Orange County Public Schools legal counsel announced at the Aug. 19 work session that the board will meet in a closed executive session with its attorney on Tuesday, Aug. 26, to receive legal advice about pending litigation titled Penguin Random House et al. v. Ben Gibson et al. (case number 6:24-cv-1573-CEM-RMN).

General counsel (recorded as Mr. Palmerini) cited Florida Statute section 286.011(8) — which permits private meetings with an entity’s attorney to discuss pending litigation when certain conditions are met — and said the session will be held immediately after the work session on Aug. 26 in Conference Room E at the ELC and will last about one hour. He said a court reporter will attend and that the transcript will be made part of the public record once the litigation concludes.

The counsel read a list of those expected to attend, which included Chair Teresa Jacobs, members of the school board, Superintendent Maria F. Vasquez, and district attorneys and staff. No substance of the litigation was discussed in open session during the announcement.

The board took no public action on the legal matter during the Aug. 19 work session; the announcement was procedural and provided notice of the closed meeting.