RECENT LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS
2.1.12
New Law Overhauls School Report Cards
Illinois Supreme Court Issues Ruling in Anti-SLAPP Suit
Supreme Court Grants Leave to Appeal in Case Challenging Constitutionality of Educational Funding System
1.25.12
U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Student Internet Speech Cases
1.4.12
Seventh Circuit Holds That School Provided Free Appropriate Public Education
1.3.12
Seventh Circuit Federal Appellate Court Upholds Compensatory and Punitive Damage Award Against Building Principal For Being Aware of and Failing to Stop Teacher's Sexual Abuse of Students
Negligently Piling Snow and Ice on Recreational Grounds Could Lead to Liability
12.30.11
U.S. Department of Education Issues New Regulations to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
Appellate Court Upholds CPS' Removal of Principal from Failing School
12.9.11
ISBE Issues Ed Reform Guidance
11.21.11
Taxpayers Lack Standing to Challenge Illinois Education Funding System
11.3.11
School District Pays Heavy Price to Settle Religious Accommodation Lawsuit
10.28.11
U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Case Challenging Illinois' Moment of Silence Law
10.19.11
7th Circuit Court of Appeals Permits School District to Hold Graduation Ceremonies in Church
Be Cautious When Writing Letters of Recommendation for Employees Accused of Criminal Misconduct
10.3.11
Illinois Appellate Court Clarifies Definition of "Willful and Wanton" Conduct under the Tort Immunity Act
9.6.11
More Non-Profit Hospitals Denied Tax-Exempt Status
8.12.11
Districts Required to Adopt a Return to Play Policy
7.21.11
Police Department Installation of Surveillance Software on Computers Did Not Violate the Illinois Criminal Eavesdropping Statute
7.15.11
United States Supreme Court Provides Further Guidance on First Amendment Protections for Public Employees
Update on First Amendment and Discipline for Social Networking
6.21.11
Ball State University Shields Itself From Liability By Promptly Investigating Racial Harassment Complaints
Employee's FMLA and Breach of Employment Contract Case Dismissed for Failure to Execute Settlement Agreement
6.13.11
Education Reform Signed Into Law
5.10.11
School Employees Statements Regarding Bus Driver's Misconduct Privileged Under Tort Immunity Act
4.20.11
U.S. Supreme Court Rules Taxpayers Lacked Standing to Challenge Alleged Tax Subsidy for Religious Schools
3.25.11
NSBA submits comments on nondiscrimination requirements for group health plans
3.11.11
Illinois Supreme Court upholds dismissal of fourth-year non-tenured teacher against claim of violation of teacher's right to union representation at evaluation meetings
Seventh Circuit upholds students' right to wear "Be Happy, Not Gay" t-shirts
2.10.11
Illinois Supreme Court grants leave to appeal from lower court's decision interpreting anti-SLAPP statute
1.17.11
Moment of Silence Law Mandatory in Schools
Chicago-Kent announces 2010-2011 HLERK scholarship recipient
1.7.11
7th Circuit Denies En Banc Rehearing of Moment of Silence Decision
12.21.10
NSBA Requests Clarification of OCR's Dear Colleague Letter
12.10.10
No substitute teachers may be hired after January 1, 2011 without certificate of authorization
12.2.10
Performance evaluations of all public employees are now prohibited from disclosure under FOIA
11.23.10
High school teacher has no First Amendment right to choose in-class materials, Sixth Circuit holds
11.22.10
Tort Immunity Act immunizes Village in wrongful death suit, Illinois appellate court holds
11.10.10
Local residents, radio station immune from defamation suit brought by high school coach and athletic director, state appellate court holds
11.3.10
U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) issues guidance on bullying/harassment
10.28.10
Illinois appellate court upholds district's $350 drivers' education fee
Appellate court finds no unfair labor practice in giving 12-month position to less senior employee
10.22.10
Pennsylvania school disrict settles webcam suits for $610,000
More weekend games for boys' athletics does not violate Title IX
Federal court orders student suspended for nose piercing admitted to school
10.18.10
7th Circuit upholds Illinois' "moment of silence" law
9.9.10
State appellate court allows autistic student’s service dog in school
University may not deny student activity fees to student religious organization, Seventh Circuit holds
Employer’s termination of employee for misuse of computer not based on gender, Seventh Circuit holds
Appellate courts reach opposite conclusions on sergeants' exclusion from police unions
New law tweaks teacher remediation process, criteria for school districts in financial difficulty
Judge orders district to stop webcam monitoring without consent
Title IX does not bar equal protection suits against school officials for gender discrimination
ALJ applies wrong standard regarding eligible services under IDEA
Amendatory veto of FOIA performance evaluation bill
7.15.10
Federal court penalizes Illinois school district for violating "litigation hold" requirements
6.24.10
U.S. Supreme Court: City's search of government-owned text messaging device did not violate employee's Fourth Amendment rights
6.10.10
Seventh Circuit dismisses Title VII retaliation action brought by university employee for protesting co-workers' wearing of Chief Illiniwek t-shirts
Appellate Court finds district may be liable for sports camp injury
Seventh Circuit upholds employee due process and First Amendment claims against public employer based on information from closed session tapes
Illinois Appellate Court upholds validity of goals included in superintendent's contract
6.3.10
Court rules that bankrupt home developer is not entitled to refund of school impact fees
U.S. Supreme Court hears case involving public employee's expectation of privacy in text messages sent from government-owned, hand-held device
5.28.10
State appellate court finds public entities immune from negligence claim brought by plaintiff after falling on icy public sidewalk
4.12.10
School District Liable for Retiree Health Care Benefits Contained in Prior Collective Bargaining Agreement
Challenge to School Facility Occupation Tax Is Allowed to Proceed
4.9.10
Seventh Circuit holds firm's interview notes taken while conducting investigation for school district protected from disclosure
3.30.10
Seventh Circuit finds principal had probable cause to charge, order arrest of student's parent and grandmother after office brawl
3.26.10
Illinois Supreme Court denies property tax exemption to religiously-affiliated hospital
Seventh Circuit finds qualified immunity no bar to claims against principal for failure to investigate, attempts to hide sexual abuse complaints
3.22.10
Obama Administration Releases Blueprint for Reauthorization of No Child Left Behind
3.10.10
Federal appellate court denies tenured teacher's due process claims as an impermissible attack on state appellate court's decision
Seventh Circuit finds school district not liable under Title IX or state law for teacher's sexual harassment after moving to another district
1.27.10
Court allows autistic student's service dog in school
1.15.10
Law places new requirements on teacher and principal evaluation plans & bans disclosure of evaluations
NSBA names former Hodges, Loizzi colleague as Senior Staff Attorney
12.23.09
Appellate Court prevents audio/visual recording of special education classrooms
New law extends period for issuance of bonds after referendum during lawsuit
11.24.09
Illinois Department of Revenue denies tax exemption to religiously-affiliated retirement community
Probationary teacher's non-renewal gets second look on appeal
10.29.09
7th Circuit concludes that school district may not have reasonably accommodated teacher's seasonal affective disorder
9.25.09
HLERK attorneys win significant case regarding labor relations in charter schools
