January is a time of transition for many Ohio school boards. As the board begins a new year together, taking a few minutes to review key voting basics can help meetings run smoothly and support confident, effective decision-making.
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Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on
What happens when the person elected to a school board position in November decides they don’t want to be a board member? Over the years, OSBA’s legal division has gotten a number of questions from school districts with a variety of factual situations involving how their boards will be structured after an election. One unusual situation is when a person who was elected in November has decided in the intervening months that they are not interested in serving in the position. The key question to answer is when does the position become vacant.
As explained in previous blog posts…
Posted by Sara C. Clark on
In 2026, OSBA’s Legal Assistance Fund (LAF) will celebrate 50 years of supporting and protecting public school districts across Ohio.
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Posted by Sara C. Clark on
Under state law, a school board member must take an oath of office before entering upon the duties of their office. Recently, many school districts across the state received public records requests for copies of the oaths of office for current board members. These requests have prompted questions about what is legally required of school board…
Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on
In a decision issued earlier this month, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals concluded that disciplining students for using biological pronouns rather than their classmates’ preferred pronouns violates the First Amendment. The case, Defending Edn. v. Olentangy Local School Dist. Bd. of Edn., was originally brought in response to three district policies regarding harassment, bullying and the use of personal communication devices. The policies were intended to “maintain an education and work environment that is…
Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on
In this Legal Ledger Sidebar, Jennie Hardin and Sara Clark discuss some of the basics of parliamentary procedure, a key tool for a board president when guiding the board through its agenda. The discussion covers topics such as types of motions, managing amendments, and revisiting the board’s prior decisions.
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Posted by Sara C. Clark on
Earlier this month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld a Michigan school district’s decision to prohibit students from wearing “Let’s Go Brandon” sweatshirts. In …
Posted by John R. Price on
On Oct. 20, Judge Jaiza Page of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking enforcement of the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s (OHSAA) rule…
Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on
Posted by Sara C. Clark on
In April 2024, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a new rule that sets technical requirements for school districts and other state and local governments to follow to make sure their websites and mobile apps are accessible to individuals with disabilities. In this month’s Legal Ledger Sidebar, Sara Clark and Jennie Hardin sit down…