School personnel need to learn about the outcomes of controversial education cases. Research on school law knowledge indicates that teachers and students would benefit from learning the basic principles of school law. (six references) (MLF)

In DesRoches v Caprio, federal district court ruled in favor of Jim DesRoches who had decided not to consent to a search of his backpack for a pair of allegedly stolen sneakers. Judge Robert G. Doumar decided the need to find the stolen sneakers did not outweigh the students' privacy interest and offered guidelines about school searches for stolen…

An edited version of federal district court Judge William O. Bertelsman's opinion in "Bahr vs. Jenkins" reveals his thinking on the courts' self-restraint in cases affecting school administrators' authority when disciplining students. The opinion also discusses, in an informal style, the rights and responsibilities of parties in such…

In deciding "Honig v. Doe" the United States Supreme Court held that the unilateral exclusion of a handicapped student for conduct caused by the student's disability, for a period in excess of 10 school days, constitutes a prohibited change of placement. Identifies and discusses seven unanswered questions regarding disciplining…

In "Bethel," the Supreme Court essentially extended the reach of the ordinary discipline code to serve objectives that are part of the perceived educational mission. Citizenship of students is as important to the education process as academic concerns, according to recent decisions. (seven references) (MLF)

The Supreme Court's decision in "Honig v. Doe" indicates that a suspension of a dangerous handicapped student of up to 10 school days is valid. Decisions regarding the disciplining of handicapped students will have to be made on a case-by-case basis. Legal counsel should be sought. (MLF)

An examination of the major Supreme Court cases affecting schools from 1970 through the recent 1981 term shows how the Court since 1969 has moved to a more conservative interpretation and application of due process to the public schools. Most of the cases concern either student discipline or teacher termination. (Author/MLF)

A recent decision by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a case from Arkansas centered on a vicious letter written by an 8th-grade boy about his former girlfriend and turned over to school officials. The court ruled for the school district in expelling the student for the year, without allowing him to attend an alternative school. Argues that…

This book is a study of civil cases, filed in court after 1976, involving students in elementary and high schools. The number of cases comes to 1,632, of which 769 are concerned with special education, 290 with disciplinary matters, and 248 with sports. The remaining cases deal with racial and sex discrimination, freedom of religion, establishment…

In "Acton," the Supreme Court upheld a local school board policy calling for the random, suspicionless drug testing of interscholastic student athletes. The Supreme Court reasoned that student athletes have a low expectation of privacy; the scope of the search was relatively unobtrusive; and the program served an important government…

This book is a compilation of the presentations delivered at the National School Boards Association (NSBA) Council of School Attorneys Annual School Law Seminar on March 22-24, 2001, in San Diego, California. Presentations include: (1) "Religion and the Public Schools--What Hath the Supreme Court Wrought?" (Jay Worona and Patricia H. Gould); (2)…

Student rights to freedom of speech and the legitimate degrees of control available to principals are discussed in this paper. An overview of pertinent federal litigation focuses on two landmark cases involving oral and written speech, respectively: Bethel School District #403 v. Fraser; and Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier. A conclusion is…

This chapter, which reports on decisions made by federal and state courts in 1983 concerning the treatment of pupils, notes that for the first time in five years the number of such cases did not increase. Important decisions were handed down regarding student expression and concerning the payment of fees and damages in litigation affecting the…

Four subjects are the focus of this discussion of school law: sexual harassment, the copyright act, school discipline, and religion and the schools. In cases of sexual harassment of students by school personnel, a criterion for determining whether a school is liable involves the standard of "actual knowledge" in which school officials…

One of the most difficult and time-consuming set of problems school administrators face each day has to do with student discipline. This manual provides a series of suggestions on ways that successful schools and administrators deal with discipline problems. Models and examples included are intended to stimulate and assist practicing…