This paper offers a critical review of a report published in March by the Citizens Research Council of Michigan titled "Improving Oversight of Michigan Charter Schools and Their Authorizers." The report argues that charter schools and charter school authorizers need more oversight. Making the case for this position might include…

Relative to earlier research, this study from the Center for Reinventing Public Education provides a more in-depth analysis of policy features across the 27 states that allow online charter schools. It presents a well-organized description of policy features and includes a set of policy recommendations that generally, but not always, follow well…

Providing commentary on this "Journal of School Leadership's" special issue, "Constructing a Bridge Between Law and Social Justice: An Ethical Journey," has been not only a daunting task because of the complex nature of this topic but also a humbling experience because of the superior quality of these articles. At the same time, it is most…

In this essay, Paula McAvoy addresses the problem caused by the liberal state's necessary tolerance of insular fundamentalist groups and the concern that children raised in such groups do not have a fair opportunity to evaluate their inherited beliefs. This tension comes to the fore around disagreements over schooling and requests for religious…

Federal court cases are examined in an effort to view recent First Amendment rights infringements which have occurred in Mississippi. Case law reinforces students' rights to wear same-sex outfits to school functions as well as to bring same-sex dates. Connection to a recent civil rights investigation by the NAACP into a north Mississippi middle…

In this article, the author makes a distinction between two kinds of change: tinkering change and systemic change. Tinkering change includes reforms intended to address a specific deficiency or practice. Such tinkering change can be contrasted to what Shakespeare termed "sea change" in "The Tempest" ("a sea change into something rich and strange")…

The purpose for this article is to explore the juxtaposition of legal expectations, conflicting community cultural values, and the role of the superintendent in these connected but often conflicting issues. The authors explore several issues through the lens of Gay-Straight Alliance clubs, the "Equal Access Act," and the role of the…

For close to three decades, his Eminence Zenon Cardinal Grocholeski, worked at the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura as notary, chancellor, secretary and prefect. A professor, scholar, and canonist of exceptional ability, he is considered one of the world's most prominent experts on the Code of Canon Law. In light of his competence and…

Outlines the facts and judicial history of Board of Education v. McCluskey, a case involving disagreement between a lower court's interpretation of school rules and the school board's interpretation. Discusses the Supreme Court's split decision reversing the lower court ruling and that split's implications for future educational law cases. (PGD)

Throughout the day, art teachers make decisions--some impromptu, others after considerable deliberation. Some are simple, easy, black-and-white choices; others involve gray areas of uncertainty--areas that need legal interpretation. This article is intended as a guide for structuring curriculum and instruction to ensure that every student's…

This book is a collection of 26 addresses made at the 23rd annual convention of the National Organization on Legal Problems of Education. It discusses issues surrounding school law in elementary, secondary, and higher education in 1977 and before. Some of the topics covered include collective bargaining, employee layoff, sex discrimination and…

This book is a collection of 19 addresses made at the 1978 annual convention of the National Organization on Legal Problems of Education (NOLPE). Some of the topics covered include: suits against school officials, Title IX, competency testing, teaching moral and spiritual values in public schools, the Bakke decision, unintended impacts of Supreme…

Onomastics, the study of names, may serve to predict the odds of certain individuals to become a party to, and even for the eventual outcome of, litigation. Examples supporting the predictive qualities of onomastics are cited. (MLF)

Reviews some important court cases affecting education during the last 25 years and comments on why the courts and regulatory agencies have come to play such a large role in education. (IRT)

Examines provisions of the South African Constitution pertaining to pupil rights in conjunction with the construction the United States Supreme Court has placed on corresponding provisions of the U.S. Constitution. (46 footnotes) (MLF)