The first part of this document presents an overview of a ninth grade social studies course. Included is a brief description of the five-unit course, a note to teachers about course content, a suggested time schedule, a comment on teaching controversial issues, a rationale and major goals of the course. The second part contains a unit on…

This handbook for elementary and secondary school principals contains several chapters on topics important to building level administrators. Each chapter summarizes relevant state and federal court decisions and statutes, concluding with recommendations for practice. The handbook is divided into four sections: students and the law, special…

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…

This casebook contains excerpts of 86 legal decisions handed down by appellate courts during 1985-95. The book was developed to inform school administrators about recent legal decisions in educational matters. In the area of general administration, cases cover issues of central governance, attendance, church/state relationship, curriculum, and…

All three branches of American government--legislative, executive, and judicial--play a significant role in shaping the enterprise of American public education. This book, an update of the 1980 second edition, describes and analyzes changes in education and the dynamic impact of the law on education's authority. The book can serve as an advanced…

This monograph was designed primarily to provide a broad-scope treatment of case law involving public school issues. It summarizes judicial decisions that provide a general overview of school law issues for the practicing administrator, teacher, or school board member. The cases were selected from judicial decisions found in federal and regional…

This handbook informs the reader of the provisions of the constitutions and statutes of California and the United States as they are interpreted by the courts to affect the rights and responsibilities of public school students. The first of the handbook's seven sections reviews the constitutional rights of students, their right and their duty to…

This monograph analyzes contemporary legal controversies concerning religion, the states, and the schools and the interface between law and education. The introduction provides an overview of issues treated in the following seven chapters and includes a series of tables that place recent controversies in the historical context of prior U.S.…

The application of constitutional doctrines to controversies involving higher education institutions and legal theories emanating from the Supreme Court are discussed. The historical review covers academic freedom at colleges, or freedom from political interference of of outside intervention: freedom of speech or association in colleges and…

Provides a lesson for middle school students, examining the expansion and contraction of civil rights in response to sociopolitical developments. Suggests that students review voting rights extensions and analyze case studies involving students' freedom of speech. Lists topics for student research on a variety of free speech issues. (CH)

Presents court briefs for three separate constitutional issues: the individual right to die as tested in the "Cruzan v. Missouri Department of Health" case; constitutional rights and drunk driving; and student religious clubs' right to meet at public schools in accordance with the Equal Access Act of 1984. Analyzes court opinions and…

Two articles in this instructional newsletter elucidate rulings by the United States Supreme Court, Circuit Court of Appeals, and District Courts affecting state sponsored school prayer: (1) "First Amendment Prayer Pendulum"; (2) "First Amendment. Rosenberger v University of Virginia." The newsletter provides the facts of the…

This monograph reviews the law applying to defamation issues, cites various judicial decisions that affect colleges and universities, and offers guidance for minimizing the risk of defamation liability. It defines the two subclasses of defamatory statements: first, libel, which is a recorded or printed statement, and second, slander, which is…

This volume presents an analysis and synthesis of the opinions of the Supreme Court explaining judgments that have directly decided education matters and those that have had substantial impact on public education policies and procedures even though the parties to the suits were not connected with public education. The chapters are structured…

The purpose of this lesson packet is to raise issues about student rights of free expression in public schools. Included are preparatory reading material and two classroom simulation activities. The lessons are based on the U.S. Supreme Court case of Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, in which a Missouri high school principal and school district were sued by…