Nine years ago, many parents protesting the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (commonly referred to as the Hatch Amendment) accused the schools of invading student privacy in sex and drug education classes, in counseling sessions, and in English classes. Some parents testifying at hearings conducted by the United States Department of Education…

Substance abuse affects American children across all geographic and economic boundaries and has been linked to poor academic performance, truancy, and dropping out. Schools lacking clear alcohol and drug policies are more likely to experience problems with substance abuse. A districtwide substance abuse policy makes a public statement that…

Youth courts, comprising teen courts, peer juries, peer courts, student courts, and other courts wherein juveniles sentence juvenile respondents, have rapidly gained popularity. In 1991 there were over 50 youth courts in 14 states. By 2002, the number of youth courts grew to more than 850 in 46 states and the District of Columbia. This digest…

This ERIC digest reports the background effects, and implications of Plyler v. Doe, a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court ruling guaranteeing the right of undocumented immigrant children to attend public school. The document is divided into five parts. "Background of the Plyler Case" describes the Plyler v. Doe ruling and the Texas law that the…

This fact sheet notes the incidence of attention deficit disorder (ADD), factors involved in the disorder, and diagnostic methods. It discusses school responsibilities in providing appropriate educational services to students with ADD, emphasizing that the responsibility for meeting the educational needs of children with ADD rests with the entire…

This digest compares the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as amended in 1997, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Comparisons are provided which look at: (1) the type/purpose of each Act; (2) eligibility for services under each Act; (3) whether the Act requires the…

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…

This ERIC digest presents a rationale for teaching students about their rights and responsibilities as citizens under the U.S. Constitution. Social studies teachers have a special role in shaping the lives of young citizens and influencing whether students become politically involved adults. Specific constitutional rights such as the right of a…

The obligations of colleges and universities under existing laws prohibiting sex discrimination against employees and students are summarized. Principal federal sources of legal obligation regarding employees are the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, and…

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…

This digest uses a question-and-answer format to summarize basic issues about the inclusion of children who are deaf or hard of hearing in classrooms with normal hearing students. It briefly reviews the history of the inclusion movement and identifies two general positions in the debate: (1) that all students have the right to go to school with…

This digest discusses public schooling for undocumented immigrant children--children born outside the United States who live here without permission of the federal government. Most are children of agricultural workers. Whatever their circumstances, undocumented immigrant children are entitled to attend school. Anti-immigrant fears are stoked by…

This digest presents a brief review of recent Fourth Amendment decisions that affect the rights of students and the parameters of schools' authority to maintain a crime-free environment. Although Federal decisions apply nationwide and do mark the boundaries of permissible state and local action, state and local laws and regulations must always be…

This digest describes the process of designing quality individualized education program (IEP) transition plans for secondary students with disabilities as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as amended in 1997. It stresses the importance of taking an early, long-range approach, preferably beginning at age 14 or…

Educational policy makers and administrators must choose from a bewildering variety of discipline models and techniques. Legal intervention and contradictory research findings further complicate the matter. There is, therefore, no cut-and-dried solution to student behavior problems. Rather, discipline policies must be based on community values,…