The Supreme Court’s June ruling in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. has sowed uncertainty among local educational agencies across the country grappling with how to best handle student behavior off-campus. A Sept. 30 webinar hosted by the National School Boards Association and the National […]
Category: legal
Q&A: An in-depth look at AB 361 and virtual board meetings
On Sept. 17, 2021, CSBA sent out an email blast containing a summary of recently signed legislation, Assembly Bill 361. Since then, CSBA has received questions from members regarding AB 361’s revisions to the Brown Act regarding teleconferenced meetings held during a proclaimed state of […]
CSBA brings experts together to give tips on governing during chaotic times
“It’s clear that it is harder to be a school trustee now than it ever has been before,” CSBA CEO & Executive Director Vernon M. Billy said during the association’s Sept. 13 webinar, “Governing in a Time of Chaos: Board Meetings in the age of […]
Federal judge blocks new DACA applicants
On July 16, 2021, a federal district court judge in Texas ruled against the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, finding that President Obama exceeded his authority when he created the program by executive action in 2012. The decision creates uncertainty for undocumented students […]
U.S. Supreme Court affirms school violated student’s First Amendment rights, but allows for some regulation of off-campus speech
On June 23, 2021, in Mahanoy Area School District v. B. L., the United States Supreme Court issued a highly anticipated opinion addressing a public school’s ability to regulate off-campus student speech. In an 8-1 decision, the Court held that while public schools may regulate […]
Superior court denies preliminary injunction in Cayla J. v. State of California
On June 15, 2021, the Alameda County Superior Court made its first ruling in Cayla J. v. State of California, denying a motion for preliminary injunction in a lawsuit alleging that California has failed to offer equal education to low-income students of color during the […]
CSBA files objection to Proposition 98 certification due to miscalculation of ERAF
CSBA filed a letter with the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee on May 27, 2021, formally objecting to DOF’s certification of Proposition 98 for the 2019–20 budget year. CSBA’s objection is based on the ground that the certification underestimates the constitutionally […]
Judge certifies class-action status in Reyes v. State of California
By order of a Sacramento County Superior Court dated Feb. 26, 2021, class certification has been granted to a group of nonclassroom-based charter schools, their students and other waitlisted students, to represent all 308 nonclassroom-based charter schools in California in a lawsuit challenging the state’s […]
Ninth Circuit holds in favor of school district in First Amendment case
On March 18, 2021, in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit once again upheld the school district’s handling of a high profile First Amendment issue where a high school football coach was suspended after praying on […]
Authorizing school districts reach repayment settlement in charter school fraud case
In May 2019, a Grand Jury in San Diego County indicted 11 individuals involved in the group A3 Education, which ran 19 charter schools across California. The indictment alleged a scheme to siphon state funds for charter schools to A3 and the criminal defendants. During […]