Speech presented at the 54th annual NASSP Convention. (EJS)

When school boards or states have mandated a "moment of silence" in schools, most courts have followed the tenent that if the public perceives the governing body to have approved a daily devotional exercise in public school classrooms, the state is, in effect, advancing religion. (JM)

Court intervention in school facility utilization decisions after school closure in the Saint Louis (Missouri) Public School District has resulted in: (1) new decision-making criteria; (2) greater public involvement in decision making; (3) greater coordination of data sources and decision makers; (4) more school conversions; (5) more closures; and…

The experiences of the National School Resource Network form the basis for suggestions about how schools can improve themselves as a means of reducing student violence and vandalism. Effective school programs utilizing curriculum innovation, changes in school environment, and student, parent, and community involvement in policy making are…

A study of pupils who had been suspended from school for disciplinary reasons suggested they had stressful family environments, were more likely to have suffered a serious illness, had low intelligence, and suffered severe reading problems which could have led to disruptive behavior. Argued that school policy significantly determined whether or…

A multicultural program has been developed in Toronto's (Canada) non-Catholic public school system to accord a place to students' home cultures and to directly confront racism. Includes comments on Toronto Board of Education's policy on race and ethnic relations. (Author/JN)

Outlines the experiences of one small district in introducing microcomputers. Lessons learned concern a computer checkout procedure and teacher inservice training. (JM)

This article offers an account of how educational organizations have changed in response to expanding state and federal policy, presents some explanations for the changes, and discusses the chief problems that resulted. It also sketches an approach to thinking about the effects of policy on educational organizations. (CT)

Discusses the resurgence of interest in preprofessional library experience as part of the library science curriculum as reported in a longitudinal survey of graduate library schools, and describes types of fieldwork available, number of students who participate, prerequisites and objectives for participants, and administrative policies. Four…

Well-drafted codes of discipline can help to eliminate the ambiguity and arbitrariness that often have been associated with school discipline. Discipline codes should be characterized by fairness, fact-finding provisions, completeness of information, frankness, flexibility, informality, firmness, concern with disciplinary suitability,…

McClung has written several articles on the legal aspects of minimal competency testing. In this article he states that Getz and Glass ("High School Journal," January, 1979) seriously distorted his earlier works. He attempts to set the facts straight regarding avoiding litigation by practicing preventive law. (KC)

Describes an attendance policy that, although initially successful in cutting absences, was widely disliked. Details the modifications that, without impeding effectiveness, made the program more respected. (JM)

Extension of contract scope has influenced local educational policy in two ways. It has decreased control by politically accountable officials, and it has created a potential roadblock to political responsiveness towards inner-city community groups. (JN)

Suspension, although it temporarily alleviates a difficult situation, does little to change behavior or solve the underlying causes of misbehavior. Furthermore, suspension has been found to be used disproportionately against Black students, thus depriving them of access to education. Schools should evaluate their own practices and seek new…

Questions whether school officials are justified by the Fourth Amendment in searching students and/or student lockers in public schools. Various case studies are discussed as examples to consider in deciding about responsibilities, powers, and limitations of school officials, and in determining student rights. Journal availability see: SO 507 249.…