Fundamental constitutional and legal principles are central to effective instruction in the K-12 social studies curriculum. To become competent citizens, students need to develop an understanding of the principles on which their society and government are based. Few principles are as important in the social studies curriculum as due process of…

Strategies for dealing effectively with sexual harassment in the educational organization are presented in this document. Identification of the problem is complex, compounded by the context in which it occurs and different male and female perceptions. One starting point for identification is the 1980 federal guidelines passed by the Equal…

This document presents a training guide designed to be used by counselor educators in courses developed to prepare school counselors and by counselors themselves. Noting that recent developmental guidance materials and programs have been challenged for a number of reasons by various groups, the guide draws on the insights of those who have been…

The digest is based on a full length report (with the same title) on African-American and Hispanic faculty at predominantly white, four-year institutions of higher education. The full report provides a definitive review of the literature and institutional practice on the topic. Three topics are discussed: (1) how necessary affirmative action…

Political tolerance is the willingness to extend basic rights and civil liberties to persons and groups whose viewpoints differ from one's own. It is a central tenet of a liberal democracy. The individual rights and freedoms that U.S. citizens value encourage a wide array of ideas and beliefs, some of which may offend segments of the population.…

This theme issue of "The International Journal of Social Education" contains 11 articles all concerned with efforts to promote civic education in post-communist countries, particularly former Soviet-Bloc nations, including Latvia, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Russia. Described are international partnerships for civic…

The history of language policy in the United States is explored, focusing on the rights of language minorities. The first chapter presents constitutional and ethnolinguistic background information and gives an overview of the main categories of language rights. Chapter two describes the extent to which the federal government has or has not made…

This brief paper summarizes a full length report of the same title which examines the ongoing debate on the conflicting rights and responsibilities of students and college administrations in the areas of offensive speech, rights of assembly, drug testing and campus safety. On offensive speech and the rights of colleges and universities to regulate…

Education for citizenship in a constitutional democracy has been a long-standing goal of schools in the United States. To achieve this goal, students must learn their civil rights and responsibilities in a free society. This ERIC Digest discusses: (1) the importance of teaching about the responsibilities of citizenship; (2) deficiencies in…

Recent legal developments concerning college students and colleges and universities are summarized, with a focus on constitutional issues related to the rights of students to organize, the collection and allocation of mandatory student activity fees, and the protection of freedom of speech regarding commercial enterprises. The status of…

The two sections of this monograph deal with child abuse and spouse abuse as separate issues. The authors discuss the factors that have contributed to these problems, including historical antecedents, attitudes, and practices; and identify the characteristics of abusive caretakers of children, violent spouses/partners, and abused or neglected…

This digest provides an overview of the opposing sides in the Official English debate--Official English and English Plus. Proponents of Official English seek to make English the official language of the United States through passage of a constitutional amendment. The movement is spearheaded by two groups, U.S. English and English First. Official…

Recent legal developments concerning college students and their institutions are reviewed, with a focus on constitutional issues related to the rights of students to organize, the collection and allocation of mandatory student activity fees, and the protection of freedom of speech regarding commercial enterprises. In addition to considering the…

Fifteen fact sheets--two page overviews of issues in special education developed by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children in 1981--are presented. The fact sheets address topics in a question and answer format and provide references as well as resources on each subject. The following titles are included, "The Administrator's…

This paper discusses trends and issues surrounding undocumented students in the United States. War, hope, political difficulties, and economic troubles propel immigrants into the country. Estimates range from 100,000 to 500,000 undocumented immigrants entering annually, almost one-fifth of whom are under age 15. Many undocumented children attend…