The Reagan Administration's allegiance lies with the advocates of individual rights, not the protectors of group entitlements. This stand is based on the belief that defense of individual rights is the only appropriate basis for achieving a consensus on civil rights in a pluralistic society. Group preferences, which have been imposed by the…

What judges are doing "with increasing boldness," in fact, is telling school people to solve their own cases instead of bringing them to court. (Author)

Two recent decisions of the United States Supreme Court have emasculated First Amendment guarantees for military personnel. In the first case, Parker v. Levy, an Army captain urged enlisted Special Forces personnel at his post to refuse to go to Viet Nam, claiming that "Special Forces personnel are liars and thieves and killers of peasants…

Provides a moot court activity in which secondary students re-enact the U.S. Supreme Court case "California v. Greenwood," concerning the exclusionary rule and the privacy of a citizen's trash. Students role-play Supreme Court justices and attorneys to gain an understanding of how appellate courts operate. (LS)

The scenario: Pictures of children in various states of nudity are discovered in an elementary teacher's desk. What does one do? This paper offers guidance, much of it based on common sense, for administrators who may find themselves in a situation fraught with serious consequences if a mistake is made in determining the truth. Court decisions are…

Justifies teaching trials as a way to enrich the social studies curriculum. Explains that by incorporating the study of historical and contemporary trials into social studies classes, it furthers the civic competence of the students. Discusses different teaching approaches ranging from case studies and readers' theater to videos and literature.…

This report provides a general picture of the major trends that have occured in the area of nondiscrimination in employment to date and of the general line of reasoning that is being developed by the Federal Courts. Federal Nondiscrimination Regulations applying to business, 1963-1972, are listed together with 43 court decisions concerning…

The papers and articles collected in this volume examine the relationship between government, business conglomerates, and the mass media and discuss the effect of this relationship on the flow of information. Separate sections are devoted to: the "right to know"; the effect of media barons on the flow of news; the "right of access"; the sometimes…

In an effort to foster better understanding of the crucial role of the courts in protecting all persons from legislative and executive overreaching, this report examines and evaluates the Helms-Johnston Amendment, one of many efforts Congress is making to limit the authority of federal courts in cases involving the controversial issues of…

During 1973, the broad issues characterizing the majority of court decisions concerning school employees were the constitutional and statutory rights of teachers and the relationship between these rights and the authority of the employer to act. Due process, both procedural and substantive, continues to receive extensive court consideration along…

Classroom speech of public-school teachers is a messy subject with regard to the tension between various societal demands and basic rights of students, teachers, and others at school sites. The demands are not always consistent, and rights are subject to different interpretations depending on which court decision forms the underlying basis for a…

Judicial decisions affecting educational policy and management that were handed down in 1985 by state appellate courts and federal courts are summarized and analyzed in this volume. The book is divided into eight topical chapters, each written by one or more experts in education law. The chapters are "Employees" (Gail Paulus Sorenson);…

The concept of academic freedom originated in situations related to higher education. Although academic freedom may apply to professors, it is far from clear how, and even why, academic freedom applies to classroom K-12 teachers. This paper treats the balancing of teacher and school district rights in suits brought by teachers who claimed that…

The elective unit on Constitutional Law is intended for 11th and 12th grade students. The unit is designed around major course goals which are to develop those concepts whereby students recognize and understand the following three topic areas: 1) Role of the Federal Judicial Branch of Government, 2) Supreme Court Cases Involving the Three Branches…

This first chapter of "The Yearbook of School Law, 1986" summarizes and analyzes over 250 state and federal court decisions handed down in 1985 affecting the legal rights of employees of public schools and state education agencies. Among the topics examined are discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, and handicap;…