbent Justin Graham recently resigned from the board and was replaced by Hal Levy at the board's October 18 meeting.
The board members were elected from 14 candidates, the most ever to run for the NYRA board of directors! There were many contenders for the board and some very stellar youth rights activists were elected. With the amazing track record of many on this year's board there are certainly good things ahead for youth rights.
Officers for 2009-2010 have also been named, they are: Jeffrey Nadel - President, Steve Ross - Vice President, Stefan Muller - Treasurer, Katrina Moncure - Secretary. This new Board of Directors is sure to lead NYRA in standing up for the rights of youth.
July 8, 2009NYRA Chapter Files Suit Against Youth Curfew NYRA of Southeast Florida, one of NYRA's most active chapters, has filed a lawsuit in federal district court against the city of West Palm Beach for its unconstitutional youth curfew ordinance. The lawsuit represents a milestone for NYRA, being the first lawsuit filed by a NYRA chapter, and the first anti-curfew lawsuit ever filed by a youth-led youth civil rights organization.
The disputed curfew ordinance prohibits anyone younger than 18 from being in a public place or any place of business within a certain area and during certain hours. The ordinance does contain an exemption for any activity protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, and for traveling to or from any such activity. However, the lawsuit argues that "[a]lmost all conceivable actions of a minor including associating with his friends and family, speaking, traveling freely etc. are covered by the First Amendment." Therefore, the curfew ordinance is unconstitutionally vague and impossible to legally enforce.
NYRA-SEFL had negotiated for several months with West Palm Beach in an effort to convince the city to voluntarily rescend its curfew, meeting with the mayor and arguing before the city commission that the curfew is unjust, unconstitutional and ineffective. However, when the city declined to repeal the ordinance in spite of the evidence of its illegality, the chapter retained accomplished Boca Raton civil rights attorney Barry Silver to fight for the constitutional rights of youth in federal court.
Last month, a youth curfew ordinance in Rochester, New York was struck down by that state's Supreme Court. NYRA-SEFL and its attorney intend for this groundbreaking lawsuit to have a similar positive result for the youth of Florida and the nation. "There is no doubt that we will see this through to the end. We will continue to work against this oppressive and illegally-enforced ordinance until justice prevails and it is repealed," NYRA-SEFL president Jeffrey Nadel said in a statement. Read news coverage of the suit in NYRA's Youth Rights News Wire.
NYRA's Annual Election Is Underway
Voting in the 2009 NYRA annual election, where the membership votes for a new slate of board members, is underway! This year's election is the most competitive yet, with 14 qualified candidates running for nine available seats on the board of directors. NYRA's slate of candidates this year is impressive, with several active chapter leaders running, as well as several incumbents.
Also on the ballot are two amendments to NYRA's bylaws changing how the board removes officers or directors, and an amendment to the education position paper opposing corporal punishment in schools.
All paid NYRA members are eligible to vote in the election. Voting can be done securely on the NYRA website, via email or postal mail, or in person at NYRA's annual meeting in August. If you paid your dues before the beginning of the month, you've already received your ballot. If not, it's not too late! Voting is open until August 1; pay your dues to become a full member of NYRA today! Just $10 earns you a paid NYRA membership and eligibility to vote in the election, and now, for a limited time, you can become a lifetime NYRA member for only $75.
This year's slate of candidates for the board of directors is:
2009 NYRA Annual Meeting Almost Upon Us
That time of year is almost upon us: the NYRA annual meeting, where NYRA members and youth rights activists from across the country gather to discuss youth rights issues, plan strategy for the coming year, and of course to have fun with some of the most awesome people on earth.
NYRA's 11th annual meeting will be held Saturday and Sunday, August 1 and 2, in Washington, D.C. Because NYRA's old office building has a larger conference room than the new building, the annual meeting will be held at the old office. There will be workshops and presentations for attendees, and there will be a barbecue Saturday night at executive director Alex Koroknay-Palicz's house. In addition, attendees will be the first in the nation to hear the results of NYRA's annual election! Paid members will also be able to vote in person during Saturday's events. Read more about the annual meeting and RSVP here.
June 15, 2009Southeast Florida NYRA Chapter to Sue Over Curfew
As one of NYRA's most active current chapters, NYRA of Southeast Florida has made quite a splash in the Sunshine State over the past year. But as a sign of bigger and better things to come, the chapter is preparing to file NYRA's first lawsuit; the suit is to be filed next week in federal court against the city of West Palm Beach over its unconstitutional youth curfew.
