There is no evidence that physically restraining or putting children in unsupervised seclusion in the K-12 school system provides any educational or therapeutic benefit to a child. In fact, use of either seclusion or restraints in non-emergency situations poses significant physical and psychological danger to students. Yet the first round of data…

Students and employees are legally protected against sexual harassment, regardless of the perpetrator's age or status. Although caution is needed when responding to complaints, school leaders should avoid making backroom deals with staff members accused of molestation or improper sexual conduct. All school community members need information and…

Describes court-imposed contact statutes that provide for enforceable post adoption contact between birth parents or relatives and the adoptee or adoptive parents. Compares statutes permitting courts to enforce post adoption contact agreements among the parties and court imposed post adoption contact agreements without regard to parties'…

This project was implemented in 1982 as a result of legal action taken against the Texas Department of Human Resources (DHR) by clients of child protective services (CPS) who alleged that they were not given notice of all services available or of their right to a fair hearing. The goal of the project was to determine whether special fair-hearing…

Every year, a few administrators mishandle school searches and create spectacles similar to the New Castle, Pennsylvania, incident involving six illegally strip-searched students. Principals using "cops-and-robber" techniques to unearth contraband may not realize the potential for infringing on students' constitutional privacy rights.…

Mandating inclusion for all special-needs students would return education to the 1950s, when student options were extremely limited. Full inclusion, requiring the regular education teacher to learn a monumental number of additional skills, may be state-of-the-art education for the 90s--the 1890s. Restricting all students to the same learning…

Describes events surrounding grievances filed against a curriculum coordinator in a New Jersey school district from 1987 to 1989. Although most grievances were found in the supervisor's favor, teachers succeeded in questioning some practices and limiting others. Disentangling the supervision-evaluation knot is impossible; because supervision is…

Most young people who harass and bully sexual minorities are not hate-filled extremists, but ignoramuses. Anti-gay slurs can escalate to violence. A California principal's discussion of Leroy Aarons's "Prayers for Bobby" with staff raised awareness of school safety and the need to value every student. (MLH)

Discusses computer ethics and the use of computer networks. Topics addressed include computer hackers; software piracy; computer viruses and worms; intentional and unintentional abuse; intellectual property rights versus freedom of thought; the role of information in a democratic society; individual privacy; legislation; social attitudes; and the…

This history of the rehabilitative services offered by the New York State Division for Youth (DFY) is reviewed to show how the DFY has evolved from its inception as a Youth Services Commission in 1945 to a major state agency with a primary responsibility to provide youth services. The role and problems of the agency are discussed in terms of its…

As a result of the 1976 Educational Accountability Act, minimal competency tests were developed for grades 3, 5, 8 and 11 by the Florida State Board of Education. Results of the first administration of the 11th grade tests showed that the failure rate for minority black students was much higher than for white students. Results of the tests…

In the postwar transitional phase, restoration of a comprehensive education system in Bosnia has been impeded by inadequate resources and capacity to repair and/or upgrade existing facilities, debate over curricular content, differing school management systems, and student displacement. Rebuilding must stress democratic, multicultural principles.…

Explores the politics of education in the case of the establishment and reauthorization of a New York school district to serve the special education students of the Hasidic Jewish community of Kiryas Joel. The case of Kiryas Joel illustrates the political power of a single-interest special interest group. (SLD)

The Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of British Columbia, with objectives of providing courtworker services for Native Indians charged with offenses; supplying information on legal rights, responsibilities, and operation of the justice system; and reducing the number of Native people in conflict with the law, handled 4,860 Native…