By AP
LANSING, MI –
The Michigan Supreme Court says Lansing teachers had a right to sue the school district over how it disciplined students accused of assault.
The decision Sunday night is significant because it goes beyond teachers. It overturns previous rulings that had restricted access to Michigan's courts for many parties.
The court's majority says it's simply restoring a right that was in place for decades, but conservative justices in the minority predict a flood of new cases.
The case involved a lawsuit by Lansing teachers and their union. They said the school district should have expelled four students, not suspended them, for throwing chairs and other bad behavior.
A state appeals court last year said teachers had no right to challenge how school officials discipline students.