Two recent cases highlight the limitations school districts face when trying to be proactive in restricting arguably offensive student speech before it has a negative effect at school. In the first case, Zamecnik v. Indian Prairie Sch. Dist. # 204 Bd. […]
Vice President Joe Biden announced that the Department of Education has implemented a new policy under which it will consider more rigorous factors to assess compliance by colleges, universities and secondary schools with Title IX’s mandate for equal athletic opportunities […]
The Pledge of Allegiance survived review by a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which has jurisdiction over 11 Western states. In Newdow v. Rio Linda Union School District the atheist parents of a number […]
The U.S. Department of Education recently indicated plans to intensify civil rights oversight and enforcement efforts by its Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The OCR division of the Department of Education enforces federal laws prohibiting discrimination against students based on […]
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, in Jane Doe-2 v. McLean County Unit District No. 5, recently rejected the claim of a Urbana School District student that McLean School District was responsible for the sexual harassment perpetrated against her by a […]
Lately we have received a number of inquiries regarding school fee waivers. At the beginning of the current 2009-2010 school year, legislation was passed (Public Act 96-0360) allowing school districts to establish their own application process for determining and verifying […]
A recent Illinois Appellate Court case clarifies a public body’s obligations for publishing notice and conducting special meetings under the Illinois Open Meetings Act (“OMA”). In In re Petition to Disconnect Certain Territory Commonly Known as the Foxfield Subdivision and Adjoining […]
On December 23, 2009 the Governor signed into law an amendment to Section 10-20.21 of the School Code that allows school districts to electronically communicate, accept, and open competitive bids for anything other than construction projects. P.A. 96-841 became effective immediately. Note […]
