Students in Birmingham, Alabama, can be sprayed with pepper spray due to small fights, bad behavior or - shockingly - excessive talking, the Southern Poverty Law Center reports. The civil rights group has now sued the school district and the police chief on behalf of pepper sprayed students and their families.

School isn't prison, and using harsh chemicals on students who are doing something as benign as trash-talking or swearing doesn't teach them good behavior. It just encourages them to see themselves as criminals and fear school - and the adults in charge. 

Tell Birmingham's district that you support this lawsuit and are against the use of chemical weapons on children. Tell them they must drop this policy now.

Photo credit: The National Guard via Flickr