In this episode, Duane and Emily talk through the legal parameters and mechanics of board reorganization meetings.  ..read more

In this episode, Duane talks through some of the quirky procedural issues and common misperceptions associated with conducting closed sessions of the Board of Education.  ..read more

With Board reorganizations coming up next month, it is time to think about who should be your Board president.  In this episode, Duane discusses the role of the Board President and general areas of responsibilities—all things to consider as you elect your new President.  ..read more

In this episode, Duane and Emily discuss the requirements for board candidates surrounding personal financial disclosures, sometimes called financial interest statements.   Emily and Duane talk through some of the confusing points associated with the filing requirements, as well as filing requirements for sitting board members.  ..read more

As schools wrap up an extraordinary year, school leaders may see some routine - and some bizarre - student misconduct issues. Whether a senior prank, an off-campus matter carried over to the school, or even a weapon incident, the year-end spike in student misconduct can require compliance with some complex discipline procedures, possibly affecting graduation or suspensions after the close of the year. In this podcast, Duane and members of the EdCounsel team tackle legal issues related to poor student choices that create challenges for school leaders in May ..read more

Today’s episode focuses on a topic of significant discussion during the past 18 months—livestreaming school board meetings.    Duane discusses the legal considerations for boards as they determine whether to livestream, or continue to livestream, their meetings. This episode talks through some of the legal land mines associated with online video of board meetings such as accessibility for individuals with disabilities, records retention requirements and the disclosure of the livestreamed video in response to Sunshine Law requests, as well as the use of board meeting videos in litigat ..read more

With the rise in the number of disruptive patrons who believe they have an absolute right to access school property, many schools are struggling with the issue of restricting access to school property.  Tom Smith joins Duane today to discuss the legal parameters for restricting access of disruptive patrons in your buildings, at board meetings and in a number of other key situations that tend to arise.     ..read more

With the passage of Amendment 3 legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, many school leaders are wondering what the impact, at least in the short term, will be for Missouri schools.  In this episode, Emily and Duane discuss how Amendment 3 is likely to affect Missouri schools in the short term and identify some of the issues that school leaders should consider at this juncture.  ..read more

In this episode, Duane and Tom talk through general election issues for schools on election day.  We discuss the ins and outs of schools as polling places, employee leave to vote, and other general election day issues that impact Missouri public schools.  ..read more

In this episode, Duane and Emily discuss current issues in student discipline including weapons, medical marijuana and Safe Schools Act suspensions and expulsions.  ..read more