Rupp, Anderson, Squires & Waldspurger, P.A. School Law Seminar
Annual School Law Seminar!
Register for the seminar by clicking here.
September 28, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Minneapolis Marriott Northwest, 7025 Northland Drive North, Brooklyn Park, MN, 55428
The MN Board of School Administrators has approved the seminar for 6 hours continuing education credit.
The seminar has been approved for 5.25 hours of Standard CLE Credit.
Seminar Topics
Addressing Common Arguments in Student Discipline Matters (By Amy Mace): This session will focus on common arguments made by students’ representatives in expulsion matters so that administrators can avoid such arguments. The topics covered will include what “willful” means for purposes of the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, potential consequences for failure to provide a Tennessen warning when interviewing a student about misconduct, and possible consequences for failing to disclose the names of student witnesses. The presentation will also discuss how to handle disagreements related to manifestation determinations, as well as the knowledge of a disability standard that applies for purposes of IDEA.
Emerging Legal Issues (By Mick Waldspurger): This presentation will address a variety of emerging legal issues for school officials, including requests for VGos to livestream events in class; doctors’ orders for medical marijuana at school; requests by students and employees to bring “therapy” animals to school; new licensure issues; and new union strategies for combatting employee discipline.
The Latest in Sexual Harassment and Discrimination (By Kevin Rupp): Media reports over the last year have been saturated with sordid stories of sexual harassment and discrimination. But what is the state of the law? Has it changed or is there just new and heightened public attention on the issue? This presentation will review the law and the latest court cases on this subject.
Legal Update on the Rights of Transgender Students and Staff (By Trevor Helmers): The issues surrounding the accommodation of transgender students and staff members in schools remains a hot button issue that appears unlikely to be fully resolved any time soon. While the Department of Education has revoked its previous guidance related to student accommodations, courts around the country continue to move forward with discrimination litigation. This presentation will seek to provide an up to the minute picture of the state of the law, as well as to discuss best practices that can be implemented in your schools regarding requests for accommodations.
Difficult Employee Leave Issues (By John Edison): This session will focus on tips and best practices for navigating complicated issues connected to an employee’s use of leave. It will discuss how to handle repeated requests for additional leave, dealing with intermittent leave, and how to address concerns about whether an employee is capable of returning to work following a leave of absence. It will also address how to handle concerns about performance issues or other misconduct that arise while an employee is on leave in a way that will not create interference, retaliation, or discrimination concerns.
Case Law Update (By Liz Vieira): The world of school law is constantly changing as courts are regularly confronted with new issues. This session reviews the most important decisions from the past year including those affecting student discipline, employee rights, board governance, and more issues that affect both the day-to-day and big picture operations of a school district.
Conducting Thorough and Effective Investigations (By Kristin Nierengarten and Michael Ervin): While an investigation can be as simple as looking into a minor incident of playground roughhousing, investigations occasionally involve high-profile allegations that could end up in the media. With any type of investigation, it is important to make sure the investigation is conducted in a manner that uncovers all relevant facts and does not leave important questions unanswered. This demonstrative presentation will cover a wide range of topics, including determining the appropriate scope of an investigation, strategies for interviewing witnesses, issues involving union representation, data considerations, and more.
Election Issues (By Zachary Cronen and Jacob Kimmes): With many school districts preparing to hold a referendum and an upcoming statewide general election this fall, it is a good time for a refresher on common school district election issues. This session will address a number of election issues, including staff and board member conduct during elections, campaign finance reporting requirements for school districts, and recent changes to election laws.
Our firm’s seminar is a private event that is reserved for clients and prospective clients, including school board members, school officials, school administrators, and attorneys who are employed by school districts.
If you have any questions, contact Ann Thorne at Ann.Thorne@raswlaw.com.