When conflict-of-interest issues affect research programs and sponsored activities, research administrators make take several crucial roles: participant/advisor in forming, implementing, and overseeing relevant institutional policies and guidelines; counselor to develop ways of avoiding conflict-of-interest situations; and mediator-expeditor for…

By abdicating their authority and attempting to be value-neutral, teachers and textbooks have, in effect, become valueless. If the American democratic tradition is to survive beyond the end of this century, American educators must ensure that future generations of all races, religions, and cultural backgrounds respect and honor this country's…

Dispelling the myth that beginning teachers are fully equipped to handle the demands of their professions begins by acknowledging that the first months and years of teaching are full of pain, confusion, loneliness, and often humiliation. Schools can help by fostering beginner peer groups and encouraging early professional development and…

Basic principles of insurance law are reviewed, an overview of liability insurance is given, and currently significant issues concerning liability insurance coverage with special relevance to higher education institutions are examined. Focus is on professional and director-and-officer insurance, but other applications are possible. (Author/MSE)

Responsibilities of schools in civics education begin with teaching the fundamental principles of democracy. A second responsibility is to make democratic ideals the foundation on which the school culture is founded, and a third is to provide a way for students to apply their knowledge through practicing democracy in the schools. (SLD)

Discusses how many recent treatments of the hidden curriculum have overlooked historical antecedents of the early progressive curriculum literature. Shows how insights derived from John Dewey and others portray the hidden curriculum more positively than some of the ideologically laden interpretations in vogue today. The hidden curriculum can…

Discusses character and moral education in the classroom, suggesting that schools should reinforce the lessons of the home rather than acting as value-free zones. Modern education has the tendency to present students with a huge set of options with no distinctions made as to each option's pros and cons. Students need guidance in discerning correct…

In "Cedar Rapids Community School District v. Garret F.," the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that severely disabled students have a right to health services supporting their education. The decision, which clarifies the extent of medical services required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, will prove expensive for school…

Surveys of students in two private schools in northeastern states showed that antigay bias is pervasive (beginning with middle schoolers), involves mostly boys, arises in unstructured spaces, and is frequently overlooked by teachers. Schools considering interventions should recognize the import of sexual identity and respect, set precedents, and…

Students are confused about sexual harassment restrictions in schools. Sexual harassment should be viewed as a civil rights violation or a form of social injustice. A whole-school approach demands that teachers plan for teachable moments through the curriculum, all staff receive adequate inservice training, and compassionate responses (referrals…

Research shows that schools must initiate and promote limited-English-speaking parent participation. The Hispanic Policy Development Project, which studied 42 parent involvement programs, documented the importance of teacher and administrator training, bilingual staff, translated written communications, parent advisory committees, parent-teacher…

Reviews two theories of liability (the Constitutional Duty Rule and the policy, custom, or practice theory) that courts use to resolve schoolchildren's complaints about teachers' sexual misconduct. Shows how courts misapply these theories and offers an alternative approach (holding districts legally responsible for teachers' abusive behavior) that…

In most schools, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) youth face a hostile climate and have a 26 percent dropout rate. Principals should help student leaders address GLBT issues, initiate a climate survey, invite speakers, provide accurate information, and support gay/straight alliances and leadership participation efforts. (MLH)

Schools and communities must break the adolescent code of silence concerning threats of violence. Schools need character education stressing courage, caring, and responsibility; regular discussions of the school discipline code; formal security discussions with parents; 24-hour hotlines; and protocols for handling reports of potential violence.…

Responsibility is described as a mixture of intellect and emotion which schools can positively develop and as particularly pertinent to the gifted as potential opinion formers. The growth of children's responsibility is considered within the school social context, individual emotional development, and the effects of the teacher and teaching style.…