In "Zelman v. Simmons-Harris," the Supreme Court of the US made it clear that governments do not unconstitutionally "establish" religion merely by permitting eligible students to use publicly funded scholarships to attend qualifying religious schools, so long as the students' parents are able to make a "true private…

Designed to give lawyers 12 practical suggestions that will make their presentations to elementary and secondary students more effective, this document also can be used by teachers. An introduction gives information about working with students: how to get to know students; how to make a presentation to students; how to choose a suitable topic; and…

Designed for use with the student text, "Into Your Hands His Life and Liberty. A Collection of Significant Cases from the Rhode Island Courts," this teachers' guide presents activities, lesson strategies, related activities, court decisions, and additional questions. The cases, dating from Roger Williams to the 1970s, examine religious…

Today more than ever before, lay persons are being asked to share in the catechetical ministry of the Catholic Church by serving as catechetical leaders, catechists, and religious education board members. This handbook is designed to provide catechetical leaders and others involved in parish religious education with essential information about…

This book describes the actions that led to the 1973 United States Supreme Court case to establish administrator rights, "Holstrop v. Illinois Junior College District 515." The book was written by the plaintiff, who believed that he had been illegally removed from his presidency at Prairie State College, a junior college in Illinois.…

Asserting that fear and misunderstanding about religion in public education precludes reflection and compromise needed to promote societal well-being, this paper examines the current status of religion in U.S. public education and considers implications for policy making and practice. A brief history of religion in public education and two recent…

During the past year, in cases involving the authority of school boards to make curricular decisions and provide for services, the courts have balanced school board authority against constitutional and statutory provisions related to privacy, free exercise of religion, and public records laws. Section 1, "School Boards and Board Members," outlines…

The second in a special four-part series of law-school partnership handbooks on constitutional themes, this document focuses on equality. "Equality--the Forgotten Word" (J. A. Hughes) discusses what has been considered the U.S. Constitution's one flaw, its failure to abolish slavery, and the remedy to that flaw, the Fourteenth Amendment.…

The system of school finance equity in Texas is described as it existed before the court case Edgewood Independent School District (ISD) v. Kirby, and the overhaul mandated by legal rulings in the evolving Edgewood case is reviewed. In Texas, as elsewhere, the system of school finance has historically been based on the local property taxes…

The teacher's guide and a students' guide focus on basic constitutional issues dealing with the media and free press. Students examine case studies, tabloid headlines, and various policy issues relating to information dissemination in society. The guide provides recommended lesson sequences incorporating readings, directed discussions, and…

This teaching guide accompanies a curriculum, intended to be used in the upper elementary grades, that introduces students to the study of constitutional government in the United States. It is designed to help students understand the most important ideas of the constitutional system and how they were developed, and to provide them with a knowledge…

This curriculum presents lessons and materials designed to teach immigrant students their rights and responsibilities under the U.S. legal system. The lessons employ interactive strategies, and develop higher order thinking skills as they foster English language learning. The curriculum contains eight units: (1) "Roots of Rights: Introduction…

Promoting change in civic education means rethinking what are the important aspects to teach about the Constitution, law, and democracy to equip students to be effective and affective citizens. The scope of instruction needs to broaden to include specific comparisons between the U.S. federal system of law and constitutionalism with counterparts in…

Materials, activities, and lesson plans for educating middle school students about the law and the legal system are presented. Materials for the sixth grade are contained in six sections: (1) Prehistoric Man; (2) Ancient Civilizations; (3) Ancient Greece; (4) Ancient Rome; (5) Medieval Civilizations; and (6) the Renaissance. Grade 7 has three…

Information about the French policy of government aid to private schools is presented in this report to promote understanding in the United States of the pluralist dilemma raised by the private school aid issue. An historical longitudinal policy evaluation involved document analysis and interviews with 16 French policy actors. The French policy is…