Arranged in three sections, this paper summarizes Congressional action pertaining to the proposed Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) from the bill's introduction in 1969 to its defeat in 1982. Part 1, an introduction, provides a brief overview of the legislative process and explains how to obtain cited publications for further reference. Part 2 includes…

Part 1 of this three-part article traces James Madison's life and focuses primarily on those events that prepared him for leadership in the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787. It describes his early love of learning, education, and public service efforts. Part 2 chronicles Madison's devotion to study and preparation prior to the Constitutional…

Explores the differences between the U.S. Constitution and British constitutional law. Specifically examines the concept of the U.S. Bill of Rights in relation to the United Kingdom common law doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty. (BSR)

Discusses Patrick Henry's and James Madison's opinions on how the U.S. Constitution should be constructed. Describes how Henry introduced a set of substantive objections which were shared by Antifederalists throughout the country and persuaded many Revolutionaries that the Constitution was essentially at odds with the principles of 1776. (BSR)

While print media are protected by the First Amendment, the electronic media are subject to content regulations. Gives an historical overview, showing how the Federal Communications Commission came to regulate radio. There should be a constitutional solution, an amendment protecting electronic media from government regulations. (CS)

Supreme Court decisions are reviewed to determine the status of a constitutional right to education. (GW)

This paper from a session of the Council of Educational Facilities Planners addresses the topic of access to educational facilities by the public. It explains that many organizations and individuals request access to public educational facilities; while boards and administrators generally want to make them available for public use, problems…

Students read a fact situation, identify the constitutional issue, find and analyze the portion of the Constitution that treats the issue, and consider the analysis to be an hypothesis that will be supported or will fail when examined in light of reference material, such as Supreme Court case summaries. (RM)

In requiring proof of discriminatory intent to establish claims of unconstitutional discrimination, the Supreme Court has failed to distinguish between goal discrimination and means discrimination. Both forms of discriminatory intent involve different circumstances and must be proved somewhat differently. Recognizing the distinction allows more…

Compares the origin and development of the two evidentiary theories, discriminatory purpose and disproportionate impact, discusses lower court responses to "Washington vs Davis" in cases brought under the Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1870, and compares the conflicting notions of equality that underlie the two evidentiary theories.…

Reviews attitudes toward censorship in the United States throughout its history in relation to the nation and its institutions. The library is recognized as an institution in which censorship has no place, due to its creed of information access and intellectual freedom for all. (MBR)

Examines issues related to copyright and how they affect the creation, protection, and distribution of multimedia materials. Topics discussed include a definition of copyright, the relevance of copyright, the concept of fair use, derivative and collective works, copyright and constitutional law, and information guides to copyright issues. (10…

Discusses the state of children's rights in the United States in the wake of U.S. Senate refusal to ratify the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. Examines the discrepancy between the U.S. leadership role in human rights and child advocacy and the legal system's treatment of children strictly according to law. (JPB)

The Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution provides protection of all citizens against unreasonable search and seizure. The US Supreme Court has affirmed that the basic purpose of the Fourth Amendment is to safeguard the privacy and security of individuals against unreasonable intrusive searches by governmental officials. Since students possess…

An academic leader needs to have a basic understanding of the relevant constitutional and statutory provisions, evolving laws, and legal issues affecting higher education and the relationship between legal considerations and academic administration. At the same time, an academic leader must focus on accomplishing the goals, objectives, and…