The use of social media may be contributing to violations of copyright law and can create legal challenges for school districts trying to balance ease of communication and First Amendment freedom of speech rights against compliance with federal regulations. In this case, a district is threatened with a lawsuit for copyright violation when one of…

One central aspect of a healthy democracy is the practice of democratic dissent. For the first time in many years, dissent is being widely practiced in town hall meetings and on street corners across the United States. Despite this presence, dissent is often suppressed or omitted in the prescribed, tested, hidden, and external curriculum of US…

Despite past lessons, book-banning continues to exist at all levels within our democratic society. This case presents a realistic scenario when the school district, facing a book challenge by a concerned parent, responds by removing the book from the library. On the basis of a true story, the study features a parent of an elementary child…

There seems to be an unwritten agreement among most Americans that there are three topics that are best avoided in polite company: (1) politics; (2) personal finances; and (3) religion. The American reluctance to discuss religion with acquaintances at a dinner party or picnic may be a part of a larger phenomenon: a manifestation of the secularism…

Very few elementary public school teachers in the United States expose their students to religion and spirituality in an in-depth way. Even when they have the necessary knowledge base, they shy away from so dangerous an enterprise. They might fear provoking a challenge from parents who are irreligious and are shocked to find religion being…

Discusses libraries and issues relating to censorship, social protest, and First Amendment rights. Topics addressed include materials selection based on objective criteria; removing inappropriate material; intellectual freedom; limited versus absolute censorship; and possible errors in selection decisions. (LRW)

Reviews two court decisions relating to religion-based objections to public school instructional materials. Includes discussion of the issues involved in the court decisions as well as recommendations to schools about how to deal with such objections. (MD)

A year ago, an upstate New York college withdrew a speaking invitation to Wade Churchill, a University of Colorado professor who had characterized 9/11 victims as "little Eichmanns." Churchill's portrayal of 9/11 victims as a mixture of conscious and unwitting participants in a systemic evil of Holocaust proportions indeed was…

Proposes six legal principles of children's intellectual rights that can be derived from the First Amendment. Argues that only the government (including public schools) is constitutionally obligated to act in accord with these principles. Proposes that the principles can serve as ethical guidelines for parents and private schools as well. (NH)

Asserts that concern for academic success across the curriculum should extend beyond raising test scores. Contends that in the wake of the terrorist acts of 9/11/01, issues of public security and civil liberties present an opportunity for teachers to teach the Constitution and its amendments in an effort to fight citizen ignorance. (SD)

Discussion of censorship against books in public and school libraries focuses on intellectual freedom; First Amendment rights; and curriculum development to include lessons on the First Amendment. Offers suggestions for activities focusing on censorship and banned books. (LRW)

Recent court decisions in Tennessee and Alabama requiring the teaching of "creationism" and the banning of "secular humanism" challenge educators to listen to the critics and present a wider curriculum including the role of religion in human affairs while protecting our heritage of intellectual freedom. (MD)

Discusses libraries' uses of filters to prevent access to objectionable sites on the Internet. Highlights include the American Library Association's resolution against filters as a violation of First Amendment rights; patron's use of terminals for e-mail or games; using filters for collection management; and listservs and online resources…

Addresses U.S. public education's continuing unwillingness to deal with religious issues. Suggests that confusion over legalities, embarrassment, and ignorance contribute to the lack of instruction about religion. Examines what students miss when schools ignore religious topics and how students learn less than the whole truth about U.S. history.…

The growth of groups of the religious right has resulted in a major ideological division in the United States. Outlines the strength of these groups, the particulars of the secular humanism debate, and the ability such groups have to coordinate issues and join together in campaigns influencing public education. (MD)