Analyzes federal case involving suspension of New Jersey high school student for wearing a T-shirt listing top 10 reasons for being a "redneck" in violation of district's racial harassment policy. Court upheld the policy with a minor exception, but ruled its application to the student's "redneck" T-shirt violated his First…

Although the two religion clauses in the First Amendment don't mention neutrality, 40 years of U.S. Supreme Court decisions have integrated that concept into their interpretations. Current understanding of neutrality has been shaped by defining benchmarks: enactment of the 1984 Equal Access act; inclusion of religious speech as a subset of free…

Addresses three aspects of the issue of intellectual freedom: the nature of intellectual freedom as defined by the American Library Association's "Intellectual Freedom Manual," the underlying philosophy implicit in that expression, and an alternative to both the manual and its philosophical presuppositions. Attempts to define the…

Describes a First Amendment "Congress," a national seminar for business and labor leaders, educators, civic and charitable organizations, religious leaders, lawyers, and students, designed to elicit discussion about various interpretations of the amendment. Recommends this type of seminar for exploring sensitive issues at the local or…

Since public schools serve children of diverse religious backgrounds, an upstate New York district tried to construct a policy where all students felt comfortable. Proponents had an uphill struggle, since many constituents found nonreligious Christmas assemblies and displays acceptable. This article highlights Williamsville's Free Exercise and…

Discusses viability of voucher systems including sectarian schools. Voucher plans' constitutionality may be enhanced by incorporating characteristics such as universal availability, allocation using neutral criteria, and "opting out" clauses. The Supreme Court's ruling in "Santa Fe" may squelch district policies condoning…

Describes citizenship education program for achieving common ground in a multicultural society that emphasizes religious liberty in American democracy protected by the First Amendment. Includes five areas: conflict resolution, consensus building, religion in the curriculum, teacher education, and religious expression in public schools. (Contains…

The Convocation on Academic Freedom promotes discussion on academic freedom through theme-centered presentations. This talk examines the United States Supreme Court's interpretation of the religion clauses of the Constitution in the context of education. The focus is on the First Amendment's establishment clause, which enforces separation of…

This article discusses some of the options and strategies available to school districts in defending dress codes which mandate uniforms. Three components are essential to a successful defense: the dress code must bear a reasonable relation to the school's pedagogical purpose, it must include alternative avenues of expression, and it must…

The ten papers in this document were presented at a week-long institute in 1982 and are published now because of concerns about recurring threats to intellectual freedom and First Amendment rights. Included are: (1) "Intellectual Freedom: The First Amendment and the Right To Know" (Dennis Day); (2) "How Conflicting Values Result in…

The two religion clauses of the First Amendment of the Constitution clearly declared the objectives of the framers, toleration and separation, but the means whereby these objectives were to be achieved were left to be decided through the dynamic processes of the courts. The history of these two clauses reveals that Americans are still seeking to…

Application by the courts of First Amendment rights to collective negotiations in education are examined in this article. This fourteenth chapter in a book on school law is divided into three sections: freedom of association, free speech, and the right to petition. Regarding freedom of association, the courts have found that the First Amendment…

Reviews the Equal Access Act of 1984 presenting the two major requirements of the act. Discusses the issues raised (in relation to the definition of what constitutes a public forum) in the Pennsylvania case "Student Coalition v. Lower Merion School District." Includes options for schools to consider when establishing "open" or…

Analyzes the United States Supreme Court's reversal of "Memphis County School Distruct v. Stachura," a District Court decision to compensate a temporarily suspended life sciences teacher for damages involving deprivation of his constitutional rights. Views this decision as one more obstacle blocking individuals' progress against…

Discusses interpretations of the establishment clause of the First Amendment. Outlines how Supreme Court decisions involving separation of church and state have been based on misinterpretations both of the First Amendment and of the intentions of its framers. (MD)