Civil-liberties experts teach students at NY high school what to do if stopped by cops
A New York high school invited the New York Civil Liberties Union to lead workshops for students on what to do if they are stopped and questioned by police.
The workshops last week at East Side Community High School were an hour in length and were held during advisory periods, the New York Post reports. NYCLU also distributed a brochure (PDF), “What To Do If You’re Stopped by the Police,” according to the Post and PIX11.
Students were advised to be polite and to keep their hands out of their pockets, the Post says. They were also told they don’t have to consent to a search and they have the right to remain silent. Students were also told how to file a complaint against a police officer.
Principal Mark Federman said he asked the civil-liberties group to lead the workshops after students told teachers of bad experiences during police stops. “This isn’t anti-police as much as it’s pro-young people,” he told the New York Post. “It’s about what to do when kids are put in a position where they feel powerless and uncomfortable.”
Donna Lieberman, executive director of the NYCLU, told PIX 11 the aim was to help students understand their rights and “what they can and cannot do legally and as a matter of reality.”
