Merry RhoadesAttorneys from Tueth Keeney often contribute their time and talents on a voluntary basis to educate and inform their colleagues. Tueth Keeney shareholder Merry Rhoades, along with Dr. Brad Colwell of Southern Illinois University were featured presenters at the 2006 Illinois Association of School Administrators’ Annual Conference. The conference took place in Springfield, Illinois on April 27, 2006.
Merry Rhoades and Dr. Colwell presented a session titled “Speech and Religion: A School District’s Response to the First Amendment”. The session was designed to provide a timely discussion regarding one of the hottest and always controversial legal issues superintendents encounter in today’s schools. The purpose of the session was to examine the legal issues surrounding religion in schools, namely display of the Ten Commandments and other religious fixtures, and student display of their religious faith, and to explore the major legal issues regarding freedom of speech for both students and employees.
Merry C. Rhoades focuses her practice on general counsel services with an emphasis on special education law and student-related issues, school district reorganization matters and tax and finance matters. Because of her more than 20 years experience in representing Illinois public school districts, she has key insights regarding the day-to-day operation of the school district. She has extensive experience in special education administrative hearings, civil rights litigation, state and federal court litigation at the trial and appellate levels, and state administrative hearings.
Merry is an active member of several school related organizations. She is a member of the Illinois Council of School Attorneys Executive Committee and currently serves as its 1st Vice Chairperson and she is a service member to the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA). She serves as an Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) PRESS advisory committee member. Merry has been asked to speak for such organizations as the Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education (IAASE), the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA), the Illinois Principal’s Association (IPA) and the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) on numerous school related issues.
Tueth Keeney is proud to be one of the state’s largest Illinois education law practices. The firm has one of the most experienced groups of attorneys in Central and Southern Illinois dedicated to serving public schools. We regularly represent nearly 150 public school districts, including many districts in Central and Southern Illinois. Our Firm is also regularly appointed by insurers of educational institutions to represent districts in complex or difficult cases involving school or civil rights laws.