School Law Alerts

On June 23, 2021, the Supreme Court of Ohio issued a decision in the Gabbard et al. v. Madison Local School District Board of Education et al. case interpreting the Ohio Revised Code to require teachers to undergo a full peace-officer training course before a school district may authorize them to carry a firearm on school premises; a much more stringent training standard than what most districts seeking to arm teachers are currently providing.

In a public address on February 9, Governor DeWine requested that school districts take extraordinary measures and design plans to meet the educational needs of students.  The Governor suggested that districts take such measures as extending the current school year, beginning next school year ear...

House Bill 352 slashes statute of limitations for employment discrimination claims and requires plaintiffs to exhaust administrative remedies. In January, Governor DeWine signed House Bill 352 into law.  The Employment Law Uniformity Act, as the Bill is known, brings several changes to the way ...

Supreme Court to Hear First Amendment Case Arising Out  of Cheerleader's Profane Snapchat The U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari on Jan. 8, 2021 agreeing to hear the appeal of B.L. v. Mahanoy Area School District, 964 F.3d 170 (3rd Cir. 2019).  The appeal is poised to produce significant imp...

As education and public health officials contemplate complex decisions related to school closures, bans on public gatherings, and other measures to slow the spread of Coronavirus, you are faced with having to make swift and confident recommendations and decisions that affect your students, staff ...

You may have heard that several pipeline companies, including Rover and Nexus, have filed petitions for reassessment with the Ohio Department of Taxation (“ODT”) for significant reductions in their public utility tax assessments.  The reassessment of public utilities is governed by R.C. 5727.47...

The Supreme Court of Ohio has accepted an appeal from the Toledo City School District regarding personal liability of school teachers and administrators in cases involving bullying.  The appeal was taken from the Sixth Appellate District's August reversal of the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas...

House Bill 166 took effect last month, reducing the two-year requirement of ORC 3313.411 to one year.  ORC 3313.411 now requires a school district with school facilities that have been unused for one year to offer to lease or sell those facilities to community schools, STEM schools, or college-pr...

Under Section 5709.07 of the Ohio Revised Code, real property used by a community school for educational purposes is exempt from real property taxes.   The exemption applies if the community school owns its facility or if the community school leases its facility from a landlord.  The exemption mu...