Editing ACLU of Florida Panhandle Chapter

{{Infobox Organization 
|name= ACLU of Florida Panhandle Chapter
|image=ACLUlogo.png
|image_border=
|size=
|caption=
|mission=
|motto=
|formation=[[1988]]<br/>[[2000]]
|extinction=
|type=
|location=
|membership=around 800
|leader_title=Regional&nbsp;director
|leader_name=[[Sara Latshaw]]
|board=[[Dale Boswell]], president
|staff=[[Benjamin Stevenson]], ''attorney''
|key_people=
|budget=
|website=[http://www.aclufl.org/panhandle/ aclufl.org/panhandle]
}}
The '''ACLU of Florida Panhandle Chapter''' is the local branch of the [[Wikipedia:American Civil Liberties Union|American Civil Liberties Union]]. The Panhandle and Bay County Chapters together make up the ACLU of Florida's '''Northwest Region''', which has its regional office in Pensacola's [[Blount Building]]. [[Susan Watson]] became the regional director on [[July 1]], [[2005]]. On [[March 5]], [[2007]], [[Benjamin Stevenson]] began work as the regional office's first staff attorney.<ref>http://www.inweekly.net/article.asp?artID=4374</ref>

The Panhandle Chapter was first organized in [[1988]], but the charter expired around [[1995]]. It was renewed on [[November 11]], [[2000]], when 35 members met at [[Washington High School]] to approve a new set of bylaws.<ref>"ACLU forms chapter in Panhandle." ''Pensacola News Journal'', November 12, 2000.</ref> [[As of 2007]], the Panhandle Chapter had about 800 members and financial supporters.<ref>According to regional director Susan Watson</ref>

The Panhandle Chapter serves the four western counties of Florida and is made up of three groups: the [[Escambia County|Escambia]]/[[Santa Rosa County|Santa Rosa]] group, the [[University of West Florida]] group, and the [[Okaloosa County|Okaloosa]]/[[Walton County|Walton]] group.

==Issues==
According to the group's website, the top issues faced by the chapter include:
{{colbegin}}
*Excessive force of law enforcement
*LGBT rights
*Religious freedom
*Racial justice
*Reproductive rights
*Free speech
{{colend}}

==Notable cases==
On [[August 27]], [[2008]], the ACLU announced a lawsuit against the [[Santa Rosa County School District]] alleging that school officials (specifically [[Santa Rosa County Superintendent of Schools|Superintendent]] [[John Rogers]] and [[Pace High School]] Principal [[Frank Lay]]) had "used their government positions … to persistently and pervasively promote their personal religious beliefs in the public schools and at school events."<ref name="srcomplaint">[http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/religion/santarosacounty_complaint.pdf Complaint against Santa Rosa County School Board]</ref> The complaint, filed in [[U.S. District Court]] on behalf of two student plaintiffs, also alleged that teachers and staff preached about "judgment day with the Lord" and conducted Bible readings and biblical interpretations at student meetings.

According to [[Benjamin Stevenson]], attorney for the Northwest Region, "We sent a number of letters and exchanged telephone calls to avoid litigation" in [[2006]]. "After the [[Santa Rosa County School Board|School Board]] failed to bring the district in line with the Constitution and American values by ending the practice of school officials using their official positions to promote their religion, we had to act."<ref>"ACLU sues school district." ''Pensacola News Journal'', August 28, 2008.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Activist organizations]]