This essay outlines the federal role through Congress, the executive branch, and the judiciary in increasing equality of educational opportunity in the United States. Special emphasis is placed on government efforts of the 1960s and 1970s. (CT)

Judicial activism raises the question whether the people, through their elected representatives, should make decisions about social policy issues or whether these decisions will be made by appointed members of the federal judiciary. Through a series of judicial decisions, many basic social problems have become nationalized. Yet the U.S.…

Discusses federal involvement in education (control of public schools, federal funding, federal regulations, increase in regulatory behavior, specification of funding for vocational education, and judicial involvement). The New Federalism in education is examined in terms of policy moves by the executive branch of the government and the trends in…

Explores the concept of separation of powers in terms of recent conflicts between the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government. Points out that what the Supreme Court has said about separation of powers in the domestic context may complicate resolution of more serious problems in foreign affairs. (BSR)

Reviews progress made toward educating handicapped children in the United States under Public Law 94-142. Describes how proposals by the Reagan Administration to reduce Federal involvement in education would place a heavy burden on individual States and would erode recent gains in educational opportunity for the handicapped. (GC)

Finding missing children is a national problem. The increasing mobility of American society often hampers law enforcement's ability to follow missing children cases. A federal response to coordinate and assist in the effort to locate and recover missing children was initiated in 1984 when the Department of Justice established the National Center…

An introduction to a projected collection of essays on law and governance, this paper traces the reasons for and issues in increased federal control of education and lays down the format of the forthcoming collection. The author notes that, although the problems of increased bureaucratic involvement have not been so dramatic in education as…

Presented here are the remarks of William Bradford Reynolds, Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division at the Education Commission of the States National Project on Desegregation Strategies' Workshop. Reynolds states that mandatory busing and other remedial techniques to achieve racial balance in schools (measures tentatively sanctioned by…

Explores the issue of balancing liberty and order within the United States. Discusses the role of the Bill of Rights, focusing on the amendments in the document and the later amendments that ensure the liberty of U.S. citizens. Explains how order and liberty are ensured and includes discussion questions. (CMK)

Analyzes two personnel-related decisions--"City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson Co." and "Wards Cove Packing Co. v. Atonio"--rendered during the 1988 term of the Supreme Court. Examines the impact they are expected to have on two key personnel-centered equity programs, affirmative action and equal employment opportunity. (AF)

Presents a comparative analysis of the U.S. and Indian Supreme Courts' roles in civil rights and preference policies. Despite structural and historical differences, similarities exist in the development of such policies. Both are more concerned with fidelity to constitutional and statutory interpretations than to personal ideological viewpoints.…

The fifth of eight related documents, this booklet is part of a series of papers presented at the 1978 National Right to Read Conference examining issues and problems in literacy. In examining the issue of student accountability, this booklet first sets forth the prototypical case of pupil illiteracy and surveys the arguments that can be made for…

Characteristics of state coordinating boards or governing boards are briefly outlined, and the nature and character of political relationship of the board with other agencies are examined. The board is characterized by its limited powers, its nonpolitical base, and its restricted clientele. In dealing with the executive agency, it is important to…

Reviews court cases and decisions in several states that show how state equal rights amendments have been relied upon to promote sex equality in educational institutions. Illustrates how state equal rights amendments can be applied and/or should be relied upon even when other statutory or constitutional provisions exist. (Author/MJL)

This workbook for delegates to the White House Conference on Families (WHCF) is intended to perform three basic functions: (1) focus attention on the themes of the WHCF; (2) provide brief background information on the issues to be discussed in the Conference workgroups; and (3) summarize recommendations for which there was consensus across most…