HC Wake-Up Call: the ACLU Is Suing the Trump Administration Over Birth Control, High School Student Expelled for Sitting During the Pledge of Allegiance & First Lady Drama

Good morning Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.

But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)

3 States & the ACLU Are Suing the Trump Administration for Its New Birth Control Policy

ICYMI, the Trump administration is likely coming for your birth control soon via a policy that would allow employers to opt out of the requirement to cover employees' birth control. In response, the ACLU, along with California, Massachusetts and Washington state, are filing lawsuits against the Trump administration. According to BuzzFeed News, all four lawsuits challenge the new rules, which allow employers with "religious" or "moral" objections to not cover birth control in insurance policies, as discriminatory and violations of the separation of church and state.

In the meantime, 15 other states have signed a letter on Friday saying they were ready to also take action against the Trump administration, and organizations including the National Women's Law Center, the Center for Reproductive Rights and Americans United for Separation of Church and State have also said they plan to sue. 

A High School Student Was Expelled After She Sat During the Pledge of Allegiance 

17-year-old India Landry, a student at Windfern High School in Houston, Texas, was expelled last Thursday for refusing to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance. According to Teen Vogue, Landry has been sitting during the Pledge of Allegiance for a year and a half, but Windfern principal Martha Strother told her to leave last week, and "violated her First Amendment right," according to Landry's lawyer.

"I don't think that the flag is what it says it's for, for liberty and justice and all that," Landry told KHOU, a local Houston TV station. "It's not obviously what's going on in America today."

Landry was reportedly told she could come back to school on Friday, but didn't attend due to being uncomfortable following last week's situation. She reportedly plans to return this week.

There's Some Serious Drama Brewing Between Melania and Ivana Trump

Grab some popcorn: President Trump's first wife Ivana Trump, and FLOTUS Melania Trump are involved in a very public feud over the title of "first lady." According to BuzzFeed News, during her appearance on Good Morning America, Ivana Trump said she is, "basically Trump's first wife" and the actual first lady. For reasons that are obvious, this didn't sit too well with Melania, who issued a super sassy statement in response, calling Ivana Trump's comments, "attention seeking and self-serving noise." Ouch.

What to look out for...

It's World Mental Health Day! Take some time today to indulge in self-care and find out how you can show your support for those affected by mental health issues here.