It is argued here that autonomy entails universal psychological needs pertaining to agency and identity formation, expressed in different ways over different developmental periods. As children develop skills and abilities related to psychological needs for self-expression and competence, they will claim areas related to the exercise of these…

At present liberal education is generally understood and justified as the acquisition of critical thinking skills and individual autonomy. Traditionally, however, the ultimate purpose of liberal education has been leisure. Freedom, it was thought, was not simply the result of critical thinking but also required the cultivation of leisure that…

This article reports on the controversy over the "academic bill of rights" that is being pushed by conservative activist David Horowitz of the Center for the Study of Popular Culture. A committee in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a resolution in July that reflects the concerns of this "bill," which has been…

This article presents the address delivered by Roger Bowen, American Association of University Professors' (AAUP) general secretary, last fall to the Coalition of Faculty Associations of Western New York. The AAUP's history could be rendered in a series of biographies about academic dissenters who dared to speak truth to power. His address centers…

The recent ban of "conspicuous" religious symbols in French state schools has received international attention, especially the uncertainty of whether Muslims will comply with the ban. The issue, however, raises a number of philosophical dilemmas regarding toleration in a liberal democracy, the notion of a "neutral" public space…

In this article, the author describes how the quest for external funding has dominated academic science and argues that today's scientists should think about pledging allegiance to traditional academic values. Enthusiasm for the pre-Cold War model of the university can probably not be justified in utilitarian terms or explained as a consequence of…

In the simplest terms, academic freedom means unfettered scholarly inquiry, a scholar's fundamental right of research, publication, and instruction free of institutional constraint. This indispensable principle of scholarship is the precious gift of independent intellectual judgment--an endowment of open inquiry, free investigation, speculation,…

Sketched in somewhat general terms, there are two basic ways of going about teaching ethics: (1) the moral indoctrination approach, which is essentially a rote learning exercise; and (2) the moral engagement approach, which emphasizes listening to others in an open-minded manner and coming to carefully considered conclusions only after thoughtful…

Qualitative research exists in a time of global uncertainty. Around the world, governments are attempting to regulate scientific inquiry by defining what counts as "good" science. These regulatory activities raise fundamental, philosophical epistemological, political and pedagogical issues for scholarship and freedom of speech in the…

Purpose: This study examined federal and state civil money penalties and fines collected from nursing homes and how states used the collected funds. Design and Methods: We used a telephone survey of state officials, Freedom of Information Act requests, state Web site searches, and stakeholder interviews to describe the funds collected, the…

Schools and, more specifically, school administrators, have been charged with balancing the expressive rights of students while maintaining a safe school environment. Recently, student created websites have become the chosen method in which students have voiced their opinions about schools, teachers and school administrators. Many school…

"Education Matters" is the monthly newsletter of the Association of American Educators (AAE), an organization dedicated to advancing the American teaching profession through personal growth, professional development, teacher advocacy and protection. This issue of the newsletter includes: (1) Misread: Why Congress Isn't Giving Her the…

The paper discusses the major issues connected with the accreditation procedures in higher education system in the U.S. The questions raised are as follows: what are the reliable and credible indicators of quality instruction that could be measured in the process of accreditation of higher education institutions? How does greater transparency in…

The principal is faced with myriad legal issues on a daily basis, making it imperative that he or she keep abreast with developing legal issues. The first of four sections, "Students and the Law," surveys federal statutes and landmark Supreme Court decisions pertaining to the rights of students. It addresses legal issues regarding search and…

The proposed deployment of the National Research and Education Network (NREN) offers an unprecedented opportunity for shaping a new expression of civic and pedagogical culture. It can be a positive force for change or a regressive distribution of resources and influence to those already most in possession of them. To prepare for the NREN, the…