Public School Law Teachers' and Students' Rights

by McCarthy, Martha M.; Cambron-McCabe, Nelda H.; Eckes, Suzanne E.

• ISBN13: 9780132619318
• ISBN10: 0132619318
• Edition: 7th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2013-02-21
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

With this seventh edition of Public School Law: Teachers' and Students' Rights,renowned authors Martha M. McCarthy, Nelda H. Cambron-McCabe, Suzanne E. Eckes, have proven once again that their mainstay for school law can't be touched by the competition. In a masterful blend of detailed treatment of landmark cases with a thorough discussion of the legal context, trends, and generalizations to guide all school personnel in their daily activities, the book addresses legal principles applicable to practitioners in a succinct but comprehensive manner. Information in this text will help alleviate concerns voiced by educators who either do not know the legal concepts that govern schools or feel that the scales of justice have been tipped against them. Primarily written for school administrators and teachers to learn the most important points of the cases and how the cases will impact their practices, this new edition covers a wider range of legal topics, takes a much more in-depth approach to discussing the cases presented, and cites many more current cases that are relevant to practitioners than any other school law textbook in comparison. New to this edition, besides being thoroughly updated and revised throughout, are the most current new laws, policies, and judicial decisions; more than 400 new cases from previous editions, with all content as current and well-documented as of July, 2012; new information on cyber-bullying, sexting; legal controversies involving charter schools; and the Common Core State Standards Web sites with current data on a range of topics from voucher programs and home education to curriculum requirements; the latest on the American with Disabilities Act amendments of 2008, amendments to the regulations for Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and the Lilly Ledbetter Act; race-conscious student assignment plans, and the use of seclusion and restraints with students with disabilities with new information regarding guidelines from the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education.; and the most current legal information regarding protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students; permissible religious activities in public schools; and student searches, including strip searches and cell phone searches. For law students, it is primarily written for teachers, school administrators, and other public school personnel taking a school law course at the graduate and master's levels, there is not a greater, more comprehensive resource on the market today than Public School Law, Seventh Edition.

Author Biography

Martha McCarthy isPresidential Professor at Loyola Marymount University and Chancellor’s Professor Emeritus at Indiana University where she teaches educational law and policy courses.  She has written numerous books and articles, and has made frequent presentations on various school law topics at educational leadership programs with faculty members.  She has served as President of the Education Law Association and the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA), and Vice President for Division A of the American Educational Research Association. Among her accolades, she received the Roald Campbell Lifetime Achievement Award from UCEA.

 

Nelda Cambron-McCabe is Professor of Educational Leadership and Chair, Department of Educational Psychology at Miami University. Her teaching and research interests include public school law, leadership, and organizational learning. She has published extensively in these areas, including books and articles, as well as frequent presentations at conferences and to educators in the field. She has served as President of the Education Law Association and the American Education Finance Association, and has received a number of awards and honors for research and service contributions to education.

Suzanne Eckes is an associate professor at Indiana University where she teaches and researches about education law. A prolific author, she has written over 70 articles on school legal issues, is a co-author on Principals Teaching the Law (Corwin, 2010), and a  co-editor on the Principal's Legal Handbook (Education Law Association, in press) and School Discipline and Safety (Sage, in press). She has been invited to speak at several national and international venues about the legal rights of teachers and students, and has received several awards for her teaching and research accomplishments.

Table of Contents

Contents

Preface    xii

1     Legal Framework of Public Education   

State Control of Education    

State Legislation    

State Administrative Agencies    

Local School Boards    

Federal Role in Education   

United States Constitution

Constitutional Amendments that Relate to School Law                         

Federal Legislation    

Federal Administrative Agencies    

Function and Structure of the Judicial System   

Filing a Case

States Courts   

Federal Courts    

Judicial Trends    

Conclusion   

 

2     Church/State Relations    

Constitutional Framework  

Religious Influences in Public Schools  

Silent Prayer Statutes    

School-Sponsored versus Private Devotionals    

Religious Displays, Music, and Holiday Observances    

Proselytization in the Classroom    

Equal Access for Religious Expression and Groups   

Accommodations for Religious Beliefs   

Release-Time Programs    

Religious Absences    

Religious Exemptions from Secular Activities    

Religious Challenges to the Secular Curriculum    

The Origin of Humanity    

Other Challenges    

State Aid to Private Schools   

Aid for Student Services    

Aid to Encourage Educational Choice    

Conclusion    

        

3     School Attendance and Instructional Issues   

Compulsory School Attendance    

Alternatives to Traditional Public Schooling    

Health Requirements    

Residency Requirements    

School Fees    

Transportation    

Textbooks, Courses, and Materials    

The School Curriculum    

Requirements and Restrictions    

Censorship of Instructional Materials    

Student Proficiency Testing   

Educational Malpractice/Instructional Negligence    

Instructional Privacy Rights    

Student Records    

Pupil Protection and Parental Rights Laws    

Conclusion    

        

4     Students’ Rights in Noninstructional Matters    

Freedom of Speech and Press   

Legal Principles

School-Sponsored Expression

Threats

Prior Restraints Versus Punishment After the Fact

Anti-Harassment and Anti-Bullying Policies

Electronic Expression 

Time, Place, and Manner Regulations 

Future Directions

Student-Initiated Clubs    

Student Appearance    

Hairstyle    

Attire        

Extracurricular Activities    

Recruitment and Eligibility

Training Regulations and Other Conditions on Participation

Fees for Participation    

Conclusion    

        

