KF&D Blog
Legal Holidays and Election Day May Affect School District
Business
Minnesota law provides that no public business may be conducted on
legal holidays and during certain times on the day in which an election
is held within a school district. Conducting school and holding school
board meetings are both considered transacting "public business."
However, certain exceptions are included in the law.
School districts need to be aware of meeting restrictions on the
following upcoming dates:
Christopher Columbus Day
Christopher Columbus Day ("Columbus
Day") is designated as the second Monday in October. School districts
have two options with respect to Columbus Day. If a school board affirms
that Columbus Day is a holiday or takes no specific action to the
contrary, Columbus Day is deemed to be a holiday and, as a result,
school cannot be held and no public business may be transacted.
Alternatively, if a school board adopts a resolution designating that
Columbus Day is not a holiday and includes a clause to that effect in
the teachers' collective bargaining agreement, school may be conducted
and public business may be transacted in a school board meeting on the
second Monday in October.
Veterans
Day
Veterans Day is held on November 11. If the holiday falls on a
Saturday, the holiday is observed the preceding day (Friday). If the
holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday is observed the following day
(Monday). School districts do not have an option to determine
whether Veterans Day is a holiday with respect to the transaction of
school business. Therefore, school board meetings cannot be held on
November 11. However, school may be conducted on Veterans Day if a
clause is inserted in the teachers' contract that school will be
conducted. In the event that school is held on Veterans Day, at
least one hour of the school program must be devoted to a patriotic
observance of the day.
Election
Day
On any day in which an election is held within the boundaries of the
school district, no meeting of the school board may be conducted
between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. In addition, no
school-sponsored event may be held between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
on the day that a regularly scheduled election is held in any
political subdivision in which the school is located.
Please contact us if you have questions as to how these restrictions affect your school district.
The information on this website is provided for general information
and is not intended to be, nor should be construed as, legal advice and
may not be relevant to your particular situation. Please contact an
attorney for advice regarding your specific legal issues. By including
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provided only for readers' convenience.
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