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…

In DesRoches v Caprio, federal district court ruled in favor of Jim DesRoches who had decided not to consent to a search of his backpack for a pair of allegedly stolen sneakers. Judge Robert G. Doumar decided the need to find the stolen sneakers did not outweigh the students' privacy interest and offered guidelines about school searches for stolen…

The 4th Circuit's decision in "Hartman v Loudoun County Board of Education," involving the placement of an 11-year-old autistic child, teaches important lessons about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: mainstreaming is a strong preference, not an unyielding requirement; and if educators make active and careful efforts to…

Describes appropriate school district policies and procedures in light of two U.S. Supreme Court religion-in-schools decisions: "Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe" and "The Good News Club v. Milford Central School." (PKP)

James LaVine, a high-school junior, wrote a first-person fantasy about killing 28 people in school and then committing suicide. The district suspended him for 17 days. James and his father filed suit against the school district alleging that the emergency expulsion violated James' First Amendment rights. The District Court ruled for the LaVines…

Addresses the question of whether student prayer groups should be allowed to use school facilities. The Equal Access Act allows all noncurricular student groups to meet, whereas four federal appellate court decisions ban prayer groups on the basis that separation between church and state outweighs students' right to free speech. (WTH)

Last year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled in "Davis" that a student can sue for damages if school officials know a student is being sexually harassed but fail to intervene. (MLF)

Argues that graduation prayer is unconstitutional because it violates the Establishment Clause, but the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment entitles a valedictorian giving a commencement speech to discuss religion and even to express religious beliefs as the student's own, private beliefs. Summarizes court decisions. (MLF)

The First Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's ruling in a Massachusetts case involving an AIDS awareness program. Disagrees with ruling that the defendants had not violated the plaintiffs' federal rights and contends that parents should have the right to remove their children from a one-time performance that is not part of a…

Discusses Louisiana case wherein a federal district court judge ruled that an elementary principal violated the Establishment Clause by distributing Bibles to students. Includes Supreme Court's three-part "Lemon" test to determine if government practice violates the Establishment Clause. (PKP)

Describes 6th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in "Cockrel v. Schelby County School District," involving a fifth-grade teacher's claim that she was unlawfully terminated for teaching a unit on the industrial use of hemp, thus violating her First Amendment right of free speech. (PKP)

Fragmented federal court decisions about graduation prayer and the strong public interest in this issue call for the Supreme Court to step in to clarify the law. Summarizes court decisions on this topic. (MLF)

The late 1960's have seen teachers and students gain rights in school that they had not had before. No longer can the administrator and the school board act as their own lawyer. (Author/WM)

Describes Wisconsin case involving the suicide of seventh-grade girl after principal suspended her for having a cigarette in her locker--disciplinary action required by school board policy. Parents sued claiming violation of their daughter's 14th Amendment rights and state negligence laws. Federal appellate court dismissed all claims; parents…

The Supreme Court's past and expected future rulings on abortion cases will add controversy and costs to schools. Estimates the costs of teenage pregnancy; reviews the legal history of abortion; and offers guidelines on how schools can help reduce teenage pregnancy. (MLF)