This article presents a social constructivist grounded theory of school principal legal learning. The author analyzed 10 interviews with K-12 school principals and 10 school law faculty documents to investigate how principals develop the knowledge and skills to address legal issues in schools. Two themes emerged. The first theme was source of…

Teachers are tasked with the important role of educating and empowering the Nation's youth. Although teaching is a rewarding vocation, teachers are subjected to risk and liabilities on a daily basis. The rising number of school-based litigation and the litigious nature of today's society bolster the need for teachers to abide and understand the…

Although past research has documented that school leaders and teachers lack legal knowledge, this study is the first to ask the critical question whether legal training affects educators' actions and attitudes. School leaders and teachers responded to a survey in the years after completing a graduate-level school law course. They indicated that…

Purpose: A significant and growing body of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) research examines the experiences of students, employees, and the substance of leadership training. This project aims to complement this work by taking a macro-level look at the broader legal and policy issues that may constrain or enhance a school…

This case illustrates why future school leaders must be prepared to handle complex legal and political issues that commonly arise in school districts today. We discuss a long-standing and unresolved legal battle between a Hasidic Jewish community and the public school district in East Ramapo, New York. In particular, we examine the difficulties…

The purpose of this research study will be to examine teacher perceptions on various issues pertaining to school law in the State of Alabama. Having data on teacher perception in Alabama can help shape future educational policy so that teachers can have an understanding of what they should and are required to do in various ethical and moral…

In the past 50 years, the share of students enrolled in U.S. Catholic schools has declined from approximately 12% to 3%. In reaction, many urban Catholic schools have closed and subsequently reopened as public charter schools in order to receive governmental funding and to increase enrollment. As public schools, these Catholic- affiliated charter…

During the past two decades, scholars, educators, and special interest organizations, including advocacy groups, have critically examined and debated the ethical and legal use of aversive interventions with individuals with disabilities. These interventions comprise a broad spectrum of behavior management techniques including but not at all…

There has been little research regarding adverse employment actions against public school principals. Principals are dismissed, demoted, or transferred, not only for low accountability test scores but for a variety of reasons that may or may not affect test scores. The legal ramifications of these adverse employment actions have resulted in…

This exercise is designed to assist school counselors in assessing their knowledge of prevalent ethical and legal issues within the school setting. The aim is to highlight emerging legal and ethical dilemmas and motivate counselors to stay abreast of specific school rules and policies, as well as keep a basic understanding of state and federal…

The increasing number of special education-related lawsuits has become costly, time-consuming, and a strain on school-community relations--in short, an issue of growing concern to U. S. school systems. To identify factors associated with this type of litigation, this study analyzed data from one state's 10-year experience with due process special…

As a hybrid between a college or university student and an elementary or secondary school employee, the student teacher is in a special situation. The potential for being a plaintiff (the party who sues), the defendant (the party who is sued), or a third party that is integrally involved in a lawsuit is higher because the bodies of law pertinent…

This activity is designed to be utilized in a School Law class, but is also appropriate for a class in Human Resources. Holding students and staff accountable for their actions is essential to a well run school. School principals are prepared to deal with student accountability and student discipline issues, but rarely are principals ready to deal…

Scholarship programs authored by state legislatures may conflict with a state's constitution. In the case of "Locke v. Davey" 540 U.S. 807 (2003), Joshua Davey challenged the State of Washington's withdrawal of his Promise Scholarship claiming violation of his First Amendment rights under the United States Constitution. This…

This was a purposeful, qualitative, historical and document-based research study that investigated the trends and outcomes of the legal issues relating to teacher dismissal for "immorality". The study included 114 cases over a 30-year period spanning from 1977-2007. Federal and state level law cases were researched to determine the ruling of…