A Pennsylvania case shows that once a school auditorium becomes a designated public forum, the free speech clause of the First Amendment requires the board to allow other similarly situated outsiders (including religious groups) to use the facilities for expressive activity. Another Pennsylvania case involving dual employment upheld a teacher's…

Lessons that should have been learned concerning public schools, constituents, authority, governing boards, and optimal conditions for teaching and learning are discussed. Also predicts the attaining of several goals that are examined. (CT)

This document is designed to guide local boards of education and school systems in Maryland in assisting individuals and organizations interested in establishing public charter schools. This guide is organized into the following parts: (1) Maryland Public Charter Schools Act; (2) Organizing to Assist Public Charter School Development; (3)…

The conflict which exists between supporters of segregation academies and supporters of the public school system is, it is said, destroying public education in much of the rural South. (NQ)

Members of public school boards and trustees of independent schools should seize the opportunity to learn from each other. Hundreds of models of partnerships have already been established between public and independent schools. A sidebar discusses joint public and private school athletic programs in various states. (MLF)

School board members in Louisiana, Minnesota,and Nebraska responded to a survey asking for their attitudes toward the six national educational goals. The boards' ranking of the goals is compared to that from a public opinion poll. Findings indicate that local school board members believe educational goals are best determined by themselves in…

Argues that for a community to maintain control over its public schools it must make the school board accountable for the performance of the school and all of its employees. The authors suggest a new approach to school-board elections, addresses key elements needed in state legislation, and explains the existing roadblocks to change. (GLR)

With reports that some of the nation's finest universities have been handing out A's like lollipops at Halloween, the lowering of standards in higher education has become a hot topic. But grading standards in primary and secondary education have received remarkably less attention. There are two major questions related to grading standards. First,…

For multitudes of children Harry Potter is a hero. He fights evil and stands up for his friends. However, not all adults agree. Instead, he is perceived as a threat by many. This article discusses how some adults on a school board reacted to this perceived threat. The majority of a school board voted to restrict access to Harry Potter books in the…

Now a growing number of Texas homeschoolers want to send their children off to class, if only a few hours a day. But as in other states, not all educators in the Lone Star State think students should be able to select just a course or two. A bill that would have encouraged schools to offer classes on an a la carte basis failed for the third time…

Research (Goodman, Fulbright, & Zimmerman, 1997; IEL, 2001) supports that the most critical decision a school board has to make is its selection and appointment of a superintendent to lead the district toward its mission of effective schooling for all students. Given that board members hold influential power in this regard, what competencies…

In Georgia, professional textbook selection for the public schools has been undermined by a small interest group influencing the State Board of Education. Normally textbooks are selected by a professional committee whose recommendations are adopted by the Board. In 1971 "The Americans," edited by Edwin Fenton and recommended by the selection…

As the chief elected officials of their cities, mayors have a rightful role in promoting the interests of public school students and parents who live there, as well as the interests of taxpayers who help fund the school district. Without a strong education system, mayors will find it more difficult to recruit new businesses, strengthen economic…

In the wake of January 1988 takeover legislation to improve education in the State of New Jersey, this paper describes and justifies the strict state three-tier monitoring system of school district educational standards. School districts that need improvement after the first level of monitoring must develop an improvement plan to overcome their…

This handbook is designed for use by board members, administrators, and teachers to aid them in understanding the legal aspects of governance, management, and operation of public schools in West Virginia. Substantial discussion is devoted to sources of school law (common law, state and federal constitutions, state and federal statutes); the legal…