American higher education is caught in an unparalleled environment in which traditional political partisanship is affecting issues such as academic freedom, student access, and international competition. The country's million or so faculty members constitute a huge national resource, and if they worked together they could become a powerful voice…

In this article, the author reviews the history of the National Education Association (NEA), which celebrated its 150th year in 2007. Over that time, NEA has been a driving force in education at all levels. The story of NEA is about the building of a unique American school system and the articulation of three levels of education into a unified…

Engaging students requires giving them a say in what they learn and how they will learn it. However, in strictly disciplined, rule-bound schools with test-driven curricula, this cannot happen. Edison Schools, Inc., a for-profit Education Management Organization (EMO), and Confluence Academy, an Edison-run school located in one of the most…

This program examines the pros and cons of military secrecy in the absence of significant enemies. The United States is still buying weapons and conducting military operations under a veil of secrecy established during the Cold War. Many would argue such secrecy is unnecessary in light of recent world developments. The study guide offers questions…

This report attempts to summarize recent attitudes toward and developments in tenure-related issues in American higher education. Modern academic tenure rests on the principles of academic freedom and economic security. Currently, public perceptions of the notion of tenure are often quite negative, with some critics charging that educators have…

Can literature with obscene language be available in public schools? Can a teacher discuss the use of such language with students? This paper presents two points of view--one advocating the censorship of obscene language in literature and teaching in the public schools, and the other opposing it. The paper describes outcomes of court litigation…

The use of information networks for business and government is expanding enormously. Government use of networks features prominently in plans to make government more efficient, effective, and responsive. But the transformation brought about by the networking also raises new concerns for the security and privacy of networked information. This…

Both freedom of speech and freedom from discrimination are generally accepted expressions of public policy. The application of these policies, however, leads to conflicts that pose both practical and conceptual problems. This paper presents a review of court litigation and addresses the question of how to reconcile the conflicting societal goals…

This paper posits that Americans have three frames of reference (individualism, diversity of origin, and pluralism) that impact values and actions. Individualism includes understanding relationships with others. The paper identifies and describes five different types of individualism in U.S. culture: (1) Protestant; (2) republican; (3)…

Learning the values of respect for the individual, fairness, responsible exercise of freedom, and belief in each person's ability to understand democracy is possible. Students should learn to practice four communication habits: the habit of search (teaching students that they are accountable and responsible for what they say); the habit of justice…

This book provides a collection of papers that address issues central to university ideals: the teaching of values, the role of philosophy and literary studies in their sister disciplines (especially history), the precarious balance between research and teaching, the defense of intellectual autonomy, and the public responsibility of the…

Noting that the Supreme Court in 1997 considered the question of whether the Internet would be regulated by the government as broadcasting or whether it would remain as free as newspapers, this paper examines the difficulty involved in applying old law to new technology. It also notes that while journalism education generally has accepted…

The Equal Access Act of 1984 was drafted to implement access for religious clubs to public secondary schools, but with constitutionally protected safeguards to preclude entanglement of church and state. A number of challenges were made on the constitutional grounds of excessive entanglement of church and state, as well as what the definition of…

The focus of this paper is the extent to which the judiciary sets the tone for freedom of speech in educational environment, and in so doing, helps define educational institutions themselves. In particular, the paper examines what the federal courts have said about the roles and obligations of educators when dealing with the rights of public…

This short document is a statement by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Board of Directors on racial harassment and colleges' and universities' responsibilities to create an environment where such acts are unacceptable. The statement defines racial harassment and asserts the educational community's need to stand against…