In "Stephenson v. Davenport Community School District," the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that schools cannot adopt unduly vague policies to regulate student expression, in this case, a cross-shaped tattoo. (LMI)

This booklet contains the texts of speeches given at the 1968 National Organization on Legal Problems of Education conference on school law. The topics covered in the speeches include student rights, dress codes, defacto segregation, education and religious freedom, doctoral dissertations in school law, master contracts, and teacher strikes. (JF)

Clothing is a primary form of gang-member identification. School boards that seek to revise dress-code policy on gang attire need to make certain they can justify their steps so that students' right to freedom of expression and the need for a safe school environment can coexist. Reviews five court cases and offers guidelines. (MLF)

In "Castorina," the Sixth Circuit reversed a lower court ruling that had dismissed a suit by two high school students challenging their suspension for wearing T-shirts adorned with the Confederate flag. Reviews three Supreme Court decisions about the regulation of student expression. Concludes that a consensus for the regulation of…

Presents a short quiz for American Personnel and Guidance members to test their current legal knowledge concerning abortions for minors, drug searches, and student conduct. Correct answers are given and discussed, and legal precedents are cited. Suggests ways for counselors to keep abreast of current laws. (Author/JAC)

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)

This handbook suggests for students the greatest amount of freedom allowable under law that is commensurate with adult responsibility for student health, safety, and welfare. The text presents a broad spectrum of student rights and responsibilities as well as questions that are often raised by student groups. An essential aspect of these…

Examines a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding the Bethel, Washington, school district in disciplining a student for giving a sexually provocative speech. Cautions against a possible trend toward renewed school emphasis on dress codes and other issues of decorum. (IW)

Examines whether schools can or should restrict gang clothing and how to restrict gang clothing without infringing on students' constitutional rights. Concludes that a policy that stresses the importance of reducing distractions that inhibit learning is more likely to be found legal than a policy restricting gang communication via limitations on…

Addresses the authority of school officials to regulate student dress by examining school dress codes, first with respect to communicative dress--or dress that communicates speech--and then with respect to noncommunicative dress. Provides a summary of the law on dress codes and a basic set of rules to assist school officials in drafting…

Responses from 157 principals (65 percent of a national sample) showed strong support for dress codes. Research focuses on the perception of school principals regarding dress codes, analyzes dress codes for common features, and proposes a constitutional standard of review for contested dress codes. (58 footnotes) (MLF)

Public school uniforms are a recent development. Legal trends suggest that the courts are willing to defer to school authorities regarding dress codes--provided a clear link is established between the dress regulations and furtherance of the educational mission. Lists a range of options for a dress-code policy and how each of the available options…

The purpose of this study was to help public school administrators, especially principals, to understand the legal and constitutional limitations of their authority in dealing with students. Control of students is discussed as five separate topics, each representing a chapter, as follows: (1) freedom of expression and First Amendment rights; (2)…

The purpose of this research study was to determine the opinions of school principals and school counselors in Pennsylvania on the issue of student rights. A 30-statement opinion questionnaire was constructed and mailed to 171 counselors and 154 principals in 48 public school districts widely distributed throughout Pennsylvania. The response rate…

This monograph analyzes and summarizes judicial decisions relevant to the control of student conduct by school officials. It is an expansion and revision of a monograph published by the same author in 1970. Extensive revision of the earlier work was necessary because the number of appellate court decisions involving student conduct has grown…