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Legal Digest Newsletter Archives

SERVICE ANIMALS ON CAMPUS: LEGAL AND PRACTICAL GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

INTRODUCTION Service animals have been a part of society for a long time, but the services they provide have greatly expanded over the years. An animal can be trained to perform a variety of tasks to assist people with all kinds of disabilities. Sometimes the person’s disability and the tasks being performed are relatively obvious [...]

DEFLATEGATE COMES TO TEXAS!

DEAR DAWG: We have reason to believe that our opponent in the bi-district playoff game last fall was tampering with the footballs. Our investigation shows that the balls, which were under the control of the other team, were under inflated, thus giving their QB a distinct advantage. We are contemplating litigation over this in light [...]

LABOR & EMPLOYMENT

Retaliation WHAT IS REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH RETALIATION UNDER TITLE VII? Case citation:  Brooks v. Houston ISD, 2015 WL 251760 (S.D. Tex. 2015) (unpublished). Summary: Samantha Brooks was a food server for the Houston Independent School District. In 2011, while Brooks was working at Welch Middle School, the district brought in an area manager named Patrice [...]

PRACTICE & PROCEDURE

Res Judicata WERE THE STUDENT’S CLAIMS BARRED BECAUSE OF HER PREVIOUS SUITS? Case citation:  Crawford v. San Marcos CISD, 2015 WL 236653 (W.D. Tex. 2015) (unpublished). Summary: Rachel Crawford was a high school student at San Marcos High School. She had Asperger’s Syndrome and received special education services as a result. In August of 2006, she [...]

SPECIAL EDUCATION & DISABILITY LAW

Residential placement THE STUDENT WAS NOT ENTITLED TO A RESIDENTIAL PLACEMENT AT DISTRICT EXPENSE Case citation:   Fort Bend ISD v. Douglas A, __Fed. Appx. __, 2015 WL 469018 (5th  Cir. 2015). Summary: Z.A. was an eighth-grade student during the 2011- 12 school year. In mid-December 2011, he attempted suicide by swallowing pills; he came to [...]

STUDENTS

Grading Policies THE ONLY VIABLE CLAIM STEMMING FROM THE STUDENT’S GRADES WAS MOOT DUE TO THE STUDENT’S GRADUATION Case citation: Child v. South Texas ISD, 012-R5-10-2012 (Comm’r Educ. Dec. 11, 2014). Summary: The parents of a student in the South Texas Independent School District filed an appeal with the Commissioner of Education arguing that the [...]