Episode 6: Tom Rutledge Takes on LLC Member Expulsion
A California jury just punished a private school that expelled two students for off-campus activity with a $1 million dollar verdict – an outcome that should compel schools around the country to ensure they are applying due...more
Expulsion and dismissal are the most severe sanctions an academic institution can impose. Both labels connote student separation from the school. Whenever a student is facing expulsion or dismissal, the student should enlist...more
The California Supreme Court recently issued its decision in Boermeester v. Carry. Though the case deals with fair procedure within a private university’s internal disciplinary proceedings, it provides helpful guidance for...more
Last week Pullman & Comley released its annual comprehensive summary of legislation affecting Connecticut schools. Included here is our initial take on the key policy and procedural impacts as a result of this year’s...more
The School Board expelled two students, Epple and Chen, after their violent and racist Instagram posts about classmates circulated around their high school. The students challenged the school board’s ability to discipline...more
In re Appeal of G.S., 269 A.3d 718, 722 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2022), appeal denied, 61 MAL 2022, 2022 WL 2447538 (Pa. July 6, 2022) (The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court determined that the expulsion of a student for a social media...more
Governor Pritzker recently signed into law Public Act 102-0466 (House Bill 3223), which makes changes and additions to the School Code to support students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual...more
Doe v. Univ. of the Sciences, No. 19-2966 (3rd Cir., May 29, 2020) - Summary of procedural history: Plaintiff, a senior at The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia filed suit alleging USciences discriminated...more
JOHN DOE V. PRINCETON UNIVERSITY U.S. Dist. Ct., Dist. NJ (April 21, 2020) - Procedural History: On April 15, 2020, Plaintiff John Doe filed a motion in the District Court of New Jersey for a Temporary Restraining Order...more
As the kick-off to the school year winds down and daily routines take shape, we start to see serious student discipline issues pop up. And one situation that always leads to confusion is what to do when a student who does not...more
While all educators aim to create an environment where every student thrives and flourishes, we know that there are times when a student’s actions require discipline or expulsion. Those are always difficult decisions....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit’s recent opinion in Yeasin v. Durham, No. 16-3367, 2018 WL 300553 (10th Cir. Jan. 5, 2018), addresses the “tension between some students’ free-speech rights...more
We have previously written in these pages about the development of “guidelines” or “standards” by the State Board of Education for the provision of educational opportunities for expelled students. Having had just a (teeny)...more
The Connecticut State Department of Education this morning adopted new standards for expulsions and alternative education. As we discussed back in September, pursuant to Public Act 17-220 the State Department of Education was...more
“And thirdly, the code is more what you’d call “guidelines” than actual rules …” Captain Barbosa in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl On September 5, 2017, the State Board of Education’s Legislative and...more
In 2016, Connecticut’s General Assembly passed Public Act 16-147: AN ACT CONCERNING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE POLICY AND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. This Act made several changes to school discipline laws which...more
On July 26, 2017, the 5th Appellate District Court of Appeals (Richland County) issued a decision in N.Z. vs Madison Local Board of Education that should be read by every school administrator involved in student discipline. ...more
Pullman & Comley’s 2016-17 Superintendents’ Legal Issues Forum got off to a great start with a thought provoking presentation by Mark Sommaruga and Zach Schurin regarding a summary of 2016 Connecticut legislative enactments...more
The legislature, this year, put in place significant changes relative to the expulsion of students which will supposedly go into effect on August 15, 2017. Assuming that the legislature leaves intact these changes during the...more
..Bad chords. A European musician’s attempt to stop a negative concert review from continuing to appear in Internet search results is raising questions about whether the EU’s “right to be forgotten” ruling could prevent the...more