School Law

 

                             

 School Law

 

 

Purpose of Course

 

Legal problems with students, parents, and community organizations are increasing in number and complexity and official reactions and solutions to these problems are likely to be subjected to judicial review.  A wrong step can land the school administrator into court‑‑with the accompanying expense, notoriety and always embarrassment.

 

Litigation cannot be avoided entirely, but school systems and administrators can minimize it and increase their chances of success in suits that are filed by knowing the law, anticipating problems and taking precautionary steps.

 

The body of school law, both statutory and case, has increased by leaps and bounds in the last decade. College and universities preparing prospective teachers and administrators have offered courses in school law.  Some state legislatures and state boards of education have prescribed training in school law as one of the prerequisites for certification.

 

This course should achieve the following objectives:

 

1. Inform students of the legal bases of their chosen profession.
2. Familiarize students of legal principles as they affect public schools.
3. Give each student the general principles of law, both statutory and common, as they apply to the state in which they are employed or expect to be employed.
4. To help student through well‑rounded school law courses to serve proficiently in the profession of education.

 

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1. Outline Course

 

          The Legal System (Chapter 1)

Sources of American Law

Powers and Functions of Courts

Understanding Judicial Decisions

 

1. Historical Perspective of Public Schools (Chapter 2)

          Free School System

          Education Provisions of State Constitutions

Fees

Charter Schools

 

 III.     Role of Federal Government (Chapter 3)

 

Federal Control

Tenth Amendment

Commerce Clause

General Welfare Clause

Eleventh Amendment

Bill of Rights ( First Ten Amendments)

Important Case:

San Antonio v. Rodriguez, p. 109

United States v. Butler, p. 84

Helvering v. Davis, p. 84

 

 

 

         

1. Governance of Public Schools (Chapter 4)

 

Limits of State Control

State and Local Education Agencies

Functions of Education Agencies

Delegation of Legislative Powers

School Officers

School Board Meetings

Important Case:

Hortonville v. Hortonville, p. 140

 

1. Church and State (Chapter 5)

          Chapter 5-Nutshell –Religion in Public Schools and State Funding

 

Wall of Separation

First Amendment

Establishment Clause

Free Exercise Clause

Prayers and Bible Reading

Textbooks and Transportation

Equal Access Act

Vouchers

Facilities

Flag Salute

Important Money Cases:

Everson v. Bd. of Ed., p.187

Bd. of Ed. v. Allen, p. 190

Lemon v. Kurtzman, p. 193

Mueller v. Allen, p.199

Agostini v. Felton, p. 204

Mitchell v. Helms, p. 207

Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, p. 220

Important Belief Cases:

Illinois v. McCollum, p. 234

Zorach v. Clauson, p. 236

Abington v. Schempp and Murray v. Curlett, p. 240

Stone v. Graham, p. 243

Wallace v. Jaffree, p. 246

Lee v. Weisman, p. 249

Santa Fe v. Doe, p. 251

Bd. of Ed., Westside v. Mergens, p. 258

Good News v. Milford, p. 266

West Virginia v. Barnette, p. 270

 

 

1. School Attendance (Chapter 6)

         Chapter 1-Nutshell-Attendance in Public Schools

 

Compulsory Attendance

The Amish Exemption

Homeless Children

Home Instruction

Vaccinations

Important Cases:

Pierce v. Society of Sisters, p. 293

Wisconsin v. Yoder, p. 305

Plyler v. Doe, p. 297

Martinez v. Bynum, p. 301

 

 

VII.    The Instructional Program (Chapter 7) –

           Chapter 2-Nutshell-The Instructional Program

            Chapter 14-Nutshell –Student Testing

 

Promotion

Sex Education

Academic Freedom

Evolution versus Creationism

Student Testing

Grades

Important Cases:

Meyer v. Nebraska, p. 343

Bd. of Ed v. Pico, p. 354

Epperson v. Arkansas, p. 382

Edwards v. Aguillard, p. 384

Kitzmiller v. Dover Area Sch. Dist., p. 381

 

VIII.   Students Rights: Speech, Expression and Privacy (Chapter 8)

           Chapter 3 –Nutshell –Due Process of Students

           Chapter 4-Nutshell – Freedom of Speech and Expression

          Chapter 6-Nutshell- Student Publications

           Chapter 8-Nutshell –Student Discipline

 

Freedom of Expression and Speech

Due Process

In Loco Parentis

Corporal Punishment

Student Appearance

True Threats

Forum Analysis

Internet Free Speech

Publications

Important Cases:

Tinker v. Des Moines, p. 409

Bethel v. Fraser, p. 414

Morse v. Frederick, p. 417

Lamb’s Chapel v. Center Moriches, p. 432

Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, p. 438

.

