This paper examines recent court decisions that indicate the extent of constitutional protection extended to opinionated statements made during broadcast commentaries. A brief overview of both the common law and constitutional privileges protecting the expression of opinion is also included in the paper. Specifically, the paper evaluates the…

This document was designed to be used as a narrative compendium of current research in the area of child abuse and neglect, and as a research/reference aid to specific topics in the study of child maltreatment. Within each section heading, new publications are briefly described and their most important findings are highlighted, referenced by the…

Pure research in school law is not possible, since the researcher must rely on inquiry that can be verified by experience and observation in the field. The studies produced in the past year tend to fall into the following classes: compliance, accountability, impact, cost-effectiveness, Supreme Court decisions, and the process by which minority law…

This monograph explores many of the issues related to teacher assessment. In Section I, the criteria for teacher assessment and evaluation are discussed. An analysis is given of the issues involved in teacher assessment in the second section. Among the issues considered are the validity of research findings on teacher effectiveness, measurement…

The right of privacy, a personal right protecting the most traditional concepts of privacy and the most tangible qualities of private life, is discussed in relation to many cases, including three involving teachers in secondary schools. (Author/PG)

The court decision of the Bloomfield College case concerning dismissals and abolition of tenure is presented with an explanatory introduction. (PG)

Boards of education should undertake the process of devising acceptable grievance procedures with great care and with the most expert advice available. A sensible, workable, and fair system is most likely to evolve if the board takes the initiative rather than waiting for demands by the teachers' associations. (WM)

Examines the legal and constitutional implications of the fundamentalist movement to win equal time for creation doctrine in science and biology textbooks. (JR)

This paper discusses the fair use doctrine added to the Copyright Revision Act, Public Law 94-553 (October, 1976). Fair use, an exception to the exclusive rights of copyright, is an assurance to the public of reasonable access to its heritage as guaranteed by the First and Ninth Amendments to the Constitution. Several important cases are described…

This book, a how-to-do-it guide for the novice and the professional alike, deals with several aspects of radio journalism: producing documentaries, preparing and announcing radio news, ethics and responsibility, regulation of radio journalism, and careers. It traces the history and growth of radio news, shows its impact on the public, and…

Discussions collected in this newsletter include the following speeches all of which were presented at the 1976 convention of the Western States Speech Communication Association: "Where the First Amendment is Silent," a sketch of current speech rights and a prediction for the future; "Freedom of Speech in University Theatre; or,…

Discusses the rapid shift in relationships between suppliers of raw materials and the consumers. Indicates that the solution to the major world problems involves changing human behavior, not technology. (GS)

In an attempt to put the Defunis case into proper perspective, the suthor examines some of the key issues involved in preferential minority admission. (HMV)

To provide a comparative perspective on the legalization of education, the author analyzes the role of the West German Federal Constitutional Court in shaping educational policy. He identifies two constitutional norms the court uses to interpret the relationship between education and the state: equal protection and the legitimacy of educational…

Innovations in technology have enabled homeowners to pirate satellite signals intended for cable television operators through the use of home earth-stations. Section 605 of the Communications Act of 1934, which governs reception of signals, is inadequate to regulate this situation because it appears that publication of received programing outside…