NYRA-SEFL has negotiated with the city for the past several months in an effort to get the unconstitutional curfew ordinance voluntarily rescinded, meeting with the mayor and arguing before the city commission that the ordinance violates the constitution and is impossible to legally enforce. When these methods were unsuccessful in getting the ordinance repealed, the chapter retained noted Boca Raton civil rights attorney Barry Silver to convince the city of the strength of NYRA-SEFL's legal arguments.
However, the final deadline imposed by the chapter for West Palm Beach to indicate its willingness to rescind its curfew has passed, and NYRA-SEFL and its attorney are preparing to file a lawsuit in federal district court to ensure that the constitutional rights of all youth in West Palm Beach are respected. Chapter president Jeffrey Nadel and vice president Zachary Goodman said in a statement: "We will not sit idly by as this curfew is illegally enforced against the citizens whom the City Commission was elected to serve."
This groundbreaking development, the first ever lawsuit filed in a NYRA chapter's name, will propel NYRA's campaign against discriminatory youth curfews, and our quest to protect all rights of youth, into the spotlight, and the recent overturning of another youth curfew in Rochester, New York by that state's Supreme Court bodes well for the chapter's suit. Stay up to date on the campaign's developments with NYRA-SEFL's video blog.
NYRA's Annual Election Less Than a Month Away
The annual election, where the NYRA membership votes for a new slate of board members, is almost upon us. NYRA has an impressive slate of well-qualified candidates for the board this year, including a few incumbents, several active chapter leaders, and other figures from regional and national NYRA leadership. The only requirement to run for the board is to be a paid NYRA member. Being a full member of NYRA is also necessary to vote, Paid membership costs just $10 per year; to pay your dues, go here. This promises to be the most competitive election in NYRA history, don't miss out! Voting begins July 1, become a voting member right away.
Also on the ballot this year are two amendments to NYRA's bylaws to require a two-thirds majority vote when the board votes to remove an officer or Director. And an amendment to NYRA's education position paper opposing corporal punishment in schools. Both the bylaw change and the position paper amendment will also be voted on by members this year. All NYRA members and supporters have an opportunity to speak to the board candidates and ask them questions directly in NYRA's election forum, please visit it here.
As of this writing, the following individuals have declared their candidacy for the board (14 candidates for nine seats):
Jackie Ferro (president, NYRA-Nanuet)
Justin Graham (incumbent; editor, NYRA Freedom)
Max Harmony (board of directors, Americans for a Society Free from Age Restrictions)
Alex Koroknay-Palicz (incumbent; NYRA executive director)
Brian Lombrowski (president, Community Alliance for the Ethical Treatment of Youth)
Keith Mandell (incumbent)
Dustin Manuel (former NYRA board member)
Vicky Minerva (member)
Katrina Moncure (incumbent)
Stefan Muller (incumbent; NYRA vice president)
Stephanie Mungroo (member, NYRA-Nanuet)
Jeffrey Nadel (president, NYRA of Southeast Florida)
Steve Ross (former chairman, Zionsville Student Rights Union)
Chip Sinton (incumbent; NYRA president)
In an unusual twist, at the Board's last meeting of the year, on June 14, Jeffrey Nadel and Steve Ross were appointed to the Board to replace Eric Kim and Jacqueline Trumbull, both removed due to lack of attendance. Voting in the election begins July 1, and will conclude at NYRA's Annual Meeting in Washington D.C. on August 1.
2009 Annual Meeting Coming Up in August
Once a year, in August, the most awesome people ever - NYRA members and supporters - gather for a weekend of fun and youth rights discussion and strategizing. That time is once again approaching.
NYRA's 11th Annual Meeting will be held Saturday and Sunday, August 1 and 2, at NYRA's offices in Washington, D.C. As usual, there will be several interesting youth rights presenters and other activities, and we'll hang out at Alex's house afterwards, having fun and trying to not bug his roommates. In addition, voting for this year's NYRA election will wrap up during the Annual Meeting, and the results will be announced; attendees will be the first in the nation to hear the election results! Look for more details about the meeting in July's issue of NYRA Freedom.
A Working Transition for Student Rights Union
With the passing of the school year and the graduation of outgoing chairman Steve Ross and its other directors, the Zionsville Student Rights Union in Zionsville, Indiana is passing the reins to the next group of dedicated youth. The new chairman, Abby Llorico, took office along with the rest of her team of directors at the end of May, at a gathering hosted by Ross. "I'm extremely proud of all this Board of Directors has accomplished in the past two years, and I'm incredibly excited to see what the new Board will accomplish as the ZSRU moves into a new era of success," said Ross.
