In response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the USA PATRIOT Act greatly expanded the ability of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to use National Security Letters (NSLs) in investigations and the contexts in which they could be used by relaxing the standards under which NSLs could be employed. NSLs allow investigators to acquire a significant…

When it comes to dealing with cyber attacks, there's no silver bullet. Ironically, however, college educators are already accustomed to wielding what may be the best weapon of all--education. Assaulted by the myriad species of spam, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, viruses, and other diseases that so easily infect and sometimes devastate campus…

This paper analyses teachers' attitudes towards the use of textbooks as a means of understanding what happens in a heavily centralized education system. Whilst the research is based on a particular country, the lessons can be applied to many parts of the globalized education system. The research question here is to find out whether the teachers…

ReLeah Cossett Lent provides practical advice for ensuring that books are kept on shelves and in classrooms for students to read. She outlines steps for creating professional learning communities that engage with censorship issues and prepare schools to deal with book challenges in thoughtful, supportive ways. (Contains 4 figures.)

It is shown that the technological capabilities of a nation are related to national IQ. Nations with a higher percentage of high-IQ individuals generate more technological knowledge (as measured by patents granted per head of population) than other nations. Technological achievement is also shown to mediate the relationship between national IQ and…

Ever since the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the Association of American Colleges issued the joint 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, two truths have been deemed self-evident: that academic freedom is vital to meaningful teaching and intellectual work, and that tenure is necessary to ensure…

In this article, the author provides an executive summary of the Toledo guiding principles on teaching about religions and beliefs in public schools in Spain. The Toledo Guiding Principles have been prepared in order to contribute to an improved understanding of the world's increasing religious diversity and the growing presence of religion in the…

Facebook is one of the fastest growing applications of the Internet. Social networking via Facebook provides a popular way for students and others to connect with a wide audience and expand their circle of friends. Facebook account holders have been denied admission to universities, not hired for jobs, lost scholarships, been disciplined by…

In the modern era, the National Education Association (NEA) is committed to the rights of teachers and faculty members to teach, undertake research, and lead fully political lives without fear of retribution. This devotion can be seen in policy statements, legislative activities, and the pages of "Thought and Action," its journal devoted to higher…

A study traced the development of state open-meeting laws, beginning with the concept of open access presented in English common law and extending to the present time. Responses to inquiries were solicited from state press association managers. Analysis of the responses received, as well as secondary sources, identified current legislation and…

At least 17 university faculty members have been the direct objects of unfavorable public commentary by the conservative organization Accuracy in Academia, Inc (AIA). Two case studies that have received much attention involve two political science professors: Dr. Terry Anderson of Texas A & M University, and Dr. Mark Reader of Arizona State…

The effects of government restraints on the process of free interaction between scientists is discussed. The careless application of export control laws to the transfer of information is described. Applicable statutes include: the Atomic Energy Act, the Invention Secrecy Act, the Arms Export Control Act, etc. (MLW)

Considers recent actions of the federal government which regulate information transfer and their possible impact on academic freedom within universities. The regulatory policies discussed encompass prepublication review and classification of research reports, limiting access of foreign scholars to U.S. universities, and limiting the dissemination…

In a lawsuit brought by six Virginia public university professors, a federal district court ruled that access to Internet material for academic purposes was a matter of public concern and that plaintiffs' interest in that material outweighed the state's regulating interests. The Fourth Circuit's reversal gave the state extensive authority over…

This article lays the foundation of American First Amendment jurisprudence in public schools and examines recent cases relating to student Internet speech. Particular emphasis is placed on the ability of schools to regulate student off-campus Internet speech. School authorities who wish to regulate nonthreatening off-campus speech in the…