As we previously reported, effective immediately, school districts must comply with ISBE emergency rules for the use of seclusion and restraint....more
11/22/2019
/ Child Abuse ,
Cooperative Compliance Regime ,
Dear Colleague Letter ,
Disciplinary Proceedings ,
Education Reform ,
Educational Institutions ,
Emergency Rule ,
ISBE ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Restraints ,
Risk Management ,
Rulemaking Process ,
State Bans ,
Strict Compliance ,
Students
In a recent decision, the Illinois Human Rights Commission (IHRC) ruled that Illinois schools cannot limit transgender students’ unfettered access to the locker rooms that correspond to their gender identities. The decision...more
8/8/2019
/ Educational Institutions ,
Federal v State Law Application ,
Gender Discrimination ,
Gender Identity ,
Human Rights ,
LGBTQ ,
School Restrooms ,
Sexual Orientation Discrimination ,
State and Local Government ,
Students ,
Transgender
A recent Department of Education inquiry regarding transfers of guardianship of college-aged students in Illinois is making news across the country. The Department’s Office of the Inspector General is looking into the...more
On June 30, 2019, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed an executive order aimed at studying and providing recommendations on legal rights and supports in the school environment for transgender, non-binary, and gender...more
7/3/2019
/ Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Educational Institutions ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Agency Taskforce ,
Gender Discrimination ,
Gender Identity ,
Gender Neutral ,
LGBTQ ,
Sexual Orientation Discrimination ,
State and Local Government ,
Students ,
Transgender
One of the loftiest goals of K-12 education is to teach children to disagree respectfully, but what do you do if they disrespectfully disagree—especially on a hot button, highly-sensitive topic?...more
Most changes we’ve seen from the U.S. Department of Education (Department) these past two-and-a-half years have dealt with sex, gender, race, color, and national origin—not disability—and most have reduced federal oversight,...more
A flurry of recent news reports signals a marked change by the Trump administration of the Federal government’s approach toward the rights of transgender students in public education. What, if any, practical implications do...more
10/24/2018
/ Educational Institutions ,
Gender Discrimination ,
Gender Identity ,
Gender Neutral ,
LGBTQ ,
Non-Discrimination Rules ,
Protected Class ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Sexual Orientation ,
Sexual Orientation Discrimination ,
State and Local Government ,
Students ,
Title IX ,
Transgender
In an opinion issued last week, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals decided in favor of a transgender student who challenged his high school’s decision to limit his access to boys’ communal bathrooms. ...more
6/9/2017
/ Department of Education ,
Educational Institutions ,
Equal Protection ,
Gender Identity ,
LGBTQ ,
Public Schools ,
Restroom Legislation ,
School Restrooms ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Students ,
Title IX ,
Transgender
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Education (DOE) jointly issued a statement rescinding the guidance on transgender students’ rights under Title IX issued to school districts nationwide in May. The prior...more
2/23/2017
/ Civil Rights Act ,
Department of Education ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Discrimination ,
Educational Institutions ,
Gender Discrimination ,
Gender Identity ,
Gloucester County School Board v G.G. ,
LGBTQ ,
Restroom Legislation ,
School Restrooms ,
SCOTUS ,
Sexual Orientation Discrimination ,
Students ,
Title IX ,
Transgender ,
Trump Administration
On Friday, the Trump administration signaled that it will not defend the guidance given by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Education (DOE) last May on transgender students’ rights under Title IX of the...more
2/13/2017
/ Department of Education ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Discrimination ,
Educational Institutions ,
Gloucester County School Board v G.G. ,
LGBTQ ,
Public Schools ,
School Restrooms ,
SCOTUS ,
Sexual Orientation ,
Sexual Orientation Discrimination ,
Title IX ,
Transgender ,
Trump Administration
In an opinion issued yesterday, U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert decided that Township High School District 211 “balanced the interests of all its students when it decided to permit transgender students to...more
Amidst a recently intensified national debate regarding support for transgender students in schools, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Education (DOE) today issued new guidance setting out guidelines for...more
5/16/2016
/ Dear Colleague Letter ,
Department of Education ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Educational Institutions ,
Gender Discrimination ,
Gender Identity ,
LGBTQ ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Sexual Harassment ,
Sexual Orientation Discrimination ,
Students ,
Title IX ,
Transgender
Yesterday, in a landmark ruling, a federal appellate court decided that under Title IX a transgender student can challenge a school board policy that limits bathroom and locker room access based on biological sex. The United...more
As one of his last official actions in 2014, outgoing Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed Senate Bill 1342, which amends the Illinois eavesdropping law that the Illinois Supreme Court found unconstitutional early in 2014....more