Challenging Race-Based Logos, Mascots, Team Names, and Nicknames in Wisconsin Public Schools
In recent years, the intersection of school district mascots and racial implications has become a topic of discussion between school districts, their constituents, and advocacy groups. This Legal Update will discuss the history of Wisconsin Statute § 118.134 and challenges to “race-based nicknames, logos, mascots, and team names” in Wisconsin. In 2010, then-Governor Jim Doyle […]
𝗛-𝟭𝗕 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 – 𝗗𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀
President Trump’s systematic dismantling of the immigration system is now targeting an important program for obtaining foreign national talent, known as the H-1B program. Employers use the program to employ professionals in specialty occupations, which are those that require at least a bachelor’s degree in a specialized field. While ostensibly a protectionist measure for U.S. […]
Responding to Religious-Based Opt-Out Requests
On June 27, 2025, the United States Supreme Court expanded the rights of parents to opt their children out of certain instruction within the school day under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. See Mahmoud v. Taylor, 145 S. Ct. 2332 (2025). The case began when a Maryland school district introduced books that […]
ADA Web Accessibility Deadlines and Requirements for Local Governments, including School Districts
Among other legal considerations regarding inclusive and equitable practices confronting local governments, including school districts (collectively, “Local Governments”), in the near future Local Governments will be required to adhere to the Web and Mobile Accessibility Rule (Rule) under Title II of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). As a reminder, Title II of the ADA […]
Act 10 has not been Overturned…Yet
Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about how to prepare for the impending elimination of 2011 Wisconsin Acts 10 and 32 (Act 10) and a return to traditional collective bargaining between unions and municipal employers, including public school districts. However, before taking any immediate actions or making any abrupt changes to compensation, fringe […]
Updated Guidance on Annual Notice Requirements
School districts are required by both state and federal law to provide a range of annual notices, as well as individualized notices to parents in certain circumstances. In May of 2025, the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) published its revised guidance for State and Federal Annual Notice Requirements: 2025-26 Parent and Student Notices. Below […]
Wisconsin Office of Open Government Updates Public Records Compliance Guide
In June of 2025, the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Office of Open Government published an updated version of the Wisconsin Public Records Law Compliance Guide. For those unfamiliar with the Wisconsin Public Records Law Compliance Guide, it summarizes cases, rules, statutes, and opinions relating to one of the most significant and common legal obligations faced […]
U.S. Supreme Court Decides Standard for Money Damages Under Section 504
The United States Supreme Court recently decided a case in which the parents alleged that a school district discriminated against their child with a disability under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Court ruled in favor of the parents and […]
U.S. Supreme Court Establishes Reverse Employment Discrimination Standard
In a rare unanimous decision on June 5, 2025, the United States Supreme Court (Supreme Court) resolved a split among federal circuits in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, No. 23-1039 (June 5, 2025), by concluding that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) protects “any individual” from employment discrimination […]
Potential Cybersecurity Concerns Arising out of a Sunlight Report Warning
On Tuesday, June 3,2025, the “Sunlight Report,” a self-described independent civic watchdog, requested notice of public meetings under Wis. Stat. § 19.84(1)(b) for governmental bodies across the state of Wisconsin, including school boards, villages, towns, and other municipalities. Yesterday, we learned that the League of Wisconsin Municipalities notified its members that the Sunlight Report recently […]