Focuses on the operational meanings of the following terms--"handicapped individual,""otherwise qualified,""reasonable accommodation," and "essential functions of the job"--as developed primarily in federal court decisions concerned with employment issues associated with handicapped persons in public…

Argues that the record of the United States Supreme Court hardly warrants a view of the Court as a special protector of minorities. The idea of the Court as guardian of minority rights obscures the more fundamental and lasting role of the Court as protector of property rights. (SLD)

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in "Planned Parenthood" supported school officials who refused to publish certain advertisements in school-sponsored newspapers. Contends that school officials' desire to avoid any possible controversy was the underlying motive for the decision to not publish the advertisement. (MLF)

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Equal Access Act (EAA) had precedence over the state constitution under the Supremacy Clause. Examines that decision and considers its implications for the implementation of the EAA as well as other issues in church-state separation in education. (53 footnotes) (MLF)

School boards need to keep current on the status of graduation prayer. The "Weisman" decision said graduation prayers violated the First Amendment; the "Jones" decision would allow graduation ceremonies with student-led invocations and benedictions. Reviews these decisions to pinpoint the sources of confusion in subsequent…

Reviews recent federal appellate court cases dealing with legal issues involving random drug testing of students participating in extracurricular activities. Draws implications for school business officials and other educators. (PKP)

This conference paper analyzes the least restrictive environment (LRE) provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and reviews and compares the standards created by different Federal Circuit Court decisions on LRE. The following cases are analyzed: (1) Briggs v. Board of Education, which deferred to the public agency's…

Federal judge discusses role of federal courts in implementing laws concerning welfare of citizens; especially helping delivery of social services in state, mental and penal institutions. Gives various examples of real cases to illustrate his argument. Appeals to people working in social services to do their duty conscientiously. Based on speech…

In its 1988-89 term, the Supreme Court, dominated by a conservative 5-4 majority made possible by the addition of Justice Kennedy, issued a number of decisions of significance to school districts. These decisions of the Supreme Court's 1988-89 term are summarized in this study and organized by subject matter into five sections: (1) civil rights in…

An annotated bibliography lists 34 Supreme Court decisions since 1970 that have arisen in colleges and universities. They are organized according to the type of institution to which they appear to apply (public, general, private, and church-related), and according to their application to student or faculty affairs. The following decisions are…

Three recent federal court decisions dealt with the use of public university and public school facilities by student groups for religious activities. In "Widmar v. Vincent," the United States Supreme Court decided that the University of Missouri at Kansas City was not justified in its denial of permission to a registered student…

Supreme Court decisions tend to take the form of either (1) an act of justification or argumentation that defends the verdict of the communicator, or (2) a construction of a new symbolic reality that influences the world view of its audience. The "Roe vs. Wade" decision is an example of the merger of these two rhetorical functions. The…

This paper analyzes the present state of the law and offers some suggestions for school officials who seek to update their school regulations concerning student publications. It examines court cases in such areas as restrictions on the time, place, and manner in which students can distribute publications; prior restraint or censorship of…

The United States Supreme Court's attitude toward school integration is analyzed in this paper. The liberal rulings of the Court under Justice Earl Warren are traced through 1974. The Court's consideration during this racist period and the disproportionate impact of school board policies in producing segregated schooling is detailed. The reversal…

School board censorship of library books and of curriculum materials and methodology can infringe on fundamental constitutional rights, according to this seventh chapter in a book on school law. In the last decade, cases in federal courts have tended to support the authority of school boards to control library materials. However, board authority…