A school administrator plays many roles in the course of his work, and his legal rights and responsibilities vary considerably depending on the particular role he is playing. Actions that might be considered legal or even desirable in one context might make an administrator liable to litigation in another context. A court's perception of the role an administrator is playing at a given moment often makes a crucial difference. A school administrator at various times plays such roles as school district employee, director of personnel, executive assistant to the school board, school business manager, and protector of students' rights. Because each of these roles is generally covered by a well-settled body of law, it is well worth an administrator's effort to study each of those roles and its applicable legal standards. By doing so, an administrator may avoid inadvertantly depriving someone of his civil rights and may also avoid the embarassment and expense of unnecessary litigation. (JG)