This past summer, the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), an umbrella organization for national and international sororities of college and university women and alumnae, released the report of its Gender Identity Study Group. The Group had been convened in November 2016 to gather and disseminate relevant information for its member organizations on the pressing issues involving inclusion of … [Read more...] about NPC Spends Summer Examining Gender Identity Issues for Sororities and Fraternities
New USDOE Guidance on Sexual Misconduct on Campus Poses New Challenges for K-12 Schools
On September 22, 2017, the U.S. Department of Education issued a new FAQ interim guidance document on investigating and adjudicating cases of sexual misconduct, and formally withdrew the guidance that had been issued in 2011 and 2014 on that topic. This new guidance poses many new issues and unanswered questions for K-12 schools regarding the process and scope of the new recommended procedures. … [Read more...] about New USDOE Guidance on Sexual Misconduct on Campus Poses New Challenges for K-12 Schools
Ninth Circuit Punts Public Prayer by Football Coach
In a recent case, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the ruling of the district court denying a football coach’s request for a preliminary injunction after he was placed on administrative leave for ignoring district policy regarding student prayer. In Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, an assistant coach for the Bremerton High School (BHS) varsity football team, Joseph A. Kennedy, sought to lead his … [Read more...] about Ninth Circuit Punts Public Prayer by Football Coach
In a Dramatic Shift, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Finds Courts May Wade Into Issue of Educational Funding
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, breaking with long established precedent, has found that a court may hear a claim under the Pennsylvania Constitution related into educational funding. Interestingly, nationally this is in line with several other states that have allowed challenges to educational funding under their state constitutions. Politics and Precedent The case of William Penn School … [Read more...] about In a Dramatic Shift, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Finds Courts May Wade Into Issue of Educational Funding
Solving the Funding Problem After Endrew F. Decision
On March 22, 2017, Chief Justice Roberts announced the High Court’s decision in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District RE-1. In Endrew F., the High Court attempted to define what constitutes a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE) in the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). Commentators have lauded the decision as mandating that Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) do not … [Read more...] about Solving the Funding Problem After Endrew F. Decision
New Third Circuit Precedent for School Sports Injuries
On September 21, 2017, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals decided a sad controversy involving a high school football player sent back into a practice game after suffering a severe hit to the torso and a possible concussion. The student then experienced a second hit, resulting in a subsequent diagnosis of traumatic brain injury. The appellate court affirmed the district court’s decision that … [Read more...] about New Third Circuit Precedent for School Sports Injuries
