In Burough of Duryea v. Guarnieri, one of several important rulings issued this week, the United States Supreme Court limited retaliation claims by public employees under the Petition Clause of the First Amendment to cases in which the employee’s petition relates to […]
In Nevada Commission on Ethics v. Carrigan, the United States Supreme Court upheld a Nevada conflict of interest law prohibiting an elected official from voting on a matter which would materially affect his or her independent judgment due to a “commitment […]
A recent Illinois Appellate Court decision highlights the protections that courts recognize for statements by public employees about coworker misconduct. The case should reassure school district employees who in good faith report misconduct by other employees that their reports will […]
Governor Quinn Signs Education Reform Legislation
June 15, 2011
On Monday, June 13, 2011, Governor Quinn signed into law Senate Bill 7, the sweeping education reform bill that is the product of months of negotiations between a broad group of stakeholders that included representatives from both management and labor. The […]
Failure to Respond to Bullying May Deprive Student with a Disability of a Free Appropriate Public Education
June 6, 2011
In T.K. v. New York City Department of Education, one of the first federal court cases to address the issue, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York ruled that “an effective and appropriate education may be negated […]
Circuit Court Upholds School’s Decision to Bar Student from Participating in Graduation Ceremony
June 6, 2011
It’s that time of year – finals, prom, senior trips, parties….and senior pranks. Year after year administrators attempt to curb this “perceived” rite of passage for seniors and maintain discipline and order in the school buildings the last few weeks […]
In Two Cases, Illinois Appellate Court Reaffirms Rule of Deference to Decisions of Academic Institutions
May 15, 2011
In two recent decisions, the Illinois Appellate Court confirmed that Illinois courts are precluded, except in rare circumstances, from second-guessing the decisions of educational institutions regarding students. In both cases, the Appellate Court rejected pleas for mandatory injunctions that would […]
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) recently issued a memorandum cautioning school districts against requesting proof of immigration status when enrolling students. In a “Dear Colleague” letter, OCR noted that it has become aware of “student enrollment practices that may […]