The Connick vs. Myers Supreme Court decision regarding public employees' right to express themselves has been applied to public schools in two recent federal court cases. The rulings suggest school boards may discipline school employees for disputes over internal office matters but must tolerate their dissent over public matters. (DCS)

Reviews the controversy of teaching evolution and creationism in public schools from the early years of the twentieth century until today. Identifies two stages of the legal challenges to the teaching of evolution. Contends that academic freedom issues may provide another avenue to the Supreme Court for those supporting creationism. (CFR)

The First Amendment free speech right is one of the most frequently asserted constitutional challenges to dismissal or discipline of a school district employee. In any employee's claim of violation of free speech right by a public employer, a threefold process of review should be made: (1) Was the conduct in question constitutionally protected in…

Case citations from federal and state court decisions concerning freedom of speech in schools are organized in five major sections with brief summaries of relevant cases in subcategories followed by a table of cases cited. The major sections are as follows: (1) "Employees' Freedom of Expression: Academic Issues" (Virginia Davis Nordin);…

Teachers and other public employees enjoy the same fundamental rights as other citizens. They are entitled to free speech--though the privilege is not limitless--and to due process and equal protection under the law. (Author/DCS)

The focus of this chapter is on the substantive constitutional protections of the public school employment relationship guaranteed by the First Amendment, particularly freedom of speech, and by the Fourteenth Amendment's right to privacy. Included are burden-of-proof standards required for establishing a prima facie case of denial of these…

The relationship between public schools and their employees is one of the most frequently litigated aspects of American education. Accordingly, the chapters in this text present a comprehensive and current report of legal issues in public school employment. Chapter titles and authors are as follows: (1) "Critical Elements of the Employment…

These legal documents and discussions represent a variety of litigations concerning state statutes and federal regulations. Part A, "Preventing a Law Suit," offers suggestions for avoiding employee termination lawsuits and presents documents for teacher evaluation and for teacher termination and grievance hearings. "New and Emerging…