The following blog was contributed by Sister Mary Angela Shaughnessy, SC, Ph.D., JD, director of the Education Law Symposium co-sponsored by NCEA and LMU School of Education at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA.
Do you ever wish you could spend a couple days to become up to date on matters related to school law? For many of us, the prospect of dealing with lawsuits and time spent away from instructional duties can be overwhelming. How to avoid possible legal issues: consider spending July 6-9, 2023, in Louisville, KY at the iconic Brown Hotel to learn about the most cutting-edge topics and how to manage the law as it impacts your day-to-day ministry.
Am I up to date? Spend time with Sister Angie Shaughnessy, Sister Dale McDonald, and a host of other experts as they walk participants through the old standards and make everyone aware of new happenings and what seems to be waiting over the legal horizon. Sister Angie will name and explain some of the more recent developments in Catholic ed law and will suggest areas of possible interest in the future.
Handbooks: Dr. Sarah Wannemuehler will lead participants through principles of sound handbook development—parent/student and faculty/staff documents. What do we need to have in our handbooks? What might be good possible inclusions for us in the new school year? How do we stress the contractual nature of handbooks?
Canon Law: Father Brian Pham, SJ, will lead all in a discussion of the ways in which Canon Law affects our ministry of Catholic education. He will highlight similarities and differences in civil and Canon Law.
Artificial Intelligence: AI poses new challenges to all in education. A student can enter a few thoughts into the computer, give some simple directions and voilà! There we have an “original” term paper or report. The possibilities seem endless. Many different papers can be written and appear original. Dr. Joy Lopez will discuss the parameters of AI and the possibilities for academic dishonesty. AI is a developing field, but the wise educator will want to have as much information as possible in dealing with this new challenge to academic integrity. What exactly is AI? How can we best address the abuses that may result?
Athletics: What new and returning challenges do athletic programs present in our schools? What does Title IX mean for Catholic schools? How can we best meet both the letter and the spirit of the law? Come learn from colleagues and experts. Do we have to allow girls on boys’ teams or boys on girls’ teams? Some experienced administrators and practitioners will lead participants through important points to consider and offer practical suggestions for legal and ethical compliance.
Child Custody: It may seem that the days of children living with both biological parents are waning. Questions abound. What rights do biological parents have if they don’t have physical custody? What can we discuss with non-custodial parents? What about stepparents? Grandparents? Aunts and uncles? Dr. Armando Paz will lead attendees through possible answers to these questions and sound strategies for compliance.
Personnel Issues: Have you ever wondered whether other administrators are facing the same kinds of personnel issues you face? Dr. Erin Barisano will offer a superintendent’s view of major personnel issues and legally sound ways to deal with them.
Medical Issues: How do we best deal with the medical issues of our students? Amy Hubbs, nurse in a Catholic school, will discuss some of the main medical issues Catholic schools encounter and will offer strategies for developing protocols for dealing with such issues.
Working with Parents: Sometimes dealing with parents is a joy, and sometimes it is a challenge. Dr. Michael Bratcher will offer insights and recommendations for working with parents in both ordinary and extraordinary circumstances.
Immigration Laws: All schools should be prepared to deal with students who are immigrants to this country. Of what do we need to be aware? What pitfalls are possible? What policies and procedures might help us in our efforts to serve the immigrants among us.
Sexual Orientation and Title IX: USCCB Attorney Dan Balserak will discuss the provisions of Title IX and how they might affect various programs in all Catholic schools.
Fundraising: How can we best raise funds and apply for grants in Catholic schools? Sister Rosemarie Nassif and Dr. Kara Lemma, both former staff at the Hilton Foundation, offer pointers for lawful and effective fundraising.
School Testing for Drugs: Much conversation today centers on whether schools should test for drugs. Learn how one school has implemented an effective search program that students and parents support. Students say, “My school tests” is a deterrent to experimenting with, and falling prey to, drug abuse.
Safety and Armed Intruders: Dr. Tony Riegling will discuss crisis management and plans to deal with the unthinkable, such as armed intruders.
Federal Legislative Update: Sister Dale McDonald will present a federal legislative update. Leave the conference on top of what is going on in Congress.
Ask the Lawyers: Be part of a group experience in which attorneys answer your questions.
Join with colleagues across the country to explore new topics in depth, brush up on older ones and share experiences with current legal concerns in Catholic education ministry.
Don’t miss out — use this link to register today!
