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A federal district court in Florida has ruled that parents of a student with autism have stated a valid claim that charter school employees' use of excessive force constituted a violation of the student's substantive due process rights. The court concluded that the parents had alleged facts sufficient to show: (1) use of excessive force that "shocks the conscience;" and (2) the charter school employees acted under color of state law. It found, however, that the parents' allegations of emotional injuries and psychological harm were insufficient to rise to the level of conduct that shocks the conscience.

Decision confirms parents' freedom of speech when warning parents about bad charters Equality Charter School in the Bronx recently lost its bid to silence parents who had been speaking out through online media about the school's many problems.  Equality Charter School had taken action to shut down a website, www.equalitycharterschool.com, alleging incompetence, misuse of school funds, and nepotism on the part of the school administration.

Taxpayers might soon be able to see how private management companies spend the millions they receive from the public to operate public charter schools and how much they profit. A Franklin County judge ruled that White Hat Management Co.-the for-profit firm of Akron businessman and GOP donor David L. Brennan-is a public official when acting as an authorized representative of a public charter school.