The U.S. Supreme Court recently clarified employer responsibilities following an accommodation request under Title VII, a federal law that prohibits religious discrimination in employment. Groff v DeJoy, Case No. 22-174 (2023). The clarification makes it more difficult for an employer to lawfully deny such a request.
Gerald Groff is an Evangelical Christian whose religion requires devoting Sundays to worship and rest, not work. Groff began working for the U.S. Postal Service...
Due to the increase in student threats, many school officials have had some form of threat assessment training. But the underlying question remains: when can a school discipline a student for making a threat?
School officials may discipline a student for speech in accordance with the student handbook and board policy when the speech is a “true threat,” which is a statement where the speaker means to communicate a serious expression of an intent to commit an act of unlawful violence...
To help school officials understand and prepare for pending changes to the Public Employment Relations Act (PERA) and the Revised School Code (RSC), upcoming editions of School Law Notes will include articles analyzing the new laws and implications for schools. This month’s topic is union dues deduction.
Since March 16, 2012, PERA Section 10 prohibited schools from using resources to assist labor unions in collecting dues. The Michigan Legislature recently passed legislation...
Thrun Law Firm announces the well-deserved retirement of our colleague and friend Meg Hackett, who retired on June 30 after 16 years of exemplary service to this firm and our public school clients. Meg came to the Firm in 2007 with 25 years of experience, including 12 years as in-house counsel for educational institutions.
During her...
Though perhaps not as grandiose as engravings on stone tablets, the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) recently released guidance on constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression in schools, in accordance with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). The guidance can be found here.
Constitutional Principles
Generally, the First...
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, whose decisions are binding in Michigan, recently rejected a claim that a school violated the First Amendment when it suspended a student for impersonating his teacher on Instagram and posting violent and sexual content regarding other teachers. Kutchinski v Freeland Cmty Sch Dist, Case No. 22-1748 (CA 6, 2023). We discussed the lower court’s decision in the September 2022 edition of School Law Notes.
Background
...Some schools recently reported receiving a union disclaimer of interest letter, which a union uses to assert that it disclaims interest in representing a bargaining unit. Considerations are discussed below.
Collective Bargaining Agreement
Unions sometimes use disclaimer of interest letters to assert that a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the union and a school is void due to the union’s disclaimer of interest. That assertion is accurate...
Employee claims alleging retaliation for engaging in protected conduct are prevalent and an area of significant legal exposure. For example, a former attorney at a multinational law firm that employs hundreds of attorneys worldwide recently filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaint against the firm alleging she was fired for requesting maternity leave. Although she apparently received no adverse performance reviews or criticisms before her firing, the attorney was...
Visitors who wish to observe at school may disrupt the learning environment unless appropriate rules are established. Every Michigan public school should have a board policy addressing school visitors that aligns with Michigan law.
While the general public has no right to access school buildings or observe classroom activities, the Revised School Code requires schools to allow students’ parents and guardians to observe instructional activity in a class or course in which their child...
School districts and intermediate school districts may invest school funds, but Revised School Code Sections 1223 and 622 limit the types of investments. School officials should be familiar with the applicable provisions of the RSC and their school’s investment and deposit policies to ensure statutory compliance. Importantly, not every investment opportunity your bank or an investment advisor recommends is authorized by the RSC or board policy. This article highlights common investment...