In "Crockett v. Sorenson" a voluntary public school Bible class was found unconstitutional because of sectarian control of the program, and guidelines for a constitutional Bible course were suggested. "May v. Cooperman" ruled against the constitutionality of the moment of silence, a question not yet addressed by the Supreme…

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)

Two recent court decisions--one from the state of Washington and the other from Indiana--demonstrate that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act's strong presumption in favor of mainstreaming disabled children has its sensible limits. (MLF)

Last year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled in "Davis" that a student can sue for damages if school officials know a student is being sexually harassed but fail to intervene. (MLF)

Argues that graduation prayer is unconstitutional because it violates the Establishment Clause, but the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment entitles a valedictorian giving a commencement speech to discuss religion and even to express religious beliefs as the student's own, private beliefs. Summarizes court decisions. (MLF)

A decision upholding the constitutionality of Florida's competency exam is reviewed and school boards advised of measures for ensuring fairness and legality in competency testing: a curriculum that teaches the skills tested, adequate remedial instruction, and several chances to take the test. (MJL)

The Federal District Court ruled in favor of the Chapel Hill, North Carolina, school board's requirement that, as a condition for graduation, each student must perform 50 hours of unpaid community service. (MLF)

In "Virgil v. School Board of Columbia County," a federal district court upheld a school board's decision to remove a textbook from the curriculum. The ruling is in line with the Supreme Courts'"Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier" decision that gave school boards sweeping power over the curriculum. (MLF)

The Supreme Court ruled that school officials could not make a unilateral decision to keep a special education student out of school for more than 10 days. However, it gives officials an opportunity to reach lawful agreements with the student's parents or with a court to change the child's placement. (MLF)

The United States Supreme Court's decision in "Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier" gives school officials sweeping power over school-sponsored publications and other curricular and extracurricular activities. To avoid charges of squelching student expression, school boards should make sure that policies limit censorship to legitimate…

Examines a United States Supreme Court decision upholding the Bethel, Washington, school district in disciplining a student for giving a sexually provocative speech. Refers to the 1969 decision in "Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District," in which students had been suspended for wearing symbols of opposition to the…

In "Rowinsky" the Fifth Circuit ruled that Title IX does not entitle a student to recover damages from a school district for peer sexual harassment. However, three federal district courts and the Eleventh Circuit have joined the trend of holding school districts liable. Follows the Eleventh Circuit's approach and advises school districts…

Examines a recent decision by the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in "Montgomery v. Carr," which determined whether the law permits a school board to have an antinepotism or conflict-of-interest policy that prohibits spouses, parents, and children from working in the same school or district. The court found that the school district…

In three recent cases, courts upheld school officials' decisions to prohibit students' school-based religious activities. Contends that the school boards and courts failed to exercise sufficient care in weighing students' right to engage in private religious activity during free time. (MLF)

Procedural burden-of-proof issues led Federal Circuit Courts to affirm changes in pupil assignment systems in Norfolk, Virginia, but reject changes in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Supreme Court's decision not to review the Virginia case leaves school boards and federal courts without guidance on questions raised by resegregation. (MLF)