Jan 24th, 2022Addressing Challenges to Controversial Books
For years there have been efforts to ban certain books in schools. Parents’ concerns have ranged from profanity and sexual content to the political leanings of various authors. More recently, the outcry against the perceived inclusion of “critical race theory” in schools has gained national attention. How can school boards and administrators address parent concerns …
Jan 24th, 2022Be Alert to Requests for Employee Information from Public Sector Unions
At least one major public sector union, the Civil Service Employees’ Association (“CSEA”), has been aggressive of late in filing requests for certain information pertaining to school district employees. These requests can be sorted into two categories: 1) requests from an existing bargaining unit (union) for information relating solely to unit employees; and 2) requests …
Jan 12th, 2022New NYS Paid Sick Leave Regulations Answer Questions about Employee Counts, Sufficient Policies and Penalties for Violations
The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) has now issued its final regulations and guidance for New York State’s mandatory Paid Sick and Safe Leave Law. As you may recall, the law went into effect on September 30, 2020, and employees could begin using the leave as of January 1, 2021. While these final …
Dec 17th, 2021Ferrara Fiorenza PC Elevates Heather M. Cole to Management Committee and Jeffrey M. Lewis to Partner; Nicole Marlow-Jones Joins the Firm as Counsel
EAST SYRACUSE, NY–Education and employment law firm Ferrara Fiorenza PC announces the recent promotions of Heather M. Cole to the Management Committee and Jeffrey M. Lewis to Partner in the Firm, as well as the hiring of Nicole Marlow-Jones as Counsel. “Heather and Jeffrey are incredible leaders within our Firm with an indisputable passion for …
Dec 7th, 2021Benching a Student-Athlete for Violating the School’s Code of Conduct
A Review of the First Amendment Decisions Issued Since the Supreme Court’s “Cheerleader Case” Examining Public Schools’ Disciplinary Authority Over Off-Campus Student Speech In our July newsletter, we reported on the Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L., 141 S. Ct. 2038 (2021), decision issued by the U.S. Supreme Court in June in which the Court …
Dec 7th, 2021N.Y. Open Meetings Law Imposes New Posting Requirements
Effective November 8, 2021, Boards of Education are required to post meeting minutes on the District’s website within 14 days of the meeting. In those situations where meeting minutes are not prepared within 14 days, the law provides that “unabridged video recordings or unabridged audio recordings or unabridged written transcripts may be deemed to be …
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