An interesting case out of the Eastern District Court of Pennsylvania determined that while the parents of a student with an IEP have the right to participate in the development and implementation of an IEP, that right does not include the right to select staff or to choose methodologies. In addition, when parents overstep that line and it leads to the non-implementation of the IEP, it may be the … [Read more...] about Parents’ Right to Participate in IEP Process Is Not Unlimited, Does Not Include Right to Pick Staff, Methodology, or Engage in Disruptive Conduct
New EEOC Action is a Warning to Employers to Take Steps to Prevent Discrimination or Harassment of Employees on the Basis of Sexual Orientation
While there currently is no federal law that explicitly provides protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the workplace, and some states, including Pennsylvania, do not have such protections under state law, employers should be aware that the EEOC at present is reading Title VII's prohibition against sex discrimination as extending to sexual orientation. While it is … [Read more...] about New EEOC Action is a Warning to Employers to Take Steps to Prevent Discrimination or Harassment of Employees on the Basis of Sexual Orientation
Big Changes and Bigger Questions: An In-Depth Look at the Most Recent Amendment to Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law
In the heat of the summer, the Pennsylvania legislature quickly and quietly repaired the already recently-revised Child Protective Services Law. Like all such hasty fixes, not all loose ends are resolved. PTAs and parent volunteers horrified by the draconian requirements of the prior law get some relief, but it is still not the same world as when volunteering meant simply showing up. Below, a … [Read more...] about Big Changes and Bigger Questions: An In-Depth Look at the Most Recent Amendment to Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law
Edging Closer to Rules for Addressing Specificity Concerns Under Right to Know Law
On July 14, the Commonwealth Court addressed a request for “all emails” and determined that it was insufficiently specific to require an agency response. A three-part test will now help with Right To Know Law (RTK) requests for “all records.” Here’s What Happened On August 5, 2014, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette submitted a Right to Know request to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), … [Read more...] about Edging Closer to Rules for Addressing Specificity Concerns Under Right to Know Law
Should Adoptees Have Access to Original Birth Certificates? The Debate Continues
When an adoption is finalized the child’s birth certificate is revised to reflect the names of the adoptive parents, and whether adult adoptees should have access to their original birth records has been debated for many years. In the past, original birth records were sealed, purportedly to protect the privacy of birth parents and prevent unwanted contact. In recent years, states have begun to … [Read more...] about Should Adoptees Have Access to Original Birth Certificates? The Debate Continues
PDE Releases Model Policy on Student Suicide
Suicide rates among adolescents have risen sharply in the past several years, and now are the second to third leading cause of death among individuals in that age group. The rise in American teenagers’ internet use, mobile phone accessibility and use, and social networking use correlates with the rise in teenagers’ suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. The most recent national Youth Risk … [Read more...] about PDE Releases Model Policy on Student Suicide
