Court cases are presented that illustrate some of the issues that courts have dealt with in the area of educational testing. While this study was developed primarily for parents, the booklet should also help school administrators and testing professionals learn about court cases and precedents relevant to some major issues in educational testing.…

Designed to serve as a framework from which high school debate students, coaches, and judges can evaluate the issues, arguments, and evidence present in sustaining and reforming the U.S. justice system, this booklet provides debaters with guidelines for research on the 1983-84 debate resolutions selected by the National University Continuing…

This digest examines the current status of outside attempts to censor literature in the school library. The digest (1) reports on several court cases which came about because literary works were removed from school libraries; (2) discusses the censors and their opponents; and (3) reviews some guidelines for new teachers who might be presented with…

The controversial legal issue of disciplinary exclusion of special education students is summarized. Presented in question and answer format, the information digest addresses the following questions: Why is the disciplinary exclusion of special education students so controversial? When can a special education student be excluded from school for…

This ERIC Digest synthesizes current attitudes on library censorship in the public schools, as reflected in state statutes and federal court cases. Separate sections describe the rise of censorship, recent court cases and incidents related to library censorship, who the censors are, what is being censored, a framework for academic freedom in…

This synthesis of current attitudes on academic freedom as defined by lower court and Supreme Court cases describes the (1) framework in which academic freedom operates, (2) powers and limitations of state legislatures and school officials in defining the curriculum and setting policy, (3) rights and limitations of teachers in making curricular…

This digest examines how the concepts of least restrictive environment, mainstreaming, and inclusion have been developed by Congress and the courts. An introductory discussion of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) notes that Congress did not define the concept of least restrictive environment, but left it to the courts to shape…

Students do not always make choices that adults agree with in their choice of school dress. Dress-code issues are explored in this Research Roundup, and guidance is offered to principals seeking to maintain a positive school climate. In "Do School Uniforms Fit?" Kerry White discusses arguments for and against school uniforms and summarizes the…

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…

The adventure of adventure education comes in the testing of oneself, in putting self against the environment and in striving to overcome the environment through personal skill. Unfortunately, instead of perceiving the risks in terms of physical and psychological challenges, many schools and other organizations perceive them in terms of liability…

University officials and faculty are frequently required to make decisions based on interpretations of disputed facts. By applying the concept of due process within the context of higher education, they can meet legal challenges of contract and constitutional law and the pedagogical demand for justice. To guide their efforts, decision makers can…

Summarizes major court cases that have provided some sense of the extent to which teachers may legitimately select course content and teaching methods. (RBW)

This digest examines the constitutional framework guiding the use of race-conscious policymaking in K-12 education. Despite the requirements of Brown v Board of Education, recent court decisions suggest that desegregation remedies are becoming more limited, and voluntary policies will be subject to greater scrutiny. The legal framework governing…

This Digest overviews legal challenges in five areas of test use for decision-making in schools: ability tracking, placement in special education classes, test scores as college admissions criteria, test disclosure, and teacher competency testing. Cases illustrating these challenges are described and include: Hobson v. Hansen (1967), Moses v.…

Clarifies misconceptions about the Ann Arbor, Michigan court decision on the teaching of students with Black dialects. Explores the impact of teacher attitudes toward substandard English on teaching students with Black dialects and lists ERIC sources for increasing knowledge and sensitivity to differing dialects. (HTH)