Court Cases

Education news, analysis, and opinion about lawsuits and legal proceedings
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Law & Courts Idaho Can Restrict Transgender Students’ Restroom Use, Appeals Court Rules
A federal appeals court panel declined to block an Idaho law requiring students to use restrooms that align with their "biological sex."
Mark Walsh, March 21, 2025
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3 min read
The Supreme Court of the United States is seen on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington.
The U.S. Supreme Court, seen on Feb. 27, next week will hear arguments in a challenge to the funding structure of the $4 billion federal E-rate program, which provides discounts to schools to connect to the internet.
Rod Lamkey, Jr./AP
Law & Courts Schools Fear Funding Loss as Supreme Court Weighs E-Rate Case
The justices hear arguments next week in a challenge to the funding structure of the $4 billion program to connect schools to the internet.
Mark Walsh, March 20, 2025
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8 min read
People Waiting In Line Before Brass Scale On Blue Background
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Law & Courts Religious Charters, LGBTQ+ Books, and More: A Winter Legal Roundup
This winter, key court cases tackled school desegregation, parental rights, religious charters, LGBTQ+ policies, and education funding.
Mark Walsh, March 19, 2025
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7 min read
Vector illustration of a dollar being repaired with tape.
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Law & Courts Judge Orders Trump Admin. to Restore Teacher-Prep Grants It Slashed
The administration must reinstate funding for all recipients of three federal grants supporting educator development, a judge ruled.
Mark Lieberman, March 17, 2025
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3 min read
The exterior of the Department of Education Building in Washington, DC on Thursday, December 14, 2017.
The exterior of the Department of Education Building in Washington on Dec. 14, 2017. Parents are suing the department over the firing of its office for civil rights staff, arguing that the layoffs will stifle civil rights investigations.
Swikar Patel/Education Week
Law & Courts Parents Sue Ed. Dept. Over Civil Rights Office Layoffs and Delays
The lawsuit argues that the mass layoffs leave students and families with little recourse for discrimination complaints.
Brooke Schultz, March 14, 2025
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4 min read
January Littlejohn of Tallahassee, Fla., center, stands as President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. At left is second lady Usha Vance and at right is first lady Melania Trump.
January Littlejohn of Tallahassee, Fla., center, stands as President Donald Trump, during his March 4 address to Congress, highlighted her case alleging that school officials secretly aided her child's gender transition.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
Law & Courts Parents Lose Appeal in Gender Case Trump Called ‘Child Abuse’
A federal appeals court ruled against parents who contend their school district aided a "secret" gender transition of their child.
Mark Walsh, March 13, 2025
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4 min read
A commuter walks past the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Education, which were ordered closed for the day for what officials described as security reasons amid large-scale layoffs, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Washington.
A commuter walks past the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Education on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Washington. The department this week announced it was shedding half its staff. Twenty-one states have sued over the mass layoff.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Law & Courts States Sue Trump Over Education Department Firings
The challenge from 21 attorneys general comes just days after the Education Department announced it would shrink its staff by roughly half.
Brooke Schultz, March 13, 2025
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4 min read
The U.S. Supreme Court is seen near sunset in Washington, Oct. 18, 2018.
The Trump administration has filed briefs supporting conservative positions in two high-profile U.S. Supreme Court cases on religion and public education.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Law & Courts Trump Admin. Backs Catholic Charter, LGBTQ+ Lesson Opt-Outs in Supreme Court
The Trump administration filed briefs supporting conservative positions in two big cases on religion and public education
Mark Walsh, March 13, 2025
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5 min read
California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks at a press conference to announce a lawsuit against the Trump administration over budget cuts to teaching training funds, at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building on Thursday, March 6, 2025, in Los Angeles.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announces a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the cancellation of teacher-training grants on March 6, 2025, in Los Angeles. A judge on March 10 ordered the temporary reinstatement of the funds in California and seven other states.
Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times via TNS
Education Funding Trump Admin. Ordered to Temporarily Restore Teacher-Prep Grants in 8 States
A federal judge chided the Trump administration for offering what amounted to "no explanation at all" for terminating the grants.
Mark Lieberman, March 11, 2025
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4 min read
California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks at a press conference to announce a lawsuit against the Trump administration over budget cuts to teacher training funds at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building on March 6, 2025, in Los Angeles.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks at a press conference to announce a lawsuit against the Trump administration over budget cuts to teacher training funds at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building on March 6, 2025, in Los Angeles.
Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times via TNS
Law & Courts 8 States Sue Trump Administration for Cuts to Teacher-Training Grants
Lawsuit claims Trump’s education cuts will worsen teacher shortages in STEM, special ed, and bilingual programs.
Jaweed Kaleem, March 7, 2025
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6 min read
Vector illustration of a businessman's hands tearing a piece of paper in half with a large red dollar sign on it.
DigitalVision Vectors
Education Funding Teacher-Prep Programs Sue Trump to Get Their Funding Restored
The programs say the grant terminations hurt their ability to prepare aspiring teachers and hurt the schools that depend on them.
Mark Lieberman, March 4, 2025
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4 min read
Students walk to class on the Indiana University campus, Oct. 14, 2021, in Bloomington, Ind.
The U.S. Supreme Court on March 3 declined to take up a challenge to the bias-response policy of Indiana University, including at its Bloomington campus shown above.
Darron Cummings/AP
Law & Courts Supreme Court Won't Take Up Case on Schools' Bias-Response Policies
Over the dissents of two justices, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to weigh a case about educational institutions' bias-reporting policies.
Mark Walsh, March 3, 2025
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3 min read
The Supreme Court building is seen on June 13, 2024, in Washington.
The U.S. Supreme Court, seen here on June 13, 2024, on Feb. 21 issued a ruling that means private whistleblowers may pursue lawsuits alleging fraud under the federal E-rate program that provides internet connections to schools.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Law & Courts Schools May Get Relief From Overcharges After Supreme Court Ruling on E-Rate
The ruling potentially bolsters schools that have been overcharged by telecommunications companies.
Mark Walsh, February 21, 2025
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5 min read
A person holds up LGTBQ+ pride flags during the Pride Parade in New York, June 24, 2018.
LGTBQ+ pride flags during the Pride Parade in New York City in 2018. A federal appeals court has rejected a parental rights claim against a Massachusetts district's policy of supporting students' gender transitions.
Steve Luciano/AP
Law & Courts Parents Lose Appeal Over School’s Gender Identity Notification Policy
A federal appeals court ruled for a district in the case of a 9th grader who did not want officials to notify parents of gender transition.
Mark Walsh, February 19, 2025
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6 min read
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