Horrific events such as the fatal shooting of three high school students in Chardon, Ohio, in the winter of 2012 places tremendous pressure on state and local agencies to ensure that schools provide a safe and conducive learning environment for all students. To help curb school violence, schools have adopted zero-tolerance policies, which often…

Educational leaders have a substantial degree of control over students and generally have a tremendous influence on the decisions that they make. District administrators are already involved in comprehensive efforts to stem sexual harassment, teen violence and bullying; therefore, they may be well positioned to identify and address the problem of…

A Spanish teacher successfully sued a student she claimed terrorized her, after school administrators ignored her complaints. Nearly 11% of teachers experience verbal and physical abuse by students. Although some states are stiffening penalties against violent students, educators' best recourse is to publicize the problem, devise policies, and…

The constitutionality of section 43 of the Canadian criminal code, which provides a defense to the use of reasonable and corrective force on children, has been challenged. The Canadian Teachers' Federation argues that the case is not about spanking, but about enabling teachers to maintain order and create a positive, effective learning…

A collection of six papers is preceded first by an introduction stating the editor's abhorrence of corporal punishment and his motives for assembling the papers; and then by the American Psychological Association's statement opposing the use of corporal punishment. Irwin A. Hyman and Delores M. Lally consider religious and other historical factors…

Examines some of the key school law cases pertinent to developing policies and procedures to address campus situations that may be associated with school crime/violence. Discusses the legal concept of a reasonableness and its use on forming reactive and proactive school discipline procedures. (Author/NB)

While college and university officials tend to say they have fraternity hazing under control due to school policies and state criminal laws, critics find the laws have been ineffective, in part because of a tendency to blame the victims. Punishment of some student perpetrators has been minimal. Liability of schools can be substantial, with…

To establish effective school discipline policies, educators need to understand (1) the nature of and reasons for misbehavior, (2) social and legal attitudes toward the school's disciplinary function, (3) acceptable responses to disciplinary problems, and (4) what effective policies cover. This booklet's first chapter considers the need for…

In a question-and-answer format, the issue of corporal punishment is discussed, focusing on: its definition, history of the anti-corporal punishment movement, reasons for support of corporal punishment by educational authorities, constitutional protections under the Fifth and Eighth amendments, results of court cases, and methods for eliminating…

Most of the data on the outcomes and effects of school uniforms come from elementary and middle schools. In many cases, school uniforms are only one part of an overall reform effort. More research is needed. Offers suggestions to help schools work on developing school-uniform policies and summarizes the legal view. (15 references) (MLF)

Beating of pledges, frequently leading to lawsuits and sometimes to death, has become a serious problem in black fraternities. Although black fraternities officially cracked down on hazing in 1990 in response to a student's death, many fear underground hazing has become even more dangerous. Incidents occur both on black and on white campuses.…

This guidebook shows how schools can form partnerships with law-enforcement agencies and communities to develop a comprehensive safe-school plan. The planning guide is based on four principles: that safe schools are caring schools, are built through cooperative efforts of all stakeholders, communicate high standards, and stress prevention. This…

This report reviews current state policy and practices in the disciplining of students with disabilities, as they are expressed in state documents including statutes, regulations, and other types of written records. Federal law, regulations, and case law are summarized in the report's introduction and background. Findings are presented in terms of…

This paper analyzes data on anti-corporal punishment advocacy and the data's use in judicial, legislative, and public areas. The paper defines corporal punishment and discusses seminal court cases, personal effects of corporal punishment, developmental factors, demographic factors, litigation, use of tort remedies, and the concept of Educator…

This digest presents a brief review of recent Fourth Amendment decisions that affect the rights of students and the parameters of schools' authority to maintain a crime-free environment. Although Federal decisions apply nationwide and do mark the boundaries of permissible state and local action, state and local laws and regulations must always be…