The ACLU, or American Civil Liberties Union, is an organization dedicated to defending the rights and freedoms of individuals across the United States. They are currently focused on challenging Idaho's No Public Funds for Abortion Act, which restricts professors' First Amendment right to academic speech. This law prohibits the use of public funds to promote or counsel in favor of abortion, effectively silencing discussions and teachings on this important social issue in Idaho's public universities.

Professors now face imprisonment if they teach, discuss, or write about abortion. The ACLU, along with two teachers' unions and six individual professors, has filed a lawsuit to protect academic freedom and challenge the constitutionality of the law. They argue that it violates the professors' First Amendment rights and lacks clarity in its definition of prohibited speech.

The ACLU believes in allowing professors to teach in their areas of expertise and facilitate nuanced discussions on complex topics like abortion, especially in a post-Roe v. Wade world where abortion bans have severe consequences. By challenging this law, the ACLU aims to ensure that the next generation is equipped to study and consider abortion from various perspectives, while also preventing anti-abortion politicians from stifling speech about the harms they have caused.

Their suit seeks to protect academic speech and restore intellectual inquiry to Idaho's public universities