During the transition to new leadership, the ZSRU has been making progress in its drug education campaign. At a town hall meeting on April 30, ZSRU leadership, including Ross and Llorico, argued before approximately 130 people for a comprehensive drug abuse prevention program, centered on education and treatment. Ross presented data from a University of Michigan study suggesting that random student drug testing, which had been previously proposed, is generally ineffective.
The ZSRU's message resonated with Zionsville Police Chief Richard Dowden, who suggested the possibility of using federal grant money to expand a program of voluntary drug treatment to any student who needs it. The new board of directors intends to follow up with Dowden about this option.
May 6, 2009NYRA Files Joint Supreme Court Brief
NYRA, along with three other organizations, has submitted an amicus curiae, or friend of the court, brief to the United States Supreme Court in the case of Stafford v. Redding. Savana Redding, a 13-year-old middle school student, was strip searched by school administrators in 2003 because they suspected her of possessing ibuprofen, solely based upon the uncorroborated testimony of one other student.
NYRA collaborated with three other organizations, the Urban Justice Center, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and Advocates for Children of New York, to prepare the brief. The brief argues, in part, that the common law tradition, and more recent Fourth Amendment jurisprudence since the 1985 landmark Supreme Court decision in New Jersey v. T.L.O., restricts teacher and administrator conduct, including searches and discipline, to that which is reasonable under the circumstances, and that, for a variety of reasons, the school's strip search of Ms. Redding was unreasonable, and therefore unconstitutional. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case on April 21. Download the amicus curiae brief here.
NYRA-Southeast Florida Considers Lawsuit Against Curfew Law (and more!)
NYRA's chapter in Southeast Florida has been working for youth on multiple fronts this month. The chapter has retained prominent Boca Raton attorney Barry Silver to help fight against an unconstitutional youth curfew ordinance in West Palm Beach and is preparing to file a lawsuit in federal court against the city in the near future. The curfew, according to NYRA-SEFL president Jeffrey Nadel, is "incomprehensible and overbroad," and Silver calls the ordinance "unconstitutionally vague" and impossible to legally enforce. The probable lawsuit comes after meetings with the city attorney, commissioners and mayor failed to convince them to rescind the ordinance.
In addition to fighting the curfew, NYRA-SEFL is also campaigning to lower the voting age in Florida to 16. Chapter representatives traveled to the state capital, Tallahassee, for two days at the end of March for a series of promising meetings with several legislators and aides to discuss youth suffrage. Most were in agreement with the idea or were receptive.
For more information on what the chapter is up to, follow them on Twitter.
Razoo Contest Over, but NYRAthon Continues
Last month's contest on the nonprofit fundraising website Razoo.com ended on March 31. NYRA did not win the contest, and thus did not win the $10,000 grand prize, but it still raised over $1,600, a good start to 2009's NYRAthon.
In addition to the money raised, NYRA made its Facebook advertising debut during the contest, purchasing several ads on the social networking site. The ads have been effective, and NYRA is continuing its Facebook ad campaign in an effort to garner even more supporters and donors.
The Razoo contest may be over, but the 2009 NYRAthon will continue for the next couple months. This is an excellent opportunity to promote NYRA on your favorite social networking sites, and to your friends, classmates and family. You can donate to NYRA here.
ZSRU's Sleep to Succeed Project
The Zionsville Student Rights Union in central Indiana has recently started a project aimed at starting high school classes later and elementary classes earlier. Called the Sleep to Succeed Project, it was inspired by research, conducted by ZSRU member Erica Park, which shows that younger kids naturally go to sleep earlier and wake up earlier than young adults.
Currently in the ZSRU's district, high school starts at 7:30 A.M. and elementary school at 9:30 A.M. The Union has already held a successful meeting with the district superintendent, and plans to go before the school board in May to propose moving the start times for both high school and elementary school to 8:30. This would give elementary students more time after school before bed, while giving high school students more time to sleep in the mornings. Union leadership also plans to meet with the PTO Council and school athletic officials to garner more support.
March 18, 2009Help NYRA Win $10,000!
The 2009 NYRAthon is here, and this year's NYRAthon brings a chance for the organization to win $10,000! Razoo.com, a fundraising website for nonprofits, is holding a contest to see which nonprofit organization can raise funds from the greatest number of donors during the month of March. The winning organization wins $10,000. Even the second place nonprofit wins $3,000.
