Given the common English legal traditions in Canada and the United States, it is not surprising that the courts in both nations have been asked to find the balance between the free speech interests of teachers and their responsibilities as role models. Compares and contrasts court ruling in both countries. (47 footnotes) (Author/MLF)

Discussion of conflicts arising within the professional responsibility/conduct of college faculty focuses on problems associated with use of norms to guide behavior. It is suggested that dissenting conduct is a central professional norm for academics, closely connected to the university's purpose, and that academic freedom provides a defense of…

Examines liability issues and Internet use--specifically e-mail--that libraries should be aware of. Discusses confidentiality and employer review; how federal laws, statutory limitations, and Illinois State Constitution and statutes affect employer e-mail monitoring; invasion of privacy; and the Freedom of Information Act. Offers procedural and…

A discussion of academic freedom and university autonomy in Africa first looks at the concept and social utility of those two attributes, and the operational conditions for their realization, then examines the general conditions under which African intellectuals work and the specific situation of academic freedom. Several directions for the future…

Provides a lesson plan with activities using the materials presented in this issue of "Insights on Law and Society" as a basis to test students' critical skills. Focuses on the topic of religious freedom and the ideas of James Madison and Patrick Henry on civil order. Includes a student handout. (CMK)

Provides background information on the topic of Internet filtering in schools and libraries, particularly related to the use of the Internet by children. Includes discussion questions, Web sites that present more information on Internet filtering, and three activities: (1) staging a simulation; (2) writing a policy statement; and (3) conducting a…

The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down parts of the Communications Decency Act as violating the First Amendment. The law was predicted to wreak havoc on the Internet and connected campus computer networks. The 1996 law was aimed at protecting children from pornography but threatened the availability of a wide range of materials,…

Considers how civil law might treat claims of defamation arising from computer newsgroup postings. Concludes that newsgroup postings will probably be treated as a hybrid of print and broadcast media, and that newsgroup users will vigorously and aggressively protect freedoms of speech and press. While traditional defenses to defamation charges will…

Examines one theory used to justify science teaching on the basis of goals that transcend learning the content of science. Focuses on the goal of intellectual independence from science for nonscientists. Provides a brief overview of other content-transcendent goals in science education. Contains 45 references. (DDR)

Relevant studies on support from sociology, psychology, and communications, as well as library and information studies, are summarized and applied to analyze the services of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Cooperative Children's Book Center, a library widely sought for intellectual freedom support. (MES)

Provides a survey of various Internet sites that focus on the religious practices in modern China (People's Republic of China) listing such sites as: (1) the China Daily Web site; (2) the U.S. Department of State online documents; and (3) the Web site for Human Rights in China. (CMK)

Provides a literature review and national dataset analyses regarding the perceived conditions of women community college faculty members. Reports that the climate at the average community college may be friendlier than at four-year institutions; however, women faculty at community colleges are not free from the confines of glass ceilings, academic…

Attempts to address the potential advantages and disadvantages of school choice. Describes why school choice is attractive to parents, but poses concerns for teachers. Addresses how choice programs in the United Kingdom and the United States attempt to allay these concerns. Contends that research does show school choice affects academic…

Studied how doctoral students experienced their working conditions as they worked toward PhDs in Sweden. Survey responses of 278 doctoral students and interviews with 6 female students show their attitudes about their PhD work and describe the advantages and limitations of research freedom and demands on their time. (SLD)

Recently, universities and other research institutions have increased the number of regulations concerning research "ethics." Driven by fears of litigation or political unpopularity and acting in an authoritarian manner, many institutional ethics boards are exceeding their purpose and are threatening both the validity of their faculty's…