Attorneys Khayyam M. Eddings, Ellen Owens Smith and Marshall S. Ney were invited to speak at this year’s Arkansas School Boards Association Annual Conference in Little Rock. The event is the ASBA’s flagship event – a learning and networking experience bringing together hundreds of school board members, school district leaders and content experts. The conference began Wednesday and continues through today.
The conference began Wednesday and continues through today.
The attorneys talked to those in attendance about three issues that are at the top of mind for many school administration — social media, school threats and violence.
Khay and Ellen presented an analysis of school threats from 2017-2018 and explained the types of threats, method of delivery, incidents of violence and overall demographic information. The presentation also focused on the use of a threat assessment protocol.
As stated in the presentation, “School administrators and law enforcement officials find themselves in untenable position of having to make critical decisions about the validity of threats with little to no threat assessment protocols. In the wake of the Parkland shooting, gun related issues and law enforcement solutions have become the central focus to the exclusion of a comprehensive, all-hazards approach to both violence prevention and response.”
To view the presentation, click here.
Marshall’s presentation focused on the legal landscape in the aftermath of the Parkland School Shooting. He reviewed several cases involving “true threats,” First Amendment Rights and the use of social media.
Marshall also spoke about the state legislation and emerging Arkansas legal requirements for schools.
The view the presentation, click here.
Khay is a partner in the Labor and Employment Litigation Practice Group where he counsels employers in all aspects of the labor and employment laws including compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, National Labor Relations Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Ellen is a partner in the Labor and Employment Litigation Practice Group. She has over 20 years of experience litigating on behalf of employers in Arkansas and across the region. Her practice includes all areas of employment law including the ADA, FMLA, Gender Discrimination and Harassment, Title VII, Fair Housing Amendments Act, FLSA, Wage and Hour and the NLRA. In addition to representing businesses, Ellen also represents school districts in Arkansas.
Marshall serves as litigation counsel to businesses, insurance companies, school districts and individuals in most types of complex and commercial disputes, employment claims and insurance coverage issues. Marshall has more than 25 years of litigation experience and serves as counsel for multiple school districts across the state, including two of the state's largest districts.