5     Student Classifications   

Legal Context    

Classifications Based on Race    

Pre-Brown Litigation   

De Jure Segregation in the South    

Distinguishing between De Jure and De Facto Segregation    

Fashioning Appropriate Remedies    

Achieving Unitary Status  

Postunitary Transfer and School Assignment    

Race as a Factor in Admission to Private Schools    

Race Discrimination and Matriculated Students    

Classifications Based on Native Language    

Classifications Based on Ability or Achievement    

Tracking Schemes    

Gifted and Talented Students    

Classifications Based on Age    

Classifications Based on Sex    

Interscholastic Sports    

Academic Programs    

Sexual Harassment of Students    

Marriage and Pregnancy    

Conclusion    

        

6     Rights of Students with Disabilities    

Legal Context    

Rehabilitation Act    

Americans with Disabilities Act    

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act    

Individualized Education Programs    

Initial Identification    

Evaluation    

IEP Team    

IEP Preparation    

Free Appropriate Public Education    

Least Restrictive Environment    

Private Schools    

Related Services    

Transportation    

Psychological Services    

Health and Nursing Services    

Extended School Year    

Participation in Sports  

Discipline    

Suspension    

Expulsion    

Procedural Safeguards    

Stay-Put Provision  

Informal Meeting    

Mediation    

Impartial Due Process Hearing    

State Review    

Civil Action    

Remedies and Attorneys’ Fees    

Conclusion    

        

7     Student Discipline    

Conduct Regulations  

Expulsions and Suspensions   

Expulsions    

Suspensions    

Corporal Punishment 

Constitutional Issues    

State Law    

Academic Sanctions    

Absences    

Misconduct 

Search and Seizure   

Lockers    

Search of Personal Possessions    

Personal Search of Students    

Metal Detectors    

Drug-Detecting Canines    

Drug Testing    

Police Involvement   

Remedies for Unlawful Disciplinary Actions   

Conclusion    

 

 8    Terms and Conditions of Employment     

Licensure or Certification    

Employment by Local School Boards   

Employment Requirements    

Assignment of Personnel and Duties   

Contracts    

Term and Tenure Contracts   

Supplemental Contracts    

Domestic Partner Benefits 

Leaves of Absence    

Personnel Evaluation    

Personnel Records    

Other Employment Issues    

Using Copyrighted Materials    

Reporting Suspected Child Abuse  

Conclusion    

        

9     Teachers’ Substantive Constitutional Rights    

Freedom of Expression    

Legal Principles    

Application of the Legal Principles   

Prior Restraint and Channel Rules    

Expressing Personal Views in the Classroom    

Academic Freedom    

Course Content 

Teaching Strategies    

Freedom of Association    

Political Affiliations    

Political Activity   

Personal Appearance    

Constitutional Privacy Rights    

Search and Seizure    

Out-of-School Conduct    

Conclusion    

      

10     Discrimination in Employment   

Legal Context    

Fourteenth Amendment    

Title VII    

Race and National-Origin Discrimination   

Hiring and Promotion Practices    

Adverse Decisions    

Affirmative Action   

Sex Discrimination    

Hiring and Promotion Practices    

Compensation Practices    

Termination, Nonrenewal, and Denial of Tenure    

Sexual Harassment    

Pregnancy Discrimination    

Retirement Benefits    

Sexual-Preference Discrimination   

Access to Benefits    

Harassment    

Adverse Employment Decisions    

Religious Discrimination    

Hiring and Promotion Practices    

Accommodation   

Adverse Employment Decisions    

Age Discrimination    

Hiring and Promotion Practices    

Compensation and Benefits    

Adverse Employment Actions    

Retaliation    

Retirement    

Disability Discrimination   

Qualifying as Disabled   

Otherwise Qualified   

Reasonable Accommodation    

Termination and Nonrenewal    

Conclusion    

      

11     Termination of Employment    

Procedural Due Process in General   

Dismissal    

Nonrenewal 

Establishing Protected Property and Liberty Interests    

Procedural Requirements in Discharge Proceedings    

Notice    

Hearing   

Dismissal for Cause    

Incompetency    

Immorality    

Insubordination    

Neglect of Duty    

Unprofessional Conduct   

Other Good and Just Cause

Reduction-in-Force    

Remedies for Violations of Protected Rights    

Liability of School Officials    

Liability of School Districts    

Remedies    

Conclusion    

      

12    Labor Relations     

Employees’ Bargaining Rights in the Private and Public Sectors   

Teachers’ Statutory Bargaining Rights    

Scope of Negotiations    

Governmental Policy  

Selected Bargaining Subjects   

Union Security Provisions    

Dues and Service Fees    

Exclusive Privileges    

Grievances    

Negotiation Impasse   

Strikes    

Conclusion   

      

13     Tort Liability    

Negligence    

Duty    

Breach of Duty/Standard of Care   

Proximate Cause    

Injury    

Defenses against Negligence    

Intentional Torts    

Assault and Battery    

False Imprisonment    

Intentional Infliction of Mental Distress    

Defamation    

Private and Public Persons   

Veracity of Statements    

Fact versus Opinion    

Privilege    

Damages    

Conclusion

      

14     Summary of Legal Generalizations    

               Generalizations    

               Conclusion  

Glossary  

Selected Supreme Court Decisions  

Index