On September 10, 2006, Teachers' Day was marked for the twentieth time in China. On this day, this journal's reporters congratulated teachers and at the same time conducted a number of investigations among teachers nationwide over the Internet, to find out what issues are of the biggest concern to them. The seventy-plus issues listed in this…

In recent years a growing number of state boards of education have established mechanisms to ensure dialog between public school policymakers and their nonpublic school counterparts. Outlines the methods used in four states: Florida, Louisiana, New York, and Ohio. (MD)

Describes the metamorphosis of Holt's philosophy of education and criticizes his recent advocacy for home schooling. Claims that Holt's proposals are based on a romantic conception of the private family and an unfounded pessimism about the possibility of school reform. (RDN)

There are great movements of people taking place around the world and our societies are becoming more diverse and multiethnic in nature, especially in the urban environments of the larger cities. In most countries, schools still represent the "status quo" and most principals are from the "majority culture". There is little…

The parallels between the function, goals, and structure of organized religion and the American school system are examined. (JD)

Reviews more than 70 cases written by Minnesota appellate courts since 1982. Six major topics are analyzed: (1) tort liability; (2) compulsory education; (3) open meeting laws and school closings; (4) hiring and firing issues; (5) arbitration; and (6) appeal and damages. Unanswered questions are noted. (MLF)

Issues surrounding parental decisions to privatize their children's education are examined in this paper, which focuses on three issues: (1) the declining credibility of state-sponsored education; (2) the nature and causes of privatized education as a viable alternative; and (3) the context in which this option occurs. The first section discusses…

An historical overview of the precursors to compulsory school attendance is presented. Emphasis is placed upon the beginning stages of American schooling, the Common School Movement, and its impact upon the restriction of educational choice for the majority of those in society. (Author/EVH)

The aim of this paper is to induce doubt about the ethical rightness of compulsory education laws and inspire educators to imagine and begin to make a world in which there are many different forms of gifted education. The paper does this in three ways. It paints a polemical picture of gifted education as a minor variation on public schooling and…

State compulsory attendance statutes require parents and legal guardians to see that children are educated. Although courts have consistently upheld such statutes, the nature of these filings has changed. Whereas early-day legal action usually sought to protect the rights of some select group from constitutional infringement, more recent suits…

Focuses on the extent of the power of the State to enforce a system of compulsory education contrary to the wishes of the parent. (Author)

The South African Schools Bill of 1996 mandates compulsory education between ages 7 to 15, improved financing for public schools and racially integrated independent schools, and election of school governing bodies. A national school building program and fiscal reforms accompany governmental cultural-inclusion efforts. (Contains 12 references.)…

The staff of the Michigan Department of Education prepared this paper to place in proper perspective the statutory role of the local school district in enforcing school attendance of children, aged 6 to 16 years, and the statutory responsibility of the State Board of Education for supervising nonpublic schools in Michigan. The paper is designed to…

School violence is an increasingly serious problem, especially in big cities and public schools. This publication surveys popular methods of violence prevention and divides them into three classes: school-management measures, environmental modification, and educational and curriculum-based measures. The review also considers structural conditions…

This paper explores some of the implications of compulsory education for public and private schools and for home schooling. Data were derived from interviews conducted with approximately 120 education leaders in 15 states and with state officials in all states and U.S. territories. Following the introduction, the first part reviews compulsory…