This competition is a great opportunity for NYRA to raise the money that we need to continue fighting to lower the voting age, lower the drinking age, end discrimination against youth in business and government, repeal discriminatory youth curfews, and more. What matters for the competition is the number of individual donors, not the amount donated, so a donation of only $10 can help NYRA win $10,000!
In addition, when donating to NYRA on Razoo, you can schedule recurring donations to be given automatically at the frequency you specify. Frequencies for repeating donations range from weekly to annually. Every donor who sets up a recurring donation for this contest enters NYRA into a random drawing to win a $500 grant. So donating only $10 to NYRA through Razoo and scheduling your donation to recur only once per year not only can help win NYRA $10,000, but gives us the opportunity to win a $500 drawing as well.
NYRA needs your help to continue fighting for the rights of youth across the country. Please make a donation for NYRAthon 2009 to help NYRA remain a strong advocate for youth rights. Donate to NYRA here. See how we're doing by viewing the standings.
More Success for Student Rights Union
The Zionsville Student Rights Union in central Indiana has certainly not been taking a break from their work for student rights, and continues to make progress. Most of the changes the ZSRU proposed for the student handbook at their school, including changes protecting students' rights under the First and Fifth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, have been accepted by the school's Handbook committee. The ZSRU is also working to form chapters at Indiana University and Purdue University, and in Indianapolis.
Also, the Union is currently working to stop a push by the school's Students Against Destructive Decisions chapter to introduce random drug testing for students. ZSRU Chairman Steve Ross says that there are better ways than random drug testing to deter youth from using drugs. The ZSRU is working with the SADD chapter on alternative proposals, including fully "comprehensive and honest" drug education, but is prepared to fight against random drug testing at a town hall meeting in April if SADD continues to push for it. Ross hopes that a comprehensive drug education program would satisfy SADD's goal of protecting students' safety while also protecting the Fourth Amendment and its prohibition of unreasonable searches.
In addition, Ross has received a $12,500 scholarship from the American Civil Liberties Union for his student rights activism. The scholarship, the ACLU Youth Activist Scholarship, also includes a trip to ACLU headquarters in New York for leadership training. "It's a good feeling to be so prestigiously recognized for the work I care most about," Ross told NYRA Freedom.
16 to Vote in Florida? NYRA of Southeast Florida is pushing hard for youth rights; their proposal to lower the voting age to 16 in Florida is moving closer to becoming reality. The chapter is currently working with legislators in order to gain support for lowering the voting age. According to chapter president Jeffrey Nadel, their proposal has been sent to bill drafting, which will create an actual bill that will then be available for sponsorship by representatives.
A member of the Democratic leadership, in addition to being very supportive in general and planning to speak with other representatives about the issue, has also offered help with finding a legislative sponsor for the bill. NYRA-SEFL plans to travel to Tallahassee, Florida's capital, during their spring break in order to meet with legislative leaders and gain more support for youth suffrage.
The chapter is also continuing its fight against the youth curfew in West Palm Beach. This past Monday, Nadel and chapter member Zach Goodman argued before the city commission that the curfew is an unconstitutional restriction on the right of assembly. Read news publicity about NYRA-SEFL's curfew fight here.
Action Teams Leaderboards Are Up; Are You on Them?
NYRA's Action Teams have been going strong since January, and the teams leaderboards for the first two months of 2009 have been posted to the NYRA Forums! Action Teams are a way for everyone, including those who don't have much time or money, or who live far away from an established NYRA chapter and aren't able to create their own, to help NYRA and the cause of youth rights in concrete ways by taking simple actions such as making edits to the Youth Rights Network, sending pro-youth letters to politicians and businesses, writing posts for NYRA's blog and making a small donation to NYRA. The Action Teams have seen a lot of activity in the past two months, and you can help this project achieve even more. Check out the overall leaderboard for the first two months of 2009. Individual leaderboards for the Blog, Research and Letter-Writing Teams are also up.
Feburary 18, 2009NYRA to Weigh In on Supreme Court Cases
NYRA is looking into filing or joining an amicus curiae, or friend of the court, brief in a U.S. Supreme Court case, Redding v. Stafford, in which a 13-year-old female middle school student was strip searched for ibuprofen. In 2003, middle school student Savana Redding was strip searched for ibuprofen on the basis of a tip from another student. Her case is now before the Supreme Court, which will hear arguments in April.
