Published in the Winter 2020 issue of Northwestern Journal of Law & Social Policy, Civil Rights Attorney Karyn Bass Ehler penned the article, “Stepping into the Shoes of the Department of Justice: The Unusual, Necessary, and Hopeful Path the Illinois Attorney General Took to Require Police Reform in Chicago.” Co-authored with Lisa Madigan, former Attorney General [...]
What is considered sexual harassment at work? When and where can it happen? Many people do not know the answers to these questions and fail to report unwanted encounters in the workplace. If you question whether you are experiencing sexual harassment at work, chances are something is not right. Below, our civil rights lawyers outline what you [...]
Police and school administrators are looking into an alleged bullying incident that occurred at a public high school in Hidalgo, Texas. Video footage of the incident shows a student punch an autistic classmate during a history lesson in a non-special needs classroom. The video has been circulating on social media in violation of the student’s rights [...]
In Michigan, over 20% of high-school students reported bullying at school. Almost 9% of Michigan high school students did not go to school because they felt unsafe due to bullying. Yet students in the state struggle to transfer schools under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). A victim of bullying may transfer only if their current [...]
The mother of a young boy has filed a lawsuit against Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. The case alleges that the school district neglected to protect the boy from severe bullying. The student attends Grant Elementary School in Santa Monica, CA. The boy’s mother contends that school district employees “ignored ongoing incidents of physical and verbal [...]
Maryland Senator Michael Hough introduced a new bill in response to school bullying. The bill aims to hold school bullies responsible for their actions. It asks that school boards require bullies to do several things: Apologize to the student they bullied Return any objects stolen from the bullied student, or give compensation Attend a conference with [...]
A Chicago-based advocacy group for people with disabilities contacted Amtrak weeks in advance of their travel date to accommodate their group with five wheelchairs. As mandated by law, the train only had space for three wheelchairs, one per car. Amtrak officials said it would cost $25,000 to remove seats to make room for the two additional [...]
The Walker County Board of Education recently received a grant through the Alabama State Department of Education to start the “Peer Helpers” program. The program is designed to provide a support network for students. The “Peer Helpers” program will train students and teachers to become support fellows. In this role, Peer Helpers will be able to [...]
A disabled student of special needs cooperative S.E.J.A. No. 802 and Homewood-Flossmoor High School District No. 233 in Illinois reached a $1.75 million settlement to resolve allegations of sexual abuse. The student, 21 years old at the time of the abuse, alleged that another student sexually assaulted her twice at the facility in 2016. She also [...]
David Mueller, Joliet Police Department Sergeant and member of the National Guard, received orders to report for full-time National Guard duty from May to September 2016. Shortly thereafter, Mueller received an email from Joliet’s Chief of Police indicating that he would be placed on an unpaid leave of absence, that he would not accrue personal time [...]
