Legal challenges to state compulsory attendance laws have emphasized four interrelated constitutional claims. Under provisions of the free exercise clause of the First Amendment, parents have challenged the state's authority to require public school attendance in lieu of home instruction and private, religious organizations have refused to comply…

School administrators sometimes face circumstances in which student searches seem necessary in order to maintain discipline and provide a safe learning environment. This publication provides an overview of recent court cases related to student searches, in an effort to help school officials anticipate and avoid legal problems while they carry out…

During the past year, in cases involving the authority of school boards to make curricular decisions and provide for services, the courts have balanced school board authority against constitutional and statutory provisions related to privacy, free exercise of religion, and public records laws. Section 1, "School Boards and Board Members," outlines…

In this chapter the author notes that only one conclusion concerning the litigation covered is warranted: the extremely large number of cases dealing with employment issued continued unabated in 1980. The main areas of litigation are discrimination (primarily on the basis of race and sex); substantive constitutional rights; due process; immunity…

Judges have interpreted the First Amendment as forbidding the establishment of religion by the state and guaranteeing free exercise of individual religious liberty. The two clauses require public school officials to adopt a position of neutrality with regard to religion in the school setting. Educators must walk a fine line, accommodating…

This monograph was designed primarily to provide a broad-scope treatment of case law involving public school issues. It summarizes judicial decisions that provide a general overview of school law issues for the practicing administrator, teacher, or school board member. The cases were selected from judicial decisions found in federal and regional…

This monograph is the ninth in a series designed to provide a scope treatment of case laws involving contemporary public school issues. The selections summarize principal judicial decisions drawn from 1985-86 federal and regional reporters. "School Boards and Board Members," part 1, describes decisions on school closures, equal protection…