Recent efforts to change the teaching profession and teacher preparation include a number of innovations to use portfolio assessment, value added measures (VAM), accountability metrics and other corporate education reform ideas. These approaches may provoke considerable potential legal consequences. Traditional constitutional and civil rights…

Examines the development of retraction laws, which require publishers to correct allegedly false stories, and looks at their constitutional implications. (GT)

The literature on the use of corporal punishment with children is reviewed, legal opinions on the issue are cited, and research on the social and behavioral aspects of corporal punishment are discussed. The literature is noted to focus on guidelines for administering corporal punishment, the importance of the relationship between the adult and…

Points out several liability considerations a classroom teacher should be made aware of in undertaking the role of cooperating teacher. (FL)

The 20 years following the "New York Times v. Sullivan" Supreme Court decision have seen an accelerating erosion of the protection necessary for the press to perform its function. The erosion has occurred in part because of unfavorable decisions of the substantive law. But in a very large measure it has also been because of uncertain and…

This is the 22nd in a series of yearly updates of judicial decision summaries for case law related to elementary and secondary education issues. One can use previous and future editions to track decisions on appeal or to see trends in case law. With few exceptions, the cases were selected from court decisions found in federal and regional…

This is the 21st in a series of yearly updates of judicial decision summaries for case law related to elementary and secondary education issues. One can use previous and future editions to track decisions on appeal or to see trends in case law. The cases included, with a few exceptions, were selected from court decisions found in federal and…

This is the 23rd in a series of yearly updates of judicial decision summaries for case law related to elementary- and secondary-education issues. One can use previous and future editions to track decisions on appeal or to spot trends in case law. With few exceptions, the cases were selected from court decisions found in federal and regional…

Chapter 6 of a book on school law attempts to identify and examine a few of the legal problems raised by minimum competency programs, which make successful performance on a standardized test a condition for receipt of a high school diploma. The three areas where minimum competency tests are most likely to be challenged are the equal protection and…

Student and cooperating teachers must protect themselves from legal problems by introducing legislation where none exists, particularly on the state level. (LH)

The purpose of the report is to inform students, parents, school personnel, and officials of the legal issues related to harassment, bullying, and discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students. This report describes existing research on the current school climate for LGBT youth as well as the harmful effects of…

Discusses national differences, natural justice, and protection of tangible expressions in the copyright law and tactical and practical considerations regarding the legal aspects of author compensation for library lending. Special problems for public lending rights legislation (PLR) in the U.S. are cited. Eighteen references are provided. (CHC)

This paper examines how child protection legislation has affected educational systems and school personnel in Canada and the United States and draws general conclusions about the adequacy of legislation concerning child abuse reporting requirements. Vagueness in the laws leads to problems with their implementation. (PP)

The author investigates the mutual effects that legal and adjustment issues have on the plight of some children. A court-appointed child adversary, who would represent the child in custody and visitation decisions, could lead to improved postdivorce adjustment for many children, she concludes. (Editor)

An advisory committee, in response to a 1985 resolution by the Virginia General Assembly, presents this analysis and makes recommendations concerning state school bus safety. The report is divided into eight topics; six appendices comprise three-fourths of the study. "Origin of the Study" states requests to be investigated by the…