What is an 'appropriate' education for students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act? How many acronyms are too many acronyms? In this episode, we are thrilled to be joined by Dr. Janet Decker, a school law professor and expert in special education law, to discuss Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District. This case raised the bar for when an IEP provides students a FAPE under the IDEA. See what we mean about the acronyms? We also talk about recent developments in a lawsuit challenging Florida's law that prevents teachers from using pronouns that differ from their sex assigned at birth. Keywords: Special Education Law, Students with Disabilities, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Free Appropriate Public Education, LGBTQ+, First Amendment

When can schools curtail students' political speech? Can a student be paddled for simply writing "Trump 2016" on a classroom whiteboard? We discuss T.S. v. Talladega County Board of Education, a fascinating case about a school navigating the political tensions following the 2016 presidential election. This one has it all! Politics, free speech, discipline, corporal punishment, and, of course, Ricky Bobby quotes. We also talk about recent efforts to promote diversity in Seattle Public Schools and a new law in West Virginia that we term a "hydra law" because it cropped up after previous efforts to inject creationism into schools had failed. Keywords: First Amendment, Political Speech, Due Process, Student Discipline, Corporal Punishment

When can school officials search students' belongings? In this episode, we branch out into the world of true crime! We go back to the early 80s to discuss the landmark Supreme Court case that defined the boundaries of privacy and authority in schools. We discuss New Jersey v. TLO, a delinquency case involving a search of a 14-year-old freshman's purse that continues to influence how we balance students’ rights with school authority. We also talk about a recent settlement in one of the cases challenging Florida's Parental Rights in Education Act, or as it's commonly known, "Don't Say Gay." Keywords: Fourth Amendment, Search and Seizure, Student Discipline, Cigarettes and Drugs, Educational Gag Orders, LGBTQ