Court Cases

Education news, analysis, and opinion about lawsuits and legal proceedings
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent is seen in Park Ridge, Ill., Sept. 19, 2025.
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent is seen in Park Ridge, Ill., Sept. 19, 2025. A lawsuit filed by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita accuses the Indianapolis schools of restricting ICE's access to school grounds.
Erin Hooley/AP
School & District Management School District Sued Over ‘Thwarting’ ICE Says Indiana AG’s Lawsuit Is ‘Silly’
The lawsuit says Indianapolis Public Schools blocked ICE from school grounds without a warrant or emergency.
Julia Marnin, The Herald (Rock Hill, S.C.), November 11, 2025
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4 min read
Screenshot of a portion of a response email blaming Democrat Senators for the government shutdown.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Getty
Federal Judge Tells Ed. Dept. to Remove Language Blaming Democrats From Staff Emails
The agency added language blaming "Democrat Senators" for the federal shutdown to staffers' out-of-office messages
Brooke Schultz, November 7, 2025
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3 min read
People arrive to attend oral arguments at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, in Washington.
People arrive to attend oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, in Washington. The court heard arguments in a major case on President Donald Trump's tariff policies, which are being challenged by two educational toy companies.
AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
Law & Courts Educational Toymakers Sued Over Trump Tariffs. How Is the Supreme Court Leaning?
Most justices appeared skeptical of President Trump's tariff policies, challenged by two educational toymakers.
Mark Walsh, November 5, 2025
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3 min read
Illustration of the arm of Statue of Liberty with various speech bubbles coming out of the top of her torch
DigitalVision Vectors
Law & Courts Court Rejects Discipline of Student Whose Post Mocked George Floyd's Death
An appeals court ruled that a student's off-campus social media post is constitutionally protected.
Mark Walsh, October 31, 2025
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4 min read
A copy of the Ten Commandments hangs alongside other historical documents at the Georgia Capitol on June 20, 2024, in Atlanta. Similar displays in schools are now at the center of court battles in Texas and Louisiana.
A copy of the Ten Commandments hangs alongside other historical documents at the Georgia Capitol on June 20, 2024, in Atlanta. Similar displays in schools are now at the center of court battles in Texas and Louisiana.
John Bazemore/AP
Law & Courts Appeals Court Heightens Stakes Over Ten Commandments School Laws
A full federal appeals court will review Texas and Louisiana laws requiring Ten Commandments displays in schools.
Mark Walsh, October 29, 2025
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2 min read
Social worker Mary Schmauss, right, greets students as they arrive for school on Oct. 1, 2024, at Algodones Elementary School in Algodones, N.M.
A social worker greets students as they arrive for school on Oct. 1, 2024, at Algodones Elementary School in Algodones, N.M. A judge on Oct. 27 said the Trump administration couldn't cancel about four dozen mental health grants that funded school district hiring of school social workers, counselors, and psychologists to boost school mental health services.
Roberto E. Rosales/AP
Law & Courts Ed. Dept. Can't Cancel Dozens of School Mental Health Grants, Judge Rules
The grants, valued at $1 billion, help schools employ more mental health professionals.
Matthew Stone, October 28, 2025
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5 min read
Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog and Botley the Coding Robot (bottom right), two educational toys created by Learning Resources Inc.
Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog and Botley the Coding Robot (bottom right), two educational toys created by Learning Resources Inc. The Illinois company is one of two related educational toy makers challenging President Donald Trump’s tariffs before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Courtesy of Learning Resources
Law & Courts Educational Toy Companies Lead Supreme Court Battle Over Trump Tariffs
Two Illinois family-owned educational toy companies are challenging the president’s tariff policies.
Mark Walsh, October 28, 2025
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8 min read
A Let's Go Brandon flag and an American flag fly during the NASCAR Cup Series M&M'S Fan Appreciation 400 on July 24, 2022, at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa.
