After the ACLU of Colorado filed a lawsuit against the Woodland Park School District (WPSD) for violating the constitutional rights of Logan Ruths, a vocal critic of the district, WPSD responded by lifting the unlawful banishment order that would have prevented Ruths from attending all Woodland Park school board meetings, visiting district property and other district-hosted events for more than a year.
This statement may be attributed to ACLU of Colorado Legal Director, Tim Macdonald.
“The Woodland Park School District failed in its attempt to silence residents, such as Ruths, who are critical of the district. It was only after receiving pressure from the ACLU about WPSD’s clear violation of Ruths’ constitutional rights to free speech and assembly, that the district decided to lift the unconstitutional banishment against him. Leaders within our public schools must be held accountable for their wrongdoings. That is what this case has done in Woodland Park. We cannot allow leaders, especially those within organizations that influence our children, to support harmful speech they agree with and retaliate against speech that doesn’t align with their anti-democratic interests.”
The ACLU filed the lawsuit against WPSD on Thursday, August 3, 2023, and the district lifted the banishment order the following day, Friday, August 4, 2023.
