Dustin Rainwater

The proposed changes to the Title IX regulations require ongoing consultation between the Title IX Coordinator and special education team when one of the parties is a student with a disability. Even before this requirement goes into effect, the complex issues at the intersection of Title IX and special education mean collaboration is critical. Join […]

This summer, new federal mandates will expand legal protections for students and employees who need accommodations relating to pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions. In addition, on April 28, the Department of Labor will begin enforcement of the new PUMP Act, which expands legal protections for nursing mothers at work. On Tuesday, April 11, Thompson & […]

On April 6, 2023, the U.S. Department of Education proposed a new rule addressing transgender athletes’ participation on sports teams in schools, colleges, and universities. The proposed rule appears to be an attempted compromise between proponents and opponents of allowing students to participate on athletic teams matching their gender identity. If adopted, the proposed rule […]

Disruption from school community member speech is all too common these days. From social media call-outs by students to boisterous board meetings overrun by parents to employees taking aim at contentious issues in the classroom and beyond, there are innumerable landmines that school leaders must navigate. In doing so, they must balance the First Amendment […]

OCR recently issued new guidance to assist students, parents, and school communities evaluate whether a school is meeting its legal duty to provide equal athletic opportunities consistent with Title IX. Female participation in high school and collegiate athletics has vaulted in the 50 years since Title IX became effective, benefiting millions of women and girls. […]