In a recent case from the Third Circuit, a school district prevailed against parents’ claims for failure of child find, for denial of FAPE and for private school tuition, both at hearing and in all levels of the parents’ appeals to the federal courts. J.M. o/b/o C.M. v. Summit City Board of Education (July 1, 2022). The district prevailed simply because it was professional and responsive. At issue … [Read more...] about Third Circuit Rules for School District in FAPE Case: School Shows How It’s Done
School Law Bullet
Department of Education Releases New Title IX Regulations
On June 23, 2022, fifty years to the day after President Nixon signed Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Dr. Miguel Cardona, President Biden’s Secretary of Education, announced the much-anticipated 2022 Title IX Regulations, the fulfillment of Biden’s March 8, 2020 Executive Order guaranteeing an educational environment free from sex discrimination for all students. The goal of the … [Read more...] about Department of Education Releases New Title IX Regulations
U.S. Supreme Court Gives Win to Football Coach in Prayer Case
On June 27, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District that a Washington state public school district cannot prohibit a high school football coach from praying at the 50-yard line after a game. “The Constitution and the best of our traditions counsel mutual respect and tolerance, not censorship and suppression, for religious and nonreligious views alike,” Justice Neil … [Read more...] about U.S. Supreme Court Gives Win to Football Coach in Prayer Case
Pennsylvania Senate Passes Bill to Bar Transgender Athletes from Girls’ Sports
On June 6, the Pennsylvania Senate passed Senate Bill 1191, which would bar athletes who were male at birth from playing in girls’ sports programs. In a 30-20 vote primarily split along party lines, proponents talked about safety and unfair competition issues, while those opposed framed the bill as an attack against transgender children. The action has left school officials in the state wondering … [Read more...] about Pennsylvania Senate Passes Bill to Bar Transgender Athletes from Girls’ Sports
Commonwealth Court Shields Disclosure of Right to Know Requests for Personal Contact Information
On May 26, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled that personal contact information contained in requests submitted under the Right-to-Know Law may be exempted from disclosure. In the unpublished decision, Markey v. Treasury Department, No. 759 C.D. 2021, the court explained that the law is not “a mechanism for an individual to access private or nonpublic information.” The Dispute Last April, … [Read more...] about Commonwealth Court Shields Disclosure of Right to Know Requests for Personal Contact Information
School Safety Requirements in Pennsylvania
In the wake of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, school officials are once again hyperfocused on school safety. In Pennsylvania, Act 44 of 2018, enacted following the shooting at Parkland High School in Florida, established several school safety programs, notably the Safe2Say Something Program and mandatory safety training for school staff. Current … [Read more...] about School Safety Requirements in Pennsylvania