Two union lawyers concede that employer concern about substance abuse is legitimate but object to the invasion of individual privacy and the assault on worker dignity. Describe the standards that must be met for drug testing to be constitutionally valid and identify the unreliable technology of drug tests. (MLF)

Discusses the federal constitutional limits placed on school officials in various attempts to reduce crime in their schools. Describes searches of a student's person and belongings, school lockers, and the use of metal detectors. Possible pitfalls for schools in their efforts to reduce crime include due process requirements. (97 footnotes) (MLF)

Focuses on the recent application and interpretation of the Fourth Amendment to school children. Discusses the amendment in regard to the relationship between school authorities and children, students' legitimate expectation of privacy, reasonableness in justification of a search, issues of mass mandatory screening, and requirements of due process…

Cites two court cases regarding students' complains of sexual harassment by teachers. Contends that the educators in these cases violated both commonly accepted personal morality and the ethics of their profession. Reveals a widespread resistance to the study on the psychological development of girls. (MLF)

Reviews Supreme Court case, New Jersey v. T.L.O., that established the right of school officials to conduct searches of students when the purpose is to maintain discipline, order, and safety in the educational setting. The need to have reasonable grounds for suspicion before conducting the search is emphasized. (CR)

Many view the problem of violence as not merely a school problem, but as a much larger community problem that is finding its way into the schools. As a society, in addition to teaching our children how to be violent, we are giving them the tools of violence. There are steps that school board members can take to establish and maintain control of…

Findings of a study that examined the effect of a 13-week inservice program on administrators' awareness of laws governing student searches and seizures are presented in this practicum report. Four school-site administrators participated in the project once a week. Program activities included case analyses, role-playing exercises, and…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: A parent who notices a gun in his child's room would not hesitate to ask questions and demand answers about its presence. As a school administrator, I believe it is my responsibility to ask questions and take action when I find an equally destructive weapon--drugs--in my schools. The zealous…

The courts have come to play an increasingly important role in educational policy making and the administrative management of our public schools. This is especially apparent in the context of school discipline where numerous and varied controversies have been translated into legal disputes over the past three decades, many of which have ultimately…

The Supreme Court in 1985 first addressed the issue of balance between a student's right to privacy as stated in the Fourth Amendment and school officials' need to maintain safety. This chapter summarizes the case, explores the meaning of the court opinion, and briefly discusses other issues. The case involved a 14-year-old girl (T.L.O.) whose…

This chapter discusses legal ramifications of administrative decisions in schools involving bombs and bomb threats, false fire alarms, searches and seizure, and police investigations in the schools. In the case of bomb threats, the principal and not the police must take the legal responsibility for making the decision of whether or not to evacuate…

The purpose of this study was to help public school administrators, especially principals, to understand the legal and constitutional limitations of their authority in dealing with students. Control of students is discussed as five separate topics, each representing a chapter, as follows: (1) freedom of expression and First Amendment rights; (2)…

The illegal Mexican migration to the U.S. has resulted in judicial and statutory responses that have constrained the constitutional and civil rights of Chicanos. The Supreme Court, in its concern for stopping the flow of illegal immigrants, has ruled in U.S. v. Martinez-Fuerte that it is not a constitutional violation to refer motorists to a…

This draft was developed by educators, parents, administrators, students, and Office of Overseas Dependents education representatives. It is designed to serve as a guide for the local development of handbooks regarding student rights and responsibilities. The draft, which will be reviewed after recommended revisions are received, is very broad…

This monograph summarizes methods used to investigate and prevent crime in school, sketches possible legal claims that students might make as a result of these approaches to inschool crime prevention, and, in an extensive analysis of five court cases, gives particular attention to the legal issues related to searches of student lockers by school…