Background/Context: In the 1973 "Rodriguez" decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Constitution does not guarantee a substantive federal right to education. So far, this holding has not been adequately contextualized with many other statements the Court has made concerning the nature of education in the constitutional order. For…

Non-individualized (so-called "random") drug testing in public schools presents issues of Constitutional law on both the federal and state levels, particularly with regard to citizens' freedom from "unreasonable searches and seizures." The trend toward increasing acceptance of such testing by the courts (and particularly the U.S. Supreme Court)…

Since the "Tinker" decision, the Supreme Court has maintained that student First Amendment rights are modified by the "special characteristics of the school environment." The nature of these characteristics, however, has not been adequately investigated. The author proposes seven characteristics of schools that are relevant to…

Military academies have been omitted in considerations of due process standards pertinent to the adjudication of student offenses at colleges and universities. This article cites the study by Michael T. Rose in his book, "A Prayer for Relief," on academy adjudicatory systems. (LBH)

The right to form adult consensual intimate relationships is a fundamental personal freedom. A strong and effective university policy against sexual harassment and the recognition of faculty and students' right to privacy will, within the parameters of constitutional guarantees, serve both the university's and the individual's interest.…

When teaching moral education, the ethical dilemma often faced by educators revolves around the question of whose morals should be taught. Judicious Discipline, a constitutional model for classroom management, proposes to answer this question by offering educators the opportunity to teach the moral standards of the U.S. democratic system of…

This case is about the clash between traditional community values and multicultural values in the context of same-sex couples at a high school prom. Within this context, a new principal must deal with competing personal and professional values, as well as the competing divergent views of district level administrators, school board members,…

This publication summarizes and explains education-related court decisions in an effort to supply school people with guidelines in determining how school law applies to specific situations in their school districts. Although there is some emphasis on Oklahoma law, cases cited originated in all parts of the United States. Cases cited concern civil…

This curriculum guide is intended to encourage students to learn how everyone benefits when young people, other citizens, and the media exercise the constitutional rights of free speech and free press. Background information on free speech issues is provided, along with classroom activities, discussion questions, and student worksheets. There are…

Today, there is little deviation from the standard, business-as-usual practices in the world of education. This book challenges these stale practices and asks the important questions that can improve schools beyond the current state of mediocrity. Written for administrators, supervisors, teachers, parents--even politicians and corporate…