In May, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Alabama filed a federal lawsuit against the Chambers County Board of Education, representing two teachers, Yolanda Ratchford and Tytianna Smith, who were arrested during a silent protest at a 2023 school board meeting. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, argues that the arrests violated the women’s constitutional rights.
During the meeting, Ratchford and Smith silently held up letter-sized papers with an image of civil rights leader John Lewis reading the phrase “Good Trouble.” Their quiet demonstration, part of a broader community protest against the proposed consolidation of local schools, led to their arrest for disorderly conduct, a charge later dismissed by a judge who ruled that the two had not acted unlawfully.
“Silently holding pieces of paper is not a crime,” said American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama Legal Director Alison Mollman. “What happened to Ms. Ratchford and Ms. Smith is a clear and shocking abuse of power.” The lawsuit seeks compensation for the harm both women endured, particularly pointing to Ratchford’s treatment in custody. As a wheelchair user, she reportedly was denied access to a restroom while detained.
American Civil Liberties Union Broader Concerns Over School Consolidation Plans
The silent protest by Ratchford and Smith was part of an ongoing community outcry against a controversial plan by the American Civil Liberties Union County Board of Education to merge the county’s two public high schools into one new facility in Valley, a majority-white city. Critics argue that the plan will displace Black students and educators from the LaFayette area, disrupting longstanding community ties and educational continuity.
Mollman emphasized that the proposed relocation would disproportionately affect Black students who live in rural parts of the county. “It’s not just a few miles on the interstate—it’s rural travel, longer bus rides, and disconnected resources,” she noted. “Students will be placed in a different environment, often far from their familiar teachers, many of whom are Black, which could negatively affect their education and well-being.”
These concerns are layered on top of a larger historical context. For over 50 years, the Chambers County School District has been under a federal desegregation order. A federal judge recently ruled that Valley and LaFayette High Schools must be combined into a single, newly constructed Chambers County High School, set to open soon.
Legal Claims and Community Impact
The American Civil Liberties Union’s complaint includes multiple legal claims under the First and Fourth Amendments, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Alabama common law. The goal is not only to seek justice for Ratchford and Smith, but also to highlight broader issues of racial inequality, educational access, and the misuse of police authority.
As of Tuesday, neither the Chambers County Board of Education nor the Valley Police Department had issued a public response or filed any court documentation in response to the suit. The ACLU maintains that the arrests were not only unconstitutional but emblematic of deeper systemic problems within the local education system and law enforcement practices.
With federal oversight still in place and community tension growing, the lawsuit could set a precedent for how schools handle dissent and racial equity in education.
