Brown Act Mythbusters: What You Think You Know
Think your board is in the clear when it comes to Brown Act compliance? Think again. In this fast-paced, 45-minute session, seasoned charter school attorney Jennifer McQuarrie will cut through the confusion and bust common myths that can put your school at legal risk.
From innocuous email chains that accidentally become serial meetings to vague agendas that invite scrutiny, the presenter will walk through the most frequent—and some of the most serious but lesser-known—mistakes charter boards make. You’ll learn what really constitutes a meeting, how to handle public comment the right way, what you can say in closed session (and what you definitely can’t), and how to avoid common traps with special meetings, social media, and more.
Designed for board members, executive leaders, and anyone responsible for compliance, this session is your chance to get clear, confident, and compliant—without the legalese.
Presented by
Jennifer McQuarrie
Lawyer
Law Office of Jennifer McQuarrie
Jennifer McQuarrie engages with CSDC as an advisor and guest instructor on charter school policy and legal matters. Jennifer leads the development and delivery of several legal workshops at CDSC's Summer Leadership Intensive, Spring CBO Training Program, and Fall Leadership Update Conference. She also conducts regular updates to CSDC’s Sample Charter School Operating Policies, a critical resource to CSDC's members. Jennifer specializes in charter school representation and employment litigation and has been practicing law for over 25 years. Prior to opening her own practice, she was Legal Counsel and Legislative Advocate for CSDC. She focused on providing a wide range of advice on school policies, personnel and student issues, including those relating to governing board policies, conflicts of interest, student discipline, employment related matters, Brown Act compliance. Jennifer also worked as General Counsel for St. HOPE Public Schools, which opened Sacramento High School as a charter school in 2003.
