Focuses on the recent application and interpretation of the Fourth Amendment to school children. Discusses the amendment in regard to the relationship between school authorities and children, students' legitimate expectation of privacy, reasonableness in justification of a search, issues of mass mandatory screening, and requirements of due process…

Cites two court cases regarding students' complains of sexual harassment by teachers. Contends that the educators in these cases violated both commonly accepted personal morality and the ethics of their profession. Reveals a widespread resistance to the study on the psychological development of girls. (MLF)

The Supreme Court in 1985 first addressed the issue of balance between a student's right to privacy as stated in the Fourth Amendment and school officials' need to maintain safety. This chapter summarizes the case, explores the meaning of the court opinion, and briefly discusses other issues. The case involved a 14-year-old girl (T.L.O.) whose…

This chapter discusses legal ramifications of administrative decisions in schools involving bombs and bomb threats, false fire alarms, searches and seizure, and police investigations in the schools. In the case of bomb threats, the principal and not the police must take the legal responsibility for making the decision of whether or not to evacuate…

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)…

This legal primer on violence in schools addresses the responsibility of school officials to respond to undisciplined youths whose behavior threatens the welfare and safety of other children in attendance. It is broken down into sections that provide a brief overview of the key rules and guidelines for school officials and teachers in each topic…

In "New Jersey v. T.L.O." the U.S. Supreme Court held that the prohibitions of the Fourth Amendment regarding unreasonable searches and seizures apply to student searches and seizures conducted by public school officials. However, the Court said the legality of a search should depend upon "reasonableness, under the…

This manual is designed to provide educators, primarily administrators, with basic legal information on issues concerning student rights in North Dakota. Chapters are presented on (1) the right to an education, (2) the freedom of religion, (3) the right to privacy (in school records and in searches), (4) freedom of expression (in general, in…

Although the Federal courts have not yet decided any cases involving search and seizure of student's property, various State courts have ruled that the Fourth Amendment protects students from "unreasonable" searches by school officials. However, the courts have generally applied a less stringent standard in justifying searches by school…

This volume of seminar presentations covers a broad range of legal issues affecting public schools. The first chapter summarizes employee free speech developments since "Connick v. Myers" (1983), a United States Supreme Court decision upholding a district attorney's right to dismiss a transferred assistant for circulating a controversial…

A nationwide controversy over the right of privacy has arisen as a result of companies probing into their workers' habits and health through such means as mandatory drug tests, electronic databases, and lie detector tests. The legal claims arising from these civil suits against employers for invasion of privacy have established precedents that are…

Today more than ever before, lay persons are being asked to share in the catechetical ministry of the Catholic Church by serving as catechetical leaders, catechists, and religious education board members. This handbook is designed to provide catechetical leaders and others involved in parish religious education with essential information about…

Focuses on judicial reception of schools' attempts to curb violence, particularly predatory violence and psychopathological violence. School responses have been to create violence-prevention policies based on punitive measures or punish offending behavior after it has occurred. Such reactions may result in finding that schools have abridged…

School administrators are challenged to maintain the delicate balance between protecting individuals' rights and ensuring the general welfare by maintaining a safe, secure learning environment. Legal principles and precedents governing restrictions on student appearance, privacy and procedural rights, harassment and hate crimes, and suicide are…

This monograph attempts to provide clear understanding of the standards presented by the Supreme Court in "New Jersey v. T.L.O." relative to search and seizure in public schools, and suggests practical ways of applying search and seizure law to situations in the school setting. ("T.L.O." are the initials of the anonymous…