In 1985, the Supreme Court, in New Jersey v. T. L. O., ruled that a school may make a search of a student based on "reasonable suspicion," a more lax standard that the "probable cause" standard outlined in the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, that the student has violated a law or school rule. The search itself must also be reasonable under the circumstances. NYRA intends to argue not only that this strip search for over-the-counter medication violated the "reasonable suspicion" standard, but that New Jersey v. T. L. O. was incorrectly argued in the first place, that a lax "reasonable suspicion" standard leaves the door open for these kinds of abuses, and that schools should be held to the stricter "probable cause" standard when conducting searches.
NYRA also intends to help organize a rally in front of the Supreme Court building similar to the one held in 2007 during the "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" free speech case, this one demanding that youth be free from unreasonable searches and seizures in schools.
In addition, NYRA is getting involved in another Supreme Court case, Forest Grove School District v. T. A., this one involving a youth with "special needs" being sent to a "private school," and who should pay for it. The "private school" in this case is actually an abusive behavior modification facility, and the student's "special needs" are Attention Deficit Disorder and marijuana use. Together with partners, the Community Alliance for the Ethical Treatment of Youth (CAFETY) and the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, NYRA hopes to write an amicus brief highlighting the abuses that occur at the private program at the center of this case.
Middle School NYRA Chapter Works to Lower Voting Age
One of NYRA's newest chapters, NYRA-Nanuet: Teen Suffrage Organization, is based out of a middle school in New York, and is NYRA's only currently active middle school-based chapter. The chapter's primary goal, according to chapter president Jackie Ferro, is to lower the voting age to 16. NYRA-Nanuet already has about 25 members, and has garnered some positive press attention in local news outlets, including an interview on the Regional News Network, a cable news channel broadcast throughout nothern New Jersey, western Connecticut and southwestern New York.
Ferro plans to gain the support of local government leaders in order to advance the cause of youth suffrage. The chapter vice president, Jessica Kroner, has contacted the area's state assembly representative about lowering the voting age, and chapter representatives have been in contact with other local and state government officials as well. "The greatest thing about our nation," Ferro says, "is that our founding fathers knew it was imperfect but they made ways for us to fix and improve it." Ferro believes that youth are mature enough to have a say on issues that directly affect them. "We are working for the basic rights that we should already have."
Anti-Age Discrimination Campaign in High Gear
NYRA is renewing its efforts to combat age discrimination against youth in business. We had many successes this past fall in getting businesses to change discriminatory policies, so we're revving up this campaign again and are hoping to achieve an even higher level of success in the coming months. NYRA is aggressively going after businesses who discriminate against youth, already filing a complaint with the Maryland Commission on Human Rights about one business' anti-youth policy, and working with other civil liberties organizations in other cases, such as a Chuck E. Cheese's in Michigan that prohibits people under 18 from being present without a parent. NYRA is also campaigning to get certain hotels in Maryland to change their policies regarding the minimum age to rent a room. Many hotels in the state require renters to be at least 21, in violation of Maryland's age discrimination law.
NYRA members across the country can help fight age discrimination in business. If there are any businesses in your area that discriminate against youth, ask them to change their policy. Explain why it's wrong. Research the laws of your state (the Youth Rights Law Library is a good place to start) to see if the policy is against the law. Some states, such as Maryland and Michigan, have laws against age discrimination that apply to youth. You can make a difference for youth in your community by insisting that businesses respect their young customers.
Florida Students Can Speak Out Against Discrimination
The Florida Commission on Human Relations is holding a contest inviting high school students in Florida to submit 25-second public service announcements about discrimination. The winning PSAs will be used to raise awareness of discrimination in Florida, and the winners will receive media attention. The public service announcements can be about age discrimination, so this is an excellent opportunity for NYRA members in Florida to make their voices heard in opposition to anti-youth discrimination.
January 28, 2009New Action Teams are a Great Way to Help NYRA
The National Youth Rights Association is proud to introduce Action Teams! This fall we asked you what barriers stood in the way of getting active in NYRA, you said clearly you wanted more information on how to help. We hear you, and in response have created NYRA Action Teams.
Everyone has different skills and interests, so we've created six different teams built around six different tasks to help the cause. The tasks are straight-forward, simple, and easy to do. No matter where you are in the country, or around the world, you can contribute to building a larger movement for the civil rights of young people. The six action teams are: the Fundraising Team, the Research Team, the Recruiting Team, the Blog Team, the Video Team, and the Letter Writing Team.
