Analysis of the Supreme Court ruling on the SONY Betamax case regarding videotaping television programs for home use discusses major implications for schools, including what constitutes private home use and time-shifting. Ways educators can make time-shifted videotapes legally and implications for microcomputers and copying computer programs are…

A series of legal actions brought by Elmo Tatum charging the University of Nebraska with discriminatory policies is reviewed. The United States Supreme Court awarded the university damages because of the "frivolous" nature of Tatum's appeal, and the essay concludes that this may inaugurate a campaign against the flood of litigation. (MJL)

Analyzing the United States Supreme Court decision in "Mueller v. Allen" declaring that certain forms of tuition tax credit are not unconstitutional, the author points out that school administrators should monitor legislative activities and be active in state policymaking or the future may hold larger tax credits and direct financial…

A federal court held that a state law requiring one minute of meditation or prayer in the public schools is legal. (IRT)

The insurance coverage a district buys should protect the board as a corporate entity, but it should also provide errors and omissions'' protection for each member of the board as a private citizen and for each designated employee of the district. (Editor)

Discusses recent court cases that illustrate situations wherein exhaustion of administrative or State court remedies must be effected before plaintiffs can resort to Federal Courts. (JF)

Discusses the State's concern with education and the responsibility of the legislative and judicial branches for education. (JF)

This survey of the current literature includes 79 annotations reviewing articles relating to educational law. The bibliography is organized under 19 topic areas. (MD)

Two recent federal court decisions side with school authorities. In both cases the judges held the plaintiffs liable for the attorney fees of the defendants. The author comments that this may reflect a partial changing of the federal courts' attitude, yet cautions schools to remain vigilant of student rights. (MD)

A superintendent's decision to stop presentation of a high school play was upheld by the court over a challenge that the students' First Amendment right of expression had been unconstitutionally abridged. The case has implications for other cases involving student First Amendment claims. (MLF)

The U.S. Supreme Court decision in "Valley Forge Christian College v. Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Inc." may indicate a reluctance to involve federal courts in cases concerning issues such as school prayer, the science curriculum, and the selection of textbooks and library books. (Author/WD)

More and more college professors are constructing their own "anthologies," photocopied compilations of recent articles and book excerpts, that are used as textbook substitutes. Addresses the impact of copyright law on the creation and distribution of customized college-course anthologies. (39 footnotes) (MLF)

Analyzes a Nevada case involving parents' challenge to district's policy that denied speech therapy services to their home-schooled, speech-impaired student. Ninth Circuit Court upheld the legality of the district's policy, holding that it did not violate the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) since home schooling is not considered…

Discusses two cases that illustrate the reasoning used by courts to uphold attorneys' fees to parents who prevail in Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA) administrative proceedings. (MLF)

Argues for a balance of copyright incentives more favorable to education: (1) introduces the dilemma of choice between infringing others' copyrights and observing legal procedure; (2) discusses Congress's accommodation of education under the Copyright Act of 1976; (3) describes a legislative solution; and (4) suggests statutory language for an…