- A school board member’s brother has applied for a job with their district. Can the district hire the board member’s brother?
- A district vendor wants to thank the district for its business by taking board members to dinner at the nicest restaurant in town. Can the board members accept this offer?
- A board member’s child has an individualized education program (IEP) with the district. Can the board member attend IEP team meetings for their child?
- A newly elected board member used to coach one of the district’s teams. Can they continue as a…
Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on
Posted by Dustin Koslen on
On March 2, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in the case of Mirabelli v. Bonta in which it held that the First Amendment Free Exercise clause protects parents’ right to know of changes to their children’s gender identity. Mirabelli v. Bonta, 607 U.S. _, LEXIS 1192…
Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on
Last week, the Ohio Attorney General (OAG) issued the 2026 update to the Sunshine Law Manual. The manual, also called the Yellow Book because the early paper version had a yellow cover, is a comprehensive resource on the Open Meetings Act (OMA) (RC 121.22), Ohio’s Public Records Act (PRA) (RC 149.43) and related statutes. The OAG updates the Yellow Book each year during Sunshine Week, which falls in the…
Posted by Sara C. Clark on
Student walkouts and protests can raise important legal and practical questions for school leaders. In our most recent Legal Ledger Sidebar, Sara Clark and Dustin Koslen discuss how districts can balance students’ First Amendment rights with maintaining safe and orderly schools.
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Posted by Gamy Narvaez on
Shadow AI in schools is the use of AI tools by teachers, staff and students without the knowledge or permission of the administration, especially AI tools that haven’t been vetted and approved by the district. The National Cybersecurity Alliance stated in its 2024-2025…
Posted by Dustin Koslen on
On January 5, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued an opinion letter stating that days during which a school is closed, do not count as Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) days for employees that planned to be on FMLA leave during those days but for less than the full week.
DOL’s…
Posted by Sara C. Clark on
Earlier this month, the federal Department of Education (DOE) issued …
Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on
In this Legal Ledger Sidebar, Jennie Hardin and Dustin Koslen discuss the Ohio Ethics Law’s restrictions related to conflicts of interest for board members. Included among the topics are who is subject to the law, how the law works in real-world situations, and resources for board members.
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Posted by Dustin Koslen on
As new Ohio school board members are becoming acquainted with public meetings, it is a good time to review some helpful tips regarding board member communications, including executive sessions.
Communications between multiple board members outside of the open meeting
Communications of…
Posted by Sara C. Clark on
Recently, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled…