Rupp, Anderson, Squires & Waldspurger, P.A. School Law Seminar
Annual School Law Seminar!
September 25, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Webinar - Link will be sent
Applications for MN Board of School Administrators Continuing Education credit and Continuing Legal Education credit are pending.
Click here to register
Case Law Update (By Amy Mace): Decisions by the United States Supreme Court and the federal courts that have jurisdiction over Minnesota often impact laws that school districts must follow. This presentation will review recent decisions by courts and administrative agencies that have implications for school districts and will include takeaways that administrators should know.
Common Problem Areas in School Policies (By Mick Waldspurger): This presentation will address common problem areas in school policies, including student discipline policies, dress codes (hats, Native American Indian mascots and names, confederate flags, religious symbols, etc.), visitor policies, safety protocols (masks for students and staff), policies governing child care, and policies addressing open meetings and data privacy.
First Amendment Rights: Protests and Political Speech (By Trevor Helmers): The wave of protests during the Summer of 2020 and upcoming elections have made it more likely that schools will have protests or political speech coming into the school environment. These types of protests or displays have a significant likelihood of causing a disruption to the learning environment. This presentation will outline the rights that students and staff members have under the First Amendment, and discuss options for School Districts in responding to political speech or protests.
School Contracts in the Shadow of a Pandemic (By Kevin Rupp and Kristin Nierengarten): The unexpected interruption to in-person schooling during the spring of 2020 generated a number of questions about how to move forward with existing contractual obligations and apply rarely used contract provisions. The experience of working through a pandemic and distance learning is expected to impact how school districts, unions, and others seek to draft their contracts moving forward. And the economic downturn is likely to result in budget shortfalls for school districts across the state. This session will address contract negotiations, transportation contracts, layoff provisions, and more to help equip districts to operate efficiently moving forward in the wake of the pandemic.
Overview of New Title IX Standards (By John Edison): In May 2020, the U.S. Department of Education announced new Title IX regulations significantly impacting the manner in which schools must handle allegations of sexual harassment. The new rules, which are effective August 14, 2020, are a significant departure from the Department’s standards under the Obama administration. This presentation will provide an overview of the new requirements and outline steps schools must take to ensure compliance with new procedures for responding to and investigating allegations of sexual harassment.
We Must Protect this School House – A Primer on School District Liability (By Mike Ervin and Ryan Supple): Learn everything you need to know about negligence and other liability claims, limits on school district liability, important legal defenses available to schools and their personnel, and more.
Pandemic Personnel Pandemonium: Answers to the Top Five Questions about COVID-19 and Employees (By Liz Vieira and Steve Gershone): COVID-19 is altering the landscape of human resources and daily personnel management. This presentation will address the top questions and answers that schools are facing as we enter this “new normal.” Among other questions, this presentation will address: compliance with coronavirus response legislation; personnel issues during remote work; an employer’s responsibility with respect to employee health at work; and how to address an employee suspected of having COVID-19.
COVID Top 5: Students (By Zachary Cronen and Abbi Kelzer): School districts are confronted with new and emerging issues as they navigate the current environment and how to respond to COVID concerns. This presentation will address five common student issues facing schools this year, including how to handle claims of bullying and harassment, issues with student mask-wearing, and more.