The Massachusetts Anti-Bullying law offers additional protections for students with disabilities because they are more susceptible to being “targets” of bullying. The law has two requirements for students with disabilities, both of which must occur simultaneously: (1) there must be … Read more »
The Schoolyard Lawyer: An App Meant to Prevent Bullying
Cyber-bullying not only happens on the internet through social media websites or chat rooms, but it also happens through cell phones, either in the form of text messages or phone calls. There is now an App meant to protect children … Read more »
Attorney Andra Hutchins Will Speak on Student Privacy Issues October 4, 2011
KCL’s partner Andra Hutchins will speak on student privacy issues at an upcoming seminar put on by the National Business Institute. Attorney Hutchins will join two other local education law attorneys to discuss hot topic issues regarding student privacy in … Read more »
The Schoolyard Lawyer: School Discipline and Special Education Students
If any student violates the school handbook, the school can suspend that student accordingly. However, when a Special Education student on an IEP gets into trouble and is suspended from school, there are procedures in place that the school must … Read more »
The Schoolyard Lawyer: Who has Access to Student Records?
Many parents wonder who can access their child’s school records. This is regulated by both federal law and state law. Under federal law, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulates all issues regarding student records. Under state law, … Read more »
The Schoolyard Lawyer: Who Attends a Team Meeting?
As the 2011-2012 school year approaches, it is time to start thinking about your child’s educational needs. If you are just starting the special education process and have been contemplating an uation or you are further along in the process, … Read more »
The Schoolyard Lawyer: Reflections on the Massachusetts Anti-Bullying Law
It has been just over a year since Governor Patrick enacted the Massachusetts law on bullying, making Massachusetts the 42nd state to pass such a law. The law quickly became known as one of the strictest anti-bullying laws in … Read more »
The Schoolyard Lawyer: The Bullying Law Protects Special Education Students
A recent Schoolyard Lawyer blog entry, Special Education Students and the Bullying Law, discussed how the Massachusetts bullying law provides additional protections to students with disabilities. The law defines bullying as:
“The repeated use by one or more students … Read more »
The Schoolyard Lawyer: Protecting Those Unfairly Labeled as a Bully
It has been just over a year since Governor Patrick signed the Massachusetts law on bullying into effect, and now that the 2010-11 school year is coming to an end, it is appropriate timing to discuss what I believe to … Read more »
The Schoolyard Lawyer: What is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying, as defined in the Massachusetts Anti-Bullying Law, is “bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication.” The law sets forth many different means of cyberbullying, but the most common uses are via text messages, emails, phone calls, … Read more »