Suit alleges Calif. schools charging illegal fees
LOS ANGELES
The American Civil Liberties Union said in a lawsuit filed Friday that California's cash-strapped school districts have been charging student fees that violate the state constitutional guarantee to a free public education.
The civil liberties organization is seeking class-action status for the suit, which accuses dozens of school districts statewide of charging for textbooks, uniforms and extracurricular activities.
Mark Rosenbaum, chief council of the ACLU of Southern California, said at a press conference announcing the lawsuit that an investigation by his group found some 50 districts that mention allegedly illegal fees on their websites, but that there are likely more that do so.
