In a case involving questionable canine search-and-seizure practices, a circuit court upheld a school board's decision to terminate a teacher's contract. While touting zero tolerance, the board fired an honored teacher 3 years from retirement who may not have known about the marijuana cigarette in her car. (MLH)

Intended to provide school officials an understanding of the legal aspects of common religious liberty and church-state questions in the public school context, this pamphlet attempts an objective summary of the current status of church-state law as it applies to the public schools. The document seeks to catalogue objectively the law as found in…

Organizations that span the ideological, religious, and political spectrum stand together as they make this a statement of consensus on current law regarding religion in public schools. Each organization professes a commitment to the freedom of religious practice and the separation of church and state that such freedom requires. The statement is…

This handbook is the 16th in the series of monographs designed to summarize judicial decisions on elementary and secondary education. The cases included in the book were selected from judicial decisions found in federal and regional reporters for the period July 1, 1993, to June 30, 1994. The cases provide a general overview of school law issues…

This book describes teachers' work in urban New York City (New York) schools during a time of intense school reform in the 1920s. Teachers and schools coped with an ever-growing and diverse student body. Extensive interviews of teachers from this era shows the complexity of teachers' work, their problems with reform implementation, and the…

This bulletin reviews the 1990-91 term of the U.S. Supreme Court in terms of its impact on public schools, finding that the Court tended to decline to review decisions by lower courts that gave school districts discretion to resolve questions of student and employee rights. Court opinions that were handed down are discussed, and the impact of…

Impressionistic evidence and the literature suggest that questions of objectives are of little importance in most curriculum discussions; rather, people set forth their own goals and then move on to questions of content and materials--a practice that could be called the politics of curriculum development. The context of the case study reported…

This comprehensive guide to the procedures and techniques of collective bargaining contains information on all phases of negotiations: the process, the players, preparation, face-to-face bargaining, impasse resolution procedures, and contract administration. It is predicated on the view that school board members and administrators should master…

The examination of Montana's teacher tenure laws as mandated by House Joint Resolution 43, required a thorough review of the legislative development of the teacher employment laws, a summary of relevant case law on the rights of school boards and teachers, an awareness of the philosophical postures of the affected parties, and a dispassionate look…

The most frequently cited causes for teacher dismissal are immorality, incompetence, and insubordination. The discussion in this chapter concerning these three causes encompasses the general judicial principles found in teacher dismissal cases. The discussion of dismissal for immorality focuses on three controversial areas of litigation: sexual…

Since employee salaries and fringe benefits make up the major part of school budgets, any reduction in budgets must be accomplished by reducing personnel. Concentrating on Oklahoma, but citing legal decisions in other states as well, a legal summary is presented for reduction in force when funds are unavailable to complete a school budget. As in…

Dismissals for ineffective teaching, as distinguished from insubordination, immorality, or improper treatment of students, are rare because standards of teaching against which to juxtapose an individual teacher's behavior have not been available. However, abstract performance standards for teachers are beginning to emerge from research on teaching…

Consists of 10 articles relating to various legal issues that could affect agricultural educators. Topics covered include (1) expectations for laboratory safety, (2) professional malpractice, (3) liability, (4) sex equity, (5) teacher rights and responsibilities, and (6) legal issues in supervised occupational experience programs. (CH)

Reviews factors considered by courts in judicial decisions concerning teachers involved in criminal offenses relating to alcohol and drug violations, larceny, theft, shoplifting, gambling, and manslaughter. The courts have held that when criminal conduct shows a connection between the offense and the teacher's effectiveness then cause exists for…

Surveys court decisions and constitutional challenges by homosexual teachers faced with job terminations. Provides nine guidelines for use by school officials. The primary concern of boards assessing a teacher's fitness should be the educational competence of the teacher and the possibility of actual harm to students resulting from the teacher's…