Comments on court cases dealing with copyrighted materials of special interest to librarians highlight Williams and Wilkins case, Sony case dealing with videocopying, computer programs and databases, government and legal materials in public domain, musical works, and four factors of Section 107 (fair use) of 1976 Copyright Law. (109 references)…

A review of court decisions about teacher testing programs shows that tests must be equitable and fair, must not be used to discriminate by race or sex, and that adequate notice to teachers is required. (MLF)

Outlines standards in seven areas--staff training, facilities, athletic equipment, emergency preparedness, a central training room, athletic health care and training, and recordkeeping--for assessing school athletic programs so that potential injuries and lawsuits can be avoided. (KS)

Issues related to an increasing incompatibility between school psychology and projective assessment are examined. These issues pertain to educational relevance, changing social and educational values, potential litigation, and technical adequacy. The authors conclude that there are few valid reasons for school psychologists to use projective…

Explains Tennessee's 1978 Community Schools Act and its implications for state school boards. Suggests ways for community educators to avoid legal problems related to governance, medical considerations, buildings and grounds, field trips and excursions, volunteers, and fiscal management. (SB)

Three categories of legal issues generated by computers on campus are examined: copyrights on programs developed by students, faculty, or staff; contracts in purchasing computers and torts concerning wrongful use; and the expectation that schools will respond to legal/ethical issues differently than commercial organizations. Suggestions for…

Provides guidelines and suggestions for schools faced with legal problems associated with children from nontraditional families. Sections are included on children with changed surnames, access to school records for noncustodial parents, policy conflicts between spouses over children's schooling, and attempts by noncustodial parents to remove…

Examines the destructive impact of the criminal justice system on black children, arguing that strategies must be designed which will address the needs of black and poor children. Every action must be taken to reverse the abdication of agency responsibility, repeal Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS) laws, and develop alternative programs for…

The findings indicate that the legal drugs, such as hard liquor and tobacco, are strong precursors to illicit drug use. (Author)

This overview raises several questions regarding critical issues that surround the process of commitment and treatment in the mental health facilities, and concludes that while it can be expected that black people will receive adequate treatment and facilities, equal legal rights, treatments and facilities for black, people is needed. (Author/JM)

The contractual relationship between the student and the institution is the key to understanding "academic fraud." (Author)

In the view of the ACE Commission on Academic Affairs, the recently adopted revision of Regulation 4 ("Termination of Appointments") of the AAUP do not provide reliable guidance regarding (1) the definition of financial exigency, (2) rule-setting for institutional behavior, and (3) other provisions included in the regulation that could…

The response of courts to terminations resulting from a financial crisis threatening a school is analyzed. That response depends, in part, on whether the teacher is asserting the infringement of a constitutional right, such as freedom of expression, or the deprivation without due process of the law of a property interest, such as a statutory or…

A professor of law comments on potential legal obligations incurred by an institution in providing reasons for a decision not to reappoint a nontenured faculty member. (LBH)

The formal court system in Australia has long been criticised for its adversarial nature. As a result, there has been an increase in the use of alternative dispute resolution processes such as mediation. These are promoted as a means of increasing access to justice by disadvantaged groups and as an inexpensive way of solving legal or quasi-legal…