LM March 2021_lg

LegalCorner

Virtual School BoardMeetings and Electronic Communications

Chad Watkins IASA Associate Director/General Counsel To help school leaders navigate these uncertain times, IASA has partnered with leading law firms throughout Illinois to provide districts with critical guidance during the 2020–21 school year. In every issue of Leadership Matters, the IASA Legal Corner will showcase an article, sometimes several articles, written by attorneys who specialize in legal matters related to education. We have also begun a monthly legal issues podcast to discuss some of your most vital concerns. It is our hope you find the content insightful, timely and helpful in addressing the critical matters you face.

This month, Ottosen DiNolfo Hasenbalg & Castaldo, Ltd. writes about virtual school board meetings and electronic communications. The author is attorney Maureen Anichini Lemon. As a reminder, the articles are provided for informational purposes only, and you are advised to contact your district counsel for legal advice. Click on the link below to access the article.

Please Unmute Yourselves: Virtual School BoardMeetings and Electronic Communications

One year ago this month, Governor Pritzker issued Executive Order 2020-07 which suspended the provisions of the Open Meetings Act (OMA) requiring in-person attendance by members of an Illinois public body and limiting when remote participation by such members is permitted. That Executive Order “encouraged” public bodies to postpone consideration of public business. Expecting this to be a short-term concern, many school districts cancelled their March or April 2020 board of education and school board committee meetings.

As the pandemic lingered, school districts could not further postpone their meetings. Some continued to meet in person while others cobbled together virtual meetings. These early remote meetings were wrought with technical difficulties including the risk of being hijacked by outsiders seeking to create havoc. Stories abounded of virtual meetings being interrupted by individuals yelling obscenities or showing pornography. Throughout the next few months, the platforms used for virtual public meetings enhanced their security features... (continue reading)

21 LM March 2021