 

IX

 

Search and Seizure (Chapter 9)

Chapter 7-Nutshell-Search and Seizure

Exclusionary Rule

Child Abuse

Drug Testing

Special Needs

 

Important Cases:

New Jersey v. T.L.O., p. 469

Safford Unified Sch. Dist. v. Redding, p. 474

Vernonia Sch. Dist. v. Acton, p. 477

Bd. of Ed. v. Earls, p. 480

 

 

 

1. Students Rights: Common Law, Constitutional Due Process, and Statutory Protections (Chapter10)

         Chapter 11-Nutshell –Student Gender

 

          Common Law and the Student

            Substantive and Procedural Due Process

          Constitutional Due Process

          Corporal Punishment (19 states still allow corporal punishment)

          Discipline

          Sexual Harassment

          Child Abuse

             Important Cases:

             Ingraham v. Wright, p. 513

             Dixon v. Alabama, p. 518

             Goss v. Lopez, p. 520

             Franklin v. Gwinnett, p. 533

             Gebser v. Lago, p. 535

             Davis v. Monroe, p. 539

            

 

1. Rights of Students with Disabilities (Chapter 11)

Chapter 10-Nutshell- Education of Children with Disabilities

     Important Cases:

Mills v. Bd. of Ed., P. 563

Bd. of Ed. v. Rowley, p. 577

Schaffer v. Weast, p. 580

Florence County v. Carter, p. 598

Irving v. Tatro, p. 605

Cedar Rapids v. Garret, p. 607

Honig v. Doe, p. 610

Arlington v. Murphy p. 616

Fry v. Napoleon Community Schools , 137 S.Ct. 743 ( 2017)

Endrew v. Douglas County School District , 137 S.Ct. 988 ( 2017)

 

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

 

1. Torts Liability (Chapter 12)

 

         Chapter 12-Nutshell – Civil Liability

 

Definition of a Tort

Negligence

Elements of Negligence

Strict Liability

Defenses for Negligence

Educational Malpractice

Bullying (Tort)

 

1. Defamation and Student Records (Chapter 13)

     Chapter 13-Nutshell – Student Records, Defamation

 

Defamation Defined

Defamation per se and per quod

Privilege

Public Figures and Public Officials

Malice

Student Records

 

XIII.   School District Liability (Chapter 14)

 

Sovereign Immunity

Proprietary Functions

Licensee and Invitee

Civil Rights Act of 1871 (42 USC 1983)

Eleventh Amendment Immunity

 

XIV.  Certification, Contracts and Tenure (Chapter 15)

          Chapter 15-Nutshell-Terms and Conditions of Teacher Employment

          Chapter 17-Nutshell- Teacher Dismissal

 

Certification

Tenure

Teacher Contracts

Grounds for Termination

Immorality

Incompetency

Insubordination

Reduction in Force

Scope of Teachers' Duties

Important Case;

          Ambach v. Norwick, p. 764.

 

 

 

 

1. Teacher Rights and Freedom (Chapter 16)

         Chapter 16-Nutshell- Constitutional Rights of Teachers

 

          Academic Freedom

Speech Rights of Public Employees

First Amendment

Privacy

Drug Testing of Teachers

Freedom of Religion

Important Cases:

Pickering v. Bd. of Ed., p. 813

Connick v. Myers, p. 817

Garcetti v. Ceballos, p. 825

Mt. Healthy v. Doyle, p. 837

Givhan v. Western Consolidated, p. 840

 

XVI.  Due Process Rights of Teachers (Chapter 17)

 

Substantive Due Process

Procedural Due Process

Hearings

Important Cases:

Roth v. Bd. of Regents, p. 870

Perry v. Sindermann, p. 873

 

XVII. Discrimination in Employment (Chapter 18)

         Chapter 18-Nutshell – Employment Discrimination

 

Equal Protection

Title VI

Title VII

Race Discrimination

Sex Discrimination

Age Discrimination

Handicapped Discrimination

 

XVIII. Collective Bargaining (Chapter 19) (Will not cover)

 

          Rights of Public Employees

          Collective and Individual Rights

         

1. Desegregation of Public Schools (Chapter 20)

          Chapter 9-Nutshell-Racial Segregation

 

          Important Case:

          Brown v. Board of Education (I and II), p. 1007.

          Unitariness

          Quotas and Busing

          Diversity and Racial Classifications

 

1. Finance (Chapter 21) (Cover only Serrano and Rodriguez)         

          Taxation

          Equity Litigation

          Important Case:

Serrano v. Priest, p.59, 1054.

 

 

 

XXI.  School Property and Buildings (Chapter 22) (Will not cover)

 

          Purchase of Property

          School Buildings

 

Text

 

Required -Alexander, Kern and M. David Alexander,  The Law of Schools, Students, and Teachers, West Publishing, 444 Cedar Street ,Suite 7000, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55101, 2018 ,ISBN 978-1-64020-424-9

             

Optional  -Alexander, Kern and M. David Alexander, American Public School Law, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 8th edition, 2012.  ISBN 978-0-495-91049-7.

         

Readings

 

Cases may be assigned.  (Law Reviews and recent cases)

 

Class Requirements

 

1. Class attendance                          5%        

 

2. Mid-term exam      30%

 

3. Final Exam 30%

 

3. Point of Law Paper   30%  

 

4. Briefs (includes cases assigned for discussion) 5%

 

 

6. Briefs

 

1. 1 Brief (Topic – Student selects a case, any case)
2. 1 Brief (Topic ‑ Religion)
3. 1 Brief (Topic ‑ Torts)  
4. 1 Brief (Topic ‑ Students)
5. 1 Brief (Topic ‑ Employees)

 

*All briefs should be current 1998-2018, unless they represent a landmark case which is not in the textbook.

 

Education Law Association

2121 Euclid Avenue

LL 212

Cleveland, Ohio 44115-2214

ela@educationlaw.org

 (Student membership available)