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Legislature Addresses Student Use Of Smartphones At School

The California Legislature recently passed Assembly Bill (AB) 272, which will become effective January 1, 2020, specifically authorizing school districts to adopt a policy to limit or prohibit student smartphone use, while also granting students certain specific rights to possess and use a smartphone at school.

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New Law Clarifies Anti-Discrimination Laws Include Hair Discrimination

The California Legislature recently passed Senate Bill (SB) 188, known as the CROWN Act, which amends the definition of "race" contained in state anti-discrimination laws under both the Fair Employment and Housing Act and the Education Code to include "hair texture and protective hairstyles."

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Court Reaffirms Absences To Attend Medical Appointments May Be Evidence Of A Disability

In Ross v. County of Riverside, decided on June 20, 2019, the California Court of Appeal for the Fourth Appellate District reaffirmed that repeated or extended absences from work for the purpose of attending doctor's appointments amount to a limitation on a major life activity, thus physical impairments which cause such repeated or extended absences may meet the definition of a physical d

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Ninth Circuit Upholds Decision To Expel Student For Creating A "Hit List" And Solidifies Standard For Student Discipline For Off-Campus Expression.

Confirming a point which seems to make good sense, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has held that school officials may discipline students for the student's off-campus expression, where the expression constitutes a credible, identifiable threat to others in the school community, even if the student did not intend to communicate such speech to any third party.

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New Guidance Answers Questions Regarding FERPA And School Law Enforcement Units

The United States Department of Education (Department) issued answers to 37 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

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2019 Updates: Annual Notice Of Parental Rights And Responsibilities

California school districts and county offices of education are required annually, at the beginning of each school year, to provide written notice of parental rights and responsibilities. Lozano Smith continuously tracks legislation impacting these notices.

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California Recognizes "Nonbinary" Gender Category And Requires Certain State Agencies To Collect Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity Data

The California Legislature recently passed legislation, taking effect in 2018 and 2019, making it easier for individuals to change their gender identity on official documents, adding a new gender identity option to certain forms of identification and vital records, and requiring certain state and local agencies to change data collection practices so that gender identity is more accurately accounte

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California Passes New Laws to Protect Student-Athletes AED's Required by July 1, 2019

In the wake of several high profile deaths of high school student-athletes, California recently enacted two new laws aimed at improving school responses to heart and heat-related emergencies involving students.

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Settlement Addresses Discriminatory Treatment of Minority Students and Students with Disabilities

A settlement agreement was recently reached between the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Stockton Unified School District (District) to address discriminatory treatment of minority students and students with disabilities.

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