Historically, private education has been an option mostly for families who could afford the cost or received financial help. Years of research have shown that many families would choose private schools and other educational resources for their children if they did not face insurmountable financial or geographical limitations. Private educational…

While freedom of speech is a defining characteristic of the United States, the First Amendment right is often regulated within certain environments. For years, schools have attempted to monitor and regulate student communication both within the educational environment and in student use of social media and other online communication tools.…

A recent Florida court decision provides an example of a textbook case of an unconstitutionl student search. The key distinction from the "New Jersey vs. TLO" case (a student search found to be constitutional) is that the teacher who searched the students had no reasonable cause. (MD)

This article describes the law-related education (LRE) programs instituted by the United States Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). By linking legal and constitutional matters to everyday life, the programs aim to bring alive for elementary through high school students legal statutes that often…

This collection of research findings by several organizations quantifies public ignorance of the U.S. Constitution and the success of the "We the People...The Citizen and the Constitution Program" in addressing the problem. Surveys by the American Bar Association, the Hearst Corporation, the National Assessment of Education Progress, the…

When considering student expulsion, it is important to keep complete records of all hearings and proceedings. Reviewed is a recent Pennsylvania court case in which a board decision to expel two students was overturned in the courts because no hearing records were kept. (MD)

From the perspective of constitutional law, this volume reconciles the conflicting claims of educational reformers who demand a curriculum for national unity and those who call for multiculturalism. The first part of the book describes the educators' opposing views about core curriculum and the century-long history of the debate. The second part…

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)

Reviews the constitutions of several western states that provide an absolute barrier between religion and public education. Asserts that these laws were passed after the Civil War when concern about minority religious influence in some states was high. Maintains that these state laws may be the next battleground in the ongoing controversy about…

The legal parameters concerning how and when to properly graduate special education students are examined, through review of the United States Constitution, the Rehabilitation Act, the Education of All Handicapped Children Act, and subsequent case law. Recommendations on how school districts can properly terminate services are also presented.…

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…

Examines message T-Shirts as a medium for student expression and the ability of public schools to regulate those messages. Predicts that as violence and insolence increase in schools, courts will probably continue to defer to school authorities and let them handle their own problems. (77 footnotes). (MLF)

Although the Supreme Court has answered the important questions concerning the constitutional requirements for searches of students by school officials in the public schools, many issues remain unresolved. School officials are advised to proceed with caution, particularly with regard to strip searches, mass searches, and dogs to sniff students…

Outlines the confusion surrounding a Supreme Court decision in the "New Jersey vs. TLO" case, which put at issue the prohibition against unreasonable searches in schools. The Court's decision allows a lower standard of reasonableness to be applied in school searches. The standards are not clear and are open to serious question. (MD)

This catalog was developed to provide useful information about the many "Teaching Law to the Public" law school-based projects operating around the country in 1993-94. Aimed at law school project staff members, it is a handy reference to other law school programs. The catalog also is intended as a guide for everybody involved in…