Supreme Court has delineated three-step test to First Amendment cases brought by public employees, including tenured and nontenured teachers' academic freedom cases. Is teacher's conduct "protected expression" that concerns public issue without unduly rocking boat? If so, is protected expression the motivation behind district's adverse…

Using a specific case, this article reviews some common areas of contract and tort law applicable to principals and employment practices in public and private schools. The question/answer format treats contract validity, negligent misrepresentation, and constitutionality issues involved in a case based on unfulfilled hiring promises. Includes four…

As shown by a West Virginia case involving allegations of student touching, principals are challenged to provide a safe environment for both students and staff members. Although court decisions generally favor school districts, they reveal the importance of a documented warning, a prudent investigation, and a sound board decision. (MLH)

An increasing amount of case law dealing with collective bargaining in education was evident in 1987. The more than 100 cases cited indicate that educational employers and their unionized employees are increasingly resorting to the courts rather than resolving issues at the negotiation or arbitration table. However, there were no United States…

This chapter reviews collective bargaining cases in education during 1986. Although the courts addressed a broad range of topics, no new legal principles were applied in these cases. The courts relied on traditional labor law concepts and applied them to the specific statutes and policies of the applicable jurisdiction. The review addresses the…