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Shirley Stillinger died on October 27, 2018. She was a Champaign County ACLU steering committee member for 4 decades and past president of the chapter. The chapter awarded her both the Ellison Chalmers Award and the Horace Norton Award. Click to see obituary

She worked for DCFS, and then for many years at Cunningham Children's Home. She was an advocate for adolescents and victims of violence. From 1984-1995 Shirley was Executive Director of A Woman's Fund that operated two programs: A Woman's Place domestic violence shelter and Rape Crisis Services. Shirley was an active member of the League of Women Voters for decades. She played an important role in creation of A Woman's Place in 1970, and the creation of Homestead Corporation in 1994 to develop affordable housing for people categorically excluded from public housing, She received many awards for her volunteer efforts and leadership in the field of Social Work.

An Earlier Incarnation of the Champaign County ACLU
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Justice Scalia's Death and What the 2016 Presidential Campaign Means for the Supreme Court

Colleen Connell, Executive Director of the Illinois ACLU, discussed the impact of an eight member court and how the court was evenly divided on cases in the 2015-2016 term. Colleen will talked about Supreme Court decisions on a range of issues including affirmative action, reproductive rights, rights of public employee unions and voting rights. Location: University YMCA Friday Forum on November 4. A video of the event will be available on the Urbana Public TV website.

The Champaign County chapter donated $100 to the University YMCA's Committee Concerned with Human DIgnity. The Committee was formed when the Catholic Campaign for Human Development cut off funding of the Immigration program run by the University YMCA because the Immigration Forum has taken a position in support of same sex marriage.The Board of the University YMCA voted to forego the money rather than change its position in support of equal rights for LBGT people and is now trying to raise $60,000.00 to replace the lost grant.

Parental notice of abortion law

ACLU is helping teenagers cope with the new Illinois parental notice of abortion law. Starting August 15, 2013, a doctor cannot perform a surgical abortion or prescribe a pharmaceutical abortion for anyone under the age of 18 without giving 48 hours notification to an adult family member of the young woman. A teenager must go to court to get the notification requirement waived and ACLU is helping teens who wish to pursue the judicial by-pass get through the court system. You can learn about the law, and all the legal options available to young women facing unintended pregnancies in Illinois at the Bypass Coordination Project. The ACLU has also set up a hotline for young women to learn about their options: 1-877-44BYPASS (442-9727).

What should you do if you are stopped by police?

If you volunteer information, police are NOT required to give Miranda Rights. Immediately upon arrest, ask for an attorney and stop talking other than to give basic identifying information when asked. To learn more, read the ACLU Know your Rights page or download the NAACP instructions or the ACLU's Know your Rights and Que debe hacer si la policia.

ACLU materials for students

Can I wear my anti-war T-shirt in class? Do I have to open my glove compartment when a police officer asks me to? Can we satirize the superintendent in the school paper? And can our parents insist that our graduation ceremony start with a Christian prayer?" Anyone can download the 10-minute video "The Rights We've Inherited" made by the Sarasota ACLU, absolutely free, from their website.

The following links will download the Know Your Rights door hanger and the Know Your Rights card produced by the Illinois Student Senate and the Student ACLU Chapter.