On January 3, 2019, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit handed down its decision in favor of the Palmyra R-I School District (“District” or “Palmyra”) in the case of E.D. et al. v. Palmyra R-I School District. The case was on appeal from the...
Mickes O’Toole Attorneys Obtain Judgment in School District’s Favor in Section 504, ADA, and Section 1983 Case
The Eastern District of Missouri recently entered judgment in favor of a defendant school district on a four-count Complaint, which included claims for discrimination and retaliation under the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), Title II of the...
Mickes O’Toole Attorneys Named Rising Stars for 2017
We are proud to announce four of our law attorneys have been chosen as Rising Stars by Super Lawyers Magazine for Missouri and Kansas. Rising Stars (Schools and Education) Wendy Boggiano Betsey Helfrich Sarah Schmanke Rising Stars (Employment & Business...
When Berkeley Comes to Your School District – By: Tom Mickes
Published by MoASBO, September 2017 The events of the last several weeks involving hate speech and a variety of symbols have been memorialized by the media. It would be unrealistic to expect that there will not be a degree of spill over in our public schools. It may...
Federal Appeals Court Decision in Sexual Orientation Discrimination Case May Have Broad Impact for Public School Districts
By: Sarah Schmanke In April, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued a decision finding that Title VII’s prohibition on discrimination on the basis of sex includes discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. See Hively v. Ivy Tech Community...
Sarah Schmanke & Betsey Helfrich to Speak at Annual LRP Institute
On April 26, 2017 Sarah Schmanke and Betsey Helfrich will be speaking at the 38th Annual Institute on Legal Issues of Educating Individual with Disabilities in National in Harbor, Maryland. Sarah and Betsey will be discussing the important topic of "Legal...
Teacher’s Blog Posts: When Can the School Get Involved? – By: Sarah Schmanke
Published by MoASBO, February 2016 Personal blog posts by a public school employee may not be entitled to the protection of the First Amendment under some circumstances, even if the posts are about matters of public concern. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third...
Mickes O’Toole Attorneys Named Rising Stars for 2016
We are proud to announce four of our law attorneys have been chosen as Rising Stars by Super Lawyers Magazine for Missouri and Kansas. Rising Stars (Schools and Education) Wendy Boggiano Betsey Helfrich Sarah Schmanke Rising Stars (Employment and Labor) Anne Kerns...
MGO Attorneys Named Super Lawyers and Rising Stars for 2015
We are proud to announce five of our education law attorneys have been chosen as Super Lawyers or Rising Stars by Super Lawyers Magazine for Missouri and Kansas. Super Lawyers Thomas Mickes Ernie Trakas Rising Stars Wendy Boggiano Betsey Helfrich Sarah Schmanke Super...
Compliance with Third Degree Assault Reporting Requirements – By: Sarah Schmanke
Published by MARE, April 2015 Under the Safe Schools Act, R.S.Mo. § 167.117, school principals are required to immediately report to local law enforcement and the school district superintendent any conduct which if committed by an adult would constitute possession of...