Even if you only have just an hour a month to help out the cause, it helps! From writing one blog entry a month, to recruiting 2 members a month, everyone can participate in a team. Keep track of how you are doing (and how your team is doing) in the NYRA forum, and win prizes on the NYRA Facebook App. Whoever has the most points at the end of each month is recognized as the NYRA member of the month.
So lend a hand, it couldn't be easier. Get more info on all six teams and join one or more of them here. Together we can win the rights, respect, and freedom youth deserve.
Southeast Florida Chapter Stands Against Youth Curfew NYRA-Southeast Florida, one of NYRA's powerhouse chapters, is making great progress in its campaign to abolish a curfew against youth in the city of West Palm Beach. The curfew ordinance prohibits youth from being outside in the downtown area after 10 PM on weekdays and after 11 PM on weekends. However, many exceptions are written into the ordinance, including an exception for any activity protected by the First Amendment.
Chapter leaders have met with the city attorney, bringing with them, in the words of chapter president Jeff Nadel, "an abundance of case law" demonstrating that freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of assembly are protected by the First Amendment for all Americans, both adults and legal minors. According to Nadel, the city attorney is mostly in agreement that the curfew ordinance is useless and plans to recommend the repeal of the ordinance. Once that happens, West Palm Beach will be one more example of an unconstitutional curfew law brought down by youth rights activists.
Member of the Month & Earn Facebook Points
New this year, NYRA is announcing a "Member of the Month" program in association with our new Facebook Application. Every month, the member who has earned the most points on the application is named Member of the Month. This worthy member will be recognized on the NYRA website and will receive a small gift in honor of his or her achievement. Board members, officers and staff members are not eligible, but good luck to all others! Also new this month on the Facebook application is the ability to spend your hard-earned points on great items like free NYRA membership and youth rights merchandise. With two new reasons to get involved completing important projects for NYRA, this is a great time to make use of our application.
Steady Youth Rights Progress in Indiana
The Zionsville Student Rights Union continues to lead the way for youth rights in central Indiana. The ZSRU has been working with John Loflin, senior fellow of education and youth issues at the Black & Latino Policy Institute and member of the Democratic Education Consortium, and the Student Alliance for Education, an organization of urban Indianapolis students committed to greater youth voice in education, to give Indiana students a greater say in their own education. NYRA's national organization officially endorsed the Black & Latino Policy Institute's recommendations to increase student participation and student voice in their schools last month. Strategy discussions have been productive, and the organizations plan to increasingly work with the Indiana Department of Education and the state general assembly in the months ahead.
More NYRA chapters in Indiana are also in the works. Student Alliance for Education leader Mathew Davis is currently in the process of forming NYRA-Indianapolis, which will cover the entire Indianapolis metropolitan area. The ZSRU is also working with a forming chapter at Indiana University in Bloomington. Once a fourth chapter is formed at Purdue University in West Lafayette, plans are to create NYRA-Central Indiana as an umbrella organization of all the chapters in the region, to be headed by ZSRU founder Steve Ross.
The ZSRU is also working with the administration of their school, Zionsville Community High School, on finalizing a new final exams structure, and they're also forming a plan of succession to ensure the Union is able to continue to fight for the rights of youth for years to come.
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for a teen rights rally yesterday. By all accounts the rally was well attended and exciting for all in attendance. The rally was organized by a group called 
West Palm Beach and is preparing to file a lawsuit in federal court against the city in the near future. The curfew, according to 
In 1985, the Supreme Court, in New Jersey v. T. L. O., ruled that a school may make a search of a student based on "reasonable suspicion," a more lax standard that the "probable cause" standard outlined in the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, that the student has violated a law or school rule. The search itself must also be reasonable under the circumstances. NYRA intends to argue not only that this strip search for over-the-counter medication violated the "reasonable suspicion" standard, but that New Jersey v. T. L. O. was incorrectly argued in the first place, that a lax "reasonable suspicion" standard leaves the door open for these kinds of abuses, and that schools should be held to the stricter "probable cause" standard when conducting searches. 
this past fall in getting businesses to change discriminatory policies, so we're revving up this campaign again and are hoping to achieve an even higher level of success in the coming months. NYRA is aggressively going after businesses who discriminate against youth, already filing a complaint with the Maryland Commission on Human Rights about one business' anti-youth policy, and working with other civil liberties organizations in other cases, such as a 
