This paper reviews the background and key terminology of the Internet, its current scope and use, and a selection of public policy issues. "Chapter 1: What Is the Internet?" includes an overview; capsule history; explanation of how the Internet works; basic terminology; and the kinds of information available on the Internet.…

This publication provides information and guidelines on the way Pennsylvania school boards should meet and conduct business under Act 84 of 1986 (the Sunshine Act) and Act 20 of 1993. The first section provides a brief history of the passage of the Sunshine Act, which mandates an open-meetings statute for public agencies. The second section offers…

Multimedia presentations offer educators and other communicators new avenues to reach audiences, but they combine a variety of legal hazards. Producers of multimedia can end up on the receiving end of lawsuits based on the many facets of copyright, privacy, and defamation law, as this guide illustrates. Copyright gives authors, composers,…

The common theme linking the contributions to this volume concerns the future of universal telecommunications service. The goal of having a universal telecommunications service has historically been to keep charges low enough that all but the poorest Americans could afford to make and receive telephone calls, even if they lived in remote and…

This publication provides a general description of the California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS), standards governing the use of its data, descriptions of the data elements and CBEDS reports, guidelines for access to the data, and a data request form. The CBEDS database consists of three principal files: (1) enrollment and staff data for…

This section of the proceedings is comprised of 11 papers dealing with the relationship between media and the law. Papers include: "Equal before the Law: Three Media Myths of the American Legal System" (Henry Itkin); "The Role of Senator Albert Gore, Jr. in Satellite/Cable Legislation" (Michael B. Doyle); "The Law of…

The amount of knowledge that site and central office administrators possess about the ethical use of computer software in schools is assessed in this report. Specific questions addressed included the existence of related policies, administrators' knowledge of policies, and degree of site compliance. Four district and 10 site administrators were…

Legal issues at the state and constitutional levels and associated misconceptions related to written preemployment integrity tests are addressed. Common misconceptions include the beliefs that: (1) such tests fall within the purview of state antipolygraph statutes; (2) unfair discrimination doctrines are violated by integrity testing; and (3)…

This pamphlet considers students' right to privacy and the application of this right to the confidentiality of information disclosed to administrators and counselors. Privacy is also considered in regard to special problems associated with counseling students about drugs, contraceptives, sexually transmitted diseases, abortion, and possible threat…

Supreme Court decisions tend to take the form of either (1) an act of justification or argumentation that defends the verdict of the communicator, or (2) a construction of a new symbolic reality that influences the world view of its audience. The "Roe vs. Wade" decision is an example of the merger of these two rhetorical functions. The…

This handbook is intended to provide California district governing boards and professional educators with information, sample forms, and policy statements necessary for compliance with the new laws dealing with pupil records. This guide is based on the most recent legislation (such as the California Public Records Act), and it covers areas such as…

Several important ethical issues need to be addressed both by the consultant and the organization in the field of academic substance abuse consultation. Various problems face the university-based academician who consults with agencies and organizations, such as consultant abuse, i.e., when a consultant is hired on the basis of title and academic…

There is increasing conflict between the individual's right to privacy and the need for information about individuals by private and governmental institutions; these opposing forces need to be balanced. Two phenomena which have exacerbated this problem are the rapid advances in computer technology and the increasing demands of the individual on…

In the study described in this paper, 221 students in beginning and senior level university journalism and law courses read descriptions of ten cases of alleged invasions of privacy by photojournalists, gave their opinions on the ethics of taking and publishing the pictures, and indicated their degree of interest in a number of topics related to…

This discussion guide on the conference theme, Library and Information Services for Increasing International Understanding and Cooperation, reviews changes in information technology, the international politics of information, and the U.S. role as both technological leader and proponent of the "free flow of information" which call for a…