Discusses a 2000 federal trial court decision upholding a Kentucky district's termination of a tenured teacher who presented a curricular segment on industrial hemp as part of a "save-the-trees" unit. The decision underscores teachers' severely limited constitutional rights in the curricular context. (MLH)

A central issue in litigation arising from adverse employment decisions affecting school personnel is the adequacy of due process procedures. Due process is required only if a teacher is able to establish a protected property or liberty interest. The first section of this chapter accordingly discusses the circumstances under which due process is…

The government is a special employer that operates under the guidelines of the United States Constitution. Under these guidelines, government may not, without adequate justification, (1) deprive its citizens of fundamental, protected rights such as the freedoms of speech and association; (2) deprive a citizen of property or liberty without the due…

Teacher improvement programs must comply with federal and state constitutional requirements for due process, equal protection, and freedom of speech, as well as state and federal laws covering collective bargaining, civil rights, and the authority to institute improvement programs. This booklet explores these legal considerations, focusing on…

The increased presence of drugs and weapons in schools has forced school officials to step up searches of students, lockers, and school property. The landmark case of "New Jersey vs. TLO" set standards concerning reasonable suspicion and reasonable searches. School officials must be familiar with recent court opinions on student…

The Capital Area School Development Association, New York, sponsored a school law conference to fulfill a need in the region for school board members and administrators who desire to maintain and improve their knowledge in the area of school law. This document contains the text or outline of the following four presentations: (1) "Preserving…

This paper argues that courts have tended to identify and enforce individual rights at the expense, in many instances, of the ability of school boards and legislatures to carry out what they perceive to be the will of the majority of voters in their jurisdictions. The trend emphasizing individual rights began in 1954 with the Supreme Court…

This chapter reviews litigation in higher education for 1986. The first section discusses the relationship between postsecondary institutions and various governmental agencies, in which litigation covers questions on the authority of boards, access to information through sunshine laws, questions of tax exempt status, and issues of accreditation.…

Supreme Court decisions made during the previous and present terms as well as some that will be rendered next term are discussed. Among the cases, the following are of particular relevance to school board members. In "Memphis Community Schools v. Stachura" the Court declared that damages based on the "value" of constitutional…

This chapter reviews collective bargaining cases in education during 1986. Although the courts addressed a broad range of topics, no new legal principles were applied in these cases. The courts relied on traditional labor law concepts and applied them to the specific statutes and policies of the applicable jurisdiction. The review addresses the…

Higher education case law in 1990 is discussed in this chapter under nine major topics: (1) intergovernmental relations; (2) discrimination in employment; (3) faculty employment; (4) administrators and staff; (5) students; (6) liability; (7) antitrust; (8) patents; and (9) estates and wills. Questions of the authority of federal, state, and local…

Themes in 1989 higher education case law reflect the difficulty in reducing the federal deficit, increased service demands on state budgets, and an economic condition of marginal growth. The interpretation of constitutional rights in relationships between the institution and students, employees, and communities continues to be heavily litigated.…

The higher education case law in 1988 is extensive. Cases discussed in this chapter are organized under five major topics: (1) intergovernmental relations; (2) employees, involving discrimination claims, tenured and nontenured faculty, collective bargaining, and denial of employee benefits; (3) students, involving admissions, financial aid, First…

Litigation in 1987 was very brisk with an increase in the number of higher education cases reviewed. Cases discussed in this chapter are organized under four major topics: (1) intergovernmental relations; (2) employees, involving discrimination claims, tenured and nontenured faculty, collective bargaining and denial of employee benefits; (3)…

This book examines the sizable body of school law that outlines legally defensible decisions. A substantial part of it contains edited, reported, and verbatim decisions. Historical perspective is provided, as well as specific case and statutory law. Chapter 1 discusses sources of law for educators, state school board policies, attorneys-general…