Pullman Attorneys to Present at the 2023 CABE/CAPSS Convention

Pullman & Comley School Law attorneys Stephen M. Sedor and Mark J. Sommaruga will present at the 2023 CABE/CAPSS Convention, which provides Connecticut board of education members and superintendents the opportunity to acquire knowledge through general sessions and workshops that can help them prepare students to be successful.

Stephen M. Sedor, chair of the firm's School Law practice, will present a workshop titled "Social Media and Student Discipline in 2023," which will introduce board members and school superintendents to the complex issues that define the limits of a school district's reach when it comes to disciplining students for various uses of social media. Steve will explain what criteria must be met in order to discipline students for their use of social media and further illustrate through real-life examples when a school district's disciplinary actions may violate a student's right to free speech under the First Amendment. The workshop will take place on Friday, November 17 from 2:20 - 3:35 p.m.

Attorney Mark J. Sommaruga will co-present a workshop titled "Understanding Connecticut's Freedom of Information Act (Including Recent Updates)" with Russell Blair of the Freedom of Information Commission. The FOIA contains open meetings and public records requirements, along with numerous exceptions, that unfortunately are often misconstrued. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic led to modifications of the FOIA, especially with respect to meetings. Mark will provide further/updated guidance to the board of education members and school administrators seeking to navigate the FOIA. Special attention will be paid to modified "remote" and "hybrid" meeting requirements and further recent revisions to the FOIA. The workshop will take place on Saturday, November 18 from 9:35 - 11:35 a.m.

For additional information, please visit the CABE website.