In "Connick vs. Myers" the Supreme Court applied a threshold requirement to an employee's First Amendment protection of free speech: speech must be related to public concerns as determined by the content, form, and context of a given statement. Discusses applications of this decision to lower court cases. (MLF)

Teachers and other public employees enjoy the same fundamental rights as other citizens. They are entitled to free speech--though the privilege is not limitless--and to due process and equal protection under the law. (Author/DCS)

The focus of this chapter is on the substantive constitutional protections of the public school employment relationship guaranteed by the First Amendment, particularly freedom of speech, and by the Fourteenth Amendment's right to privacy. Included are burden-of-proof standards required for establishing a prima facie case of denial of these…

This guide reviews legal standards inherent in the First Amendment and recommends management techniques that ensure employees' free speech rights while maintaining school efficiency. Section 1, "Introduction," presents an overview of the trend toward litigation in which public employees allege that school officials have violated First…

The relationship between public schools and their employees is one of the most frequently litigated aspects of American education. Accordingly, the chapters in this text present a comprehensive and current report of legal issues in public school employment. Chapter titles and authors are as follows: (1) "Critical Elements of the Employment…