What is Education Law

The Law Office of B.A. Thomas, LLC specializes in Education Law.  Education Law is an area of law that often falls under the radar.  More importantly, the individuals who are the most affected by Education Law often have no concept of its dynamics.  Education Law encompasses a vast area of topics, such as teachers’ rights, students’ rights, and statutory provisions and requirements for educators.  Education law is primarily applicable to the public sector such as public elementary, middle and high schools. 

Teachers in Georgia are afforded very specific rights and protections which are governed by OCGA § 20-2-940, 942, et seq. otherwise known as the “Fair Dismissal Act.”  The Fair Dismissal Act governs the statutory provisions for both tenured and non-tenured educators.

Many teachers are unaware that there are only eight legal reasons that an educator can be non-renewed or terminated within the State of Georgia: (1) Incompetency; (2) Insubordination; (3) Willful Neglect of Duties; (4) Immorality; (5) Inciting, Encouraging, or Counseling students to violate any valid state law, municipal ordinance, or policy/rule of the local board of education; (6) Reduction in Staff; (7) Failure to Secure and Maintain Necessary Educational Training; and/or (8) Any Other Good & Sufficient Cause. 

Education Law Attorneys

Education Law attorneys utilize their in-depth knowledge regarding regulations, statutes, and disciplinary proceedings to navigate the complexities of Education Law.  The Law Office of B. A. Thomas, LLC represents teachers and ultimately assists educators with legal matters pertaining to their employment.  An education law attorney is often consulted when an educator is facing non-renewal, termination, suspension, administrative leave, negative and/or inaccurate annual evaluations, demotions, PSC sanctions and much more.

There are several missteps that educators often make when faced with potential employment issues.  The good news is that these missteps can be avoided completely.  Some key mistakes to avoid are:

§  Failing to seek legal representation when faced with a detrimental employment action (i.e. non-renewal letter, suspension, termination, punitive transfer);

§  Failing to respond to disciplinary letters within the required timeframe.

Any one of the aforementioned factors can have detrimental effects on an educator’s employment status.  An educator can inadvertently waive the very rights that were established to protect them.  Thus, it is imperative to seek legal counsel when faced with any negative employment action.

The Law Office of B. A. Thomas, LLC is a well-established firm that represents educators within the metro Atlanta area and throughout the state of Georgia. The firm has successfully litigated numerous cases that have resulted in favorable outcomes for teachers.  If you are currently facing an employment issue with a school district, we highly recommend that you contact our firm immediately.  To learn more about teacher rights, please visit our website at www.theTeachersLawyer.com or call (404) 525-6902.