Provides a brief background on the development of the concept of right-to-work statutes in the private sector under the National Labor Relations Act; reviews right-to-work statutes in public education and examines the status of fair-share agreements. (Contains 23 references.) (Author/PKP)

Discusses recent Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Pennsylvania case supporting claim that State College Area School District's anti-harassment policy violated two students' First Amendment right of free expression because it was overbroad. Draws lessons for public school officials. (PKP)

Reviews the 1977 Supreme Court decision in "Ingraham vs. Wright." The court held that the cruel and unusual punishment clause of the Eighth Amendment and the procedural due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment did not apply to corporal punishment in the public schools. (MD)

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 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)

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)

Describes an Illinois case involving the demotion of an elementary school principal with 5 years of experience to a classroom teacher. The former principal sued the district claiming that her state due-process rights were violated. The state court disagreed, entering a summary judgment for the district; later affirmed on appeal. Reviews other…

The author uses the experience of the Ferguson (St. Louis County, Missouri) school district to raise questions about the implications of an apparently successful attempt to eliminate the distinction between "de facto" and "de jure" desegregation. Growing out of litigation begun in 1972, the U.S. District Court in 1975 ordered…

One of the most pressing issues for educational researchers is the utilization by courts of social fact evidence. The purpose of this research was to empirically analyze the performance of federal trial courts in a broad sample of representative cases. Using computer screening, a sample of 65 federal cases decided during 1970-77 was identified.…

Identifies criteria relating to procedural due process from current judicial opinions, rulings of state attorneys general, and state administrative codes; applies the criteria to an analysis of school policies; and suggests guidelines for public school districts in the assessment, implementation, and revision of policies relating to procedural due…

The Supreme Court decision in "Johnson v. Transportation Agency" supports affirmative action in principle. However, the types of affirmative action the courts will allow will continue to vary significantly. Questions and answers provide guidance for educational institutions. (MLF)

Examines the effects of a court-ordered school desegregation plan on neighborhood housing markets in Dallas, Texas, using three market indicators: price, housing turnover, and utilization of conventional credit. Finds no significant effects on these indicators in any of the five neighborhoods studied. (Author/CMG)

The good-faith requirement in school desegregation was initially discussed by the United States Supreme Court in "Brown II." However, it was not until recently, in "Freeman v. Pitts," that the Court was to provide a definitive statement as to the meaning of the requirement, indicate the need for specific findings with respect…

The Supreme Court opinion of June 2002 in "Zelman et al. versus Simmons-Harris et al." is reviewed in this paper. In the first section, an interpretation of the ruling is offered in terms of four evaluative criteria: freedom of choice, productive efficiency, equity, and social cohesion. Unsurprisingly, the opinion strongly emphasized…