A Let's Go Brandon flag and an American flag fly during the NASCAR Cup Series on July 24, 2022, at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. The slogan originated at a 2021 NASCAR race in Talladega, Ala., and quickly became a coded way of criticizing then-President Joe Biden. An appeals court in a free speech case said school administrators were within bounds insisting a student not wear a shirt with the slogan because of its implied vulgarity.
Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via AP Images
Law & Courts Appeals Court Backs School Administrators Who Banned 'Let's Go Brandon!' Shirts
A coded message of political criticism was vulgar and can be barred in schools.
Mark Walsh, October 16, 2025
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5 min read
Illustration of 2 hands cutting paper dolls with scissors, representing staffing layoffs.
iStock/Getty
Law & Courts Judge Halts Trump Admin.'s Layoffs at Ed. Dept. and Other Agencies
More than 400 workers at the diminished agency had been told their last day would be Dec. 9.
Brooke Schultz, October 15, 2025
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5 min read
Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones speaks to the media after arriving at the federal courthouse for a hearing in front of a bankruptcy judge on June 14, 2024, in Houston.
Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones speaks to the media outside a federal courthouse on June 14, 2024, in Houston. The U.S. Supreme Court this week declined to hear his appeal of a $1.4 billion judgment over his allegations that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., was staged.
David J. Phillip/AP
Law & Courts Supreme Court Again Declines a Case on School Gender Identity Policies
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to review a case on purported school gender-identity policies, as well as two other education-related appeals
Mark Walsh, October 14, 2025
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5 min read
The exterior of the U.S. Department of Education building is pictured on Oct. 11, 2025, in Washington.
The exterior of the U.S. Department of Education building is pictured on Oct. 11, 2025, in Washington. The agency on Tuesday told more than 250 office for civil rights employees they've been laid off, just days after starting another round of layoffs during the federal government shutdown.
Aaron M. Sprecher via AP
Federal Ed. Dept. Tells More Than 250 Civil Rights Staff They've Been Laid Off
The layoffs come just days after the agency began a new round of staff reductions during the shutdown.
Brooke Schultz, October 14, 2025
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4 min read
Jackson County High School in Kentucky posts the Ten Commandments in the front hall of the school, shown here in 2000, and in every classroom, on June 25, 2025. A group of North Texas reverends filed a federal lawsuit this week to challenge a new state law that would require posting the Ten Commandments in each public school classroom.
The Ten Commandments were seen on display at Jackson County High School in Kentucky in 2000. The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, in New Orleans, will review a Louisiana law that requires the display of the commandments in public school classrooms.
<a href="https://www.gettyimages.com/search/2/image?artistexact=Lexington%20Herald-Leader">Lexington Herald-Leader</a>/Getty Images
Law & Courts Louisiana's Ten Commandments Law Gets Full Federal Appeals Court Review
The full 5th Circuit threw out a panel decision that blocked a Louisiana law requiring Ten Commandments displays in schools.
Mark Walsh, October 7, 2025
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2 min read
Screenshot of a portion of a response email blaming Democrat Senators for the government shutdown.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Getty
Law & Courts Ed. Dept. Workers' Union Sues Over Emails Blaming Democrats for Shutdown
The lawsuit challenges an automatic email from furloughed staff that blames U.S. Senate Democrats for the government shutdown.
Brooke Schultz, October 6, 2025
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3 min read
AB Hernandez, a transgender student at Jurupa Valley High School, competes in the high jump at the California high school track-and-field championships in Clovis, Calif., May 31, 2025.
AB Hernandez, a transgender female student at Jurupa Valley High School, competes in the high jump at the California high school track and field championships in Clovis, Calif., on May 31. The U.S. Supreme Court in its new term will consider state laws that prohibit transgender girls and women from competing in female athletics.
Jae C. Hong/AP
Law & Courts New Supreme Court Term Puts Transgender Student Rights in the Spotlight
The justices will weigh state laws that bar transgender girls from female athletics, amid other issues of interest to educators in new term
Mark Walsh, October 2, 2025
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8 min read
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