MEETINGS OF NYC SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAMS ARE SUBJECT TO THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW.
The First Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Kapnick, determined the exclusion of a retired teacher from meetings of New York City School Leadership Teams (SLT’s} violated the Open Meetings Law:
By regulation, respondent New York City Department of Education (DOE) has implemented this mandate through the establishment of SLTs in every school … . SLTs have between 10 and 17 members, made up of school parents, teachers, staff, and administrators, and may also include “representatives of Community Based Organizations” … . The school principal, president of the parent association, and chapter leader of the teachers’ union must be members. At least two student members are also required for each high school … . SLTs must meet at least once a month “at a time that is convenient for the parent representatives” … . Notice of this meeting must be provided in a manner “consistent with the open meetings law” … . * * *
As the IAS court properly found … SLTs qualify as a public body performing governmental functions, and, therefore, are subject to the Open Meetings Law. Matter of Thomas v New York City Dept. of Educ., 2016 NY Slip Op 06989, 1st Dept 10-25-16
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