In light of the trend towards lawsuits against professions, especially teachers and schools, the article describes events which commonly give rise to litigation against schools and teachers, describes the duty that Canadian law imposes on teachers, explains the concept of "supra parental" duty, and details several significant lawsuits.…

Adding an African-American perspective to the curriculum is advocated by some to combat 200 years of systematic defamation of African people generally. Advises board members to meet the challenge of multicultural education by beginning immediately to recognize and acknowledge the roles of various cultures in history and infusing that into the…

This bulletin explores the roles that various stakeholders have in systemic reform and offers some recommendations for action. Data were derived from a review of research on systemic education reform and interviews with four Oregon administrators. Chapter 1 provides a sampling of the diverse groups that are calling for reform and offers some of…

Participatory curriculum evaluation can be a powerful force for curriculum improvement in local school districts. The evaluation process contains nine steps: (1) the curriculum area needing evaluation is identified; (2) the local board of education organizes an evaluation committee reflecting school communities or neighborhoods, organizational…

Child maltreatment, defined as acts of commission or omission that harm a child physically or psychologically, adversely affects millions of children nationwide. Since almost two-thirds of these children are of school age, schools could be among the best resources available to combat child maltreatment. This paper examines the responsibilities and…

Chapter 7 of a book on school law, this chapter deals with 1979 cases involving disputes over property. Cases involving taxpayer attempts to prevent the construction of school buildings dominate this year's property chapter, as they did last year's. Yet, paradoxically, there is also a significant increase in cases in which taxpayers tried to…

The central thesis of this essay is that schools may be becoming both more political and more bureaucratic because of collective bargaining. (Author/EB)

Mergers of city school districts with surrounding ones lead to the dilemma of whether or not to bus children out of their neighborhoods. A review of recent desegregation litigation shows that courts still require the elimination of inequalities, but busing is not mandatory. Alternatives such as magnet schools are encouraged. (VM)

Presents an overview of the law governing the award of attorney's fees in civil rights cases and explains the importance of the attorney's fees issue in federal lawsuits brought against educational governing boards and school officials. (Author/MLF)

Suggests that authority in educational decision making in Canada is simultaneously moving to the provincial level and to the individual school, thus making the school board an increasingly anachronistic and powerless body. Discusses contextual changes affecting perceptions and values of educational leadership, representation, and competence. (SV)

Teenagers are the target audience for Whittle Communication's "Channel One" news show and its commercials. Critics are calling the trade of equipment for commercials a "Trojan horse." Advice, culled from several sources, is offered to boards of education regarding the issue of whether commercial television belongs in schools.…

The movement towards state-mandated minimum competency testing peaked in 1977-1978. Activity now centers on implementation: most programs will be implemented by 1980-81. To initiate programs, twenty-four states have used the state board approach, 20 enacted legislation, and six have passed both board and legislation mandates. Only Maine, Kansas,…

This presentation outlines the complaint investigation process developed by the Maine Department of Education to ensure a timely response to complaints concerning special education services, and to provide third party mediation and arbitration as needed. Complaint procedures required under federal regulations are outlined. Strengths and weaknesses…

This publication discusses some of the differences between public school systems and the Catholic school system in the United States. The document first notes that the public schools draw their authority from the people through democratic processes, whereas Catholic schools derive their authority from the Catholic Church and have a responsibility…

Experience indicates that school boards have an inadequate understanding of labor relations, for they tend to relinquish too much of their authority to teachers' associations. A survey of 11 articles pertaining to labor relations from the "American School Board Journal," 1970-82, reveals the following consensus on areas unsuitable for inclusion in…