Social media has given public officials the ability to share information quickly and easily with their constituents and followers, even on their own personal Facebook and other social media accounts. When using a personal...more
In a recent binding opinion, the PAC found a public body in violation of the Open Meetings Act (OMA) for restricting the content of public comment where a member of the public attempted to discuss the District’s hiring...more
The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey recently issued a decision regarding the limited First Amendment protections afforded to speakers who use offensive and disruptive speech at school board...more
12/13/2022
/ Appropriate Business Decorum ,
Board Meetings ,
Equal Protection ,
First Amendment ,
Masks ,
Offensive Language ,
Public Comment ,
Public Forum ,
Retaliation ,
School Boards ,
Warning Letters
In Houston Community College System v. Wilson, the United States Supreme Court held that a public body’s verbal censure of a fellow board member did not violate the board member’s First Amendment rights. The censure followed...more
4/6/2022
/ Appeals ,
Article III ,
Board of Trustees ,
Censures ,
First Amendment ,
Free Speech ,
Motion to Dismiss ,
Open Meetings Act ,
Public Entities ,
Retaliation ,
Reversal ,
Standing
In Rubin v. City of Lancaster, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s determination that the city council’s invocation policy and practice did not amount to an unconstitutional establishment of religion....more