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…

Resource materials and learning activities to help secondary students in Kentucky learn about their state's court system are provided. The guide begins by providing a history of the Kentucky Court of Justice. Discussed are the qualification of judges, the Retirement and Removal Commission, the Judicial Nominating Commission, and juries. Background…

How the law deals with the question of "Should students have rights in school?" is examined. One specific area of possible rights in schools--the question of searches of students by school officials--is discussed in depth. (RM)

Designed to give students in grades 5 through 12 information about the Minnesota court system, this document provides teachers and students with the necessary background materials to study Minnesota's courts. Rather than an introduction to all law, the document is limited to the function and operation of the courts. The curricular materials cover…

This lesson plan about Indiana's court system is designed to work with any classroom resources a teacher may use when teaching a U.S. history, government, or Indiana history class. The lesson also provides online suggestions, general legal links at the end of the lesson to aid a teacher or student interested in exploring other legal topics, and a…

A secondary curriculum for teaching about Texas law is designed for use by both teachers and visiting resource persons. Introductory materials include a preface, acknowledgements, an introduction, and practical suggestions for visiting speakers. The main body of the publication contains nine units of material on the following topics: Texas courts,…

Indiana state and local government structure and the governance process are outlined in this comprehensive survey which is used in government courses throughout Indiana. Legislative power is granted to the General Assembly whose powers, duties, compensation, terms of office, and qualifications are explicated. The legislative process and financing…

This is a collection of brief articles from "Perspective: The Campus Legal Monthly Newsletter" concerning legal decisions relevant to higher education in the United States since 1986. The articles summarize court decisions which addressed legal issues in the following areas: academic decisions; academic employment and freedoms; copyright,…

This document contains the following "Abbott Opinions": (1) "Early Childhood Education"; (2) "Adequate School Facilities"; (3) "Supplemental Programs and Whole School Reform in Elementary Schools"; (4) "Supplemental Programs in Middle and High Schools"; and (5) "Planning Programs and Budgets…

Discusses the history, development, and addition of the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution. Describes the role of delegates from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania in this process. Includes a bibliography and suggestions for planning student assignments and activities on this topic. (CFR)

Student activity pages, teacher background information, and lesson ideas for teaching about law in social studies classrooms are presented. The first section, "Law and Alabama History," focuses on law at the state level. Included are a brief history of Alabama's court system and prison system, a summary of rules for safe driving, a law…

Contends that all of the U.S. Supreme Court Justices in 1947 agreed that the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment erected a wall of separation between church and state. Reviews Establishment Clause history, includes summaries of court opinions, and concludes that a more thorough curriculum about the wall of separation is needed. (CFR)

The first part of this document, designed for middle school students, describes the Rhode Island court system. A history of the court in Rhode Island, an explanation of courts and their jurisdictions, the jury, appointment and duties of judges, court personnel, and sentencing are explained. An appendix outlines the rights of crime victims, the…

Contends that, although civil liberties are part of the higher education and secondary curriculum, the development of constitutional liberty by state supreme courts and state constitutions is almost totally ignored. Reviews 11 college-level textbooks and analyzes their treatment of civil liberties related to state laws and courts. (CFR)

Reports on a study of the treatment of the Second Amendment in 24 secondary-level U.S. history textbooks and 8 U.S. government textbooks. Discusses inadequate and inaccurate interpretations and calls for a portrayal of the Second Amendment that reflects what the founding fathers wanted and what the courts have decided. (CFR)