The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of professional development instruction on teacher perceptions of competence when including students with special needs in music classrooms. Subjects for the study were in-service music educators (N = 43) enrolled in an online graduate-level course specifically created to address the skills and…

This paper presents the annual report of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for 2010. FIRE's approach in 2010 was centered on altering the incentive structure for universities by using both "carrots" and "sticks" to produce positive reforms and long-term results. These efforts gained significant force in September, when FIRE…

Social studies and history teachers should be free to expose students to controversial ideas and to teach critical thinking skills. But are they free? Do they have the constitutional right--call it academic freedom--to teach what they want and to discuss controversial issues in the classroom? The short answer is "no." In this article,…

This paper explores the dynamics of repression and resistance within the Colombian education system through exploring human rights violations against educators. Drawing on the findings of several fieldwork visits carried out since 2005 across Colombia, the paper focuses on the darker side of the education/conflict relationship, demonstrating…

Virginia State University Carey E. Stronach assigned an undergraduate a final grade of D after the student had failed three classroom quizzes. The student, who claimed to have received A's on two of the quizzes, submitted fax copies of his score sheets to Stronach, who concluded that the student had doctored his scores. The student appealed to the…

In this article, the author makes the point that social studies teachers have a "professional responsibility" to educate students, no matter what protections might or might not be provided by the law, and that "as professionals, their expertise about content, pedagogy, and their students makes it not just acceptable, but mandatory,…

This paper presents the annual report of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for 2009. The year 2009 was momentous for FIRE, for it marked its tenth anniversary. In the last decade, FIRE has been remarkably successful at fighting to secure basic rights of free speech and conscience on college campuses. It has fought for…

"Making a Difference in the Classroom: The Reality and Truth of Teaching in Schools Today" makes the case that our schools will continue to struggle until we take an honest approach to what we know works in the classroom. This book is a frank discussion about what teachers face and what teacher candidates should know before they enter…

Principals are the chief teachers of law in their schools. However, many principals would say that teaching law is not in their job description and that they do not need another responsibility, but intentional or not, most principals already teach law--in staff meetings; in teacher conferences; in informal conversations; and when they develop,…

The purpose of this national survey is to determine secondary school principals' knowledge of the rights of students and teachers, how often principals are legally threatened and sued, how they adjust their behaviors in response, and how they obtain and disseminate legal information. Survey results show that a majority of principals are uninformed…

There are two worlds that exist in the academe: a world where the tenure system remains strong and a world dominated by the absence of tenure. In this article, the author cites the differences between these two worlds. In a world where tenure remains strong, academic departments benefit from a stable, dedicated workforce composed of tenured and…

This was a purposeful, qualitative, historical and document-based research study that investigated the trends and outcomes of the legal issues relating to teacher dismissal for "immorality". The study included 114 cases over a 30-year period spanning from 1977-2007. Federal and state level law cases were researched to determine the ruling of…

According to the "work made for hire doctrine" of the Copyright Act, the creators of artistic and literary works are not legally granted ownership of works created in the course of employment; ownership rests with the employer. However, through "de facto" custom and court dicta, academics may enjoy a "teacher exception" that grants them copyright…

Steven Bitterman was fired by his school after he offended his students for telling them that they could easily appreciate the biblical story of Adam and Eve if they considered it a myth. Several adjunct and full-time professors who work off the tenure track have been fired after saying something, as Mr. Bitterman did, that offended students or…

For 10 years now, professors of the Belarusian Collegium have held classes in private apartments and rented offices. The institution, known as the "underground university," is not officially registered. Under the regime of Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, the dictator who has been in power for 15 years, professors who teach at the collegium face…