A Supreme Court ruling of January 1985 reversed a New Jersey Supreme Court decision of March 1984, which found a student search violated the Fourth Amendment. The reversal by the Supreme Court leaves unanswered some important questions about school searches. (MD)

The recent "Garcia" holding by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals federalized students' constitutional rights against excessive corporal punishment under the 14th Amendment's due process clause. Major issues raised by the Supreme Court's 1977 "Ingraham v. Wright" decision are thereby resolved. School boards should review…

The First Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's ruling in a Massachusetts case involving an AIDS awareness program. Disagrees with ruling that the defendants had not violated the plaintiffs' federal rights and contends that parents should have the right to remove their children from a one-time performance that is not part of a…

Two court cases involving parental objections to a school's curriculum on religious grounds carry important implications for the balance of control school boards and parents exert over the public school curriculum. (TE)

When school employees investigate alleged misconduct by students, they must follow school rules and federal and state laws. A school-locker search in a recent case from Indiana--"S.A. versus State"--illustrates the importance of employees and students knowing the rules governing investigations, and of specific employees being given the…

Reviews a recent case involving searches of student lockers from the Washington State Court of Appeals. According to this decision the Supreme Court's two criteria of reasonableness in student searches ("New Jersey v. T.L.O.") also apply to student lockers and may apply to searches of student desks, cars, and clothing. (MD)

In the "New Jersey vs. T.L.O." decision the Supreme Court clarified the law concerning student searches. Reviews two recent California cases illustrating how courts are interpreting the Supreme Court decision in a way that upholds reasonable student searches. (MD)

Discusses the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' rewriting of its earlier decision in "Horton v. Goose Creek Independent School District" of Baytown (Texas), involving the use of dogs in school drug and liquor searches. Compares the decision with other circuits' conflicting rulings and suggests guidelines for using dogs. (RW)

The United States Supreme Court's decision in "Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier" gives school officials sweeping power over school-sponsored publications and other curricular and extracurricular activities. To avoid charges of squelching student expression, school boards should make sure that policies limit censorship to legitimate…

Examines a United States Supreme Court decision upholding the Bethel, Washington, school district in disciplining a student for giving a sexually provocative speech. Refers to the 1969 decision in "Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District," in which students had been suspended for wearing symbols of opposition to the…

Describes the Supreme Court graduation-prayer decision in "Lee v. Weisman" (1992) and implications of the "Jones v. Clear Creek Independent School District" case, which the Court decided not to review in 1993. Discusses the New Jersey graduation-prayer experiment and ruling of third District Circuit Court Judge Theodore A.…

Reviews the Supreme Court student search policy in relation to a recent decision concerning a Pima County, Arizona, high school student search that revealed cocaine but was found to be an illegal search. Also reviews the lower court decision in "Loudermill v. Cleveland Board of Education," which found that the school had provided its…

A current United States Supreme Court case will determine constitutional guidelines for school administrators in searching students for drugs and other school contraband. Thus far, the New Jersey Supreme Court has established a demanding standard for warrantless searches of students and their property, requiring respect for students'"valid…

In three recent cases, courts upheld school officials' decisions to prohibit students' school-based religious activities. Contends that the school boards and courts failed to exercise sufficient care in weighing students' right to engage in private religious activity during free time. (MLF)

Describes the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling in the case "Ceniceros v. Board of Trustees of the San Diego Unified School District." The case raises the question about the meaning of the 1984 Equal Access Act, specifically, how to interpret "noninstructional time." (LMI)