Law Commons^™

Book Review Of Getting Around Brown: Desegregation, Development, And The Columbus Public Schools, Davison M. Douglas

Davison M. Douglas

No abstract provided.

Book Review Of The Separate City: Black Communities In The Urban South, Davison M. Douglas

Davison M. Douglas

No abstract provided.

The Children We Abandon: Religious Exemptions To Child Welfare And Education Law As Denials Of Equal Protection To Children Of Religious Objectors, James G. Dwyer

James G. Dwyer

The story of children who die because their parents, in observance of their own religious principles, withhold conventional medical treatment from them is a familiar one. In this Article, James G. Dwyer shows that the phenomenon of parents denying secular benefits to their children for religious reasons goes far beyond these few highly publicized cases, extending into the realm of education as well as medical care. Moreover, Dr. Dwyer shows that the federal and state governments endorse this practice by statutorily exempting 'religious objector' parents from otherwise generally applicable compulsory child care and education laws. He argues that courts addressing …

Centralization In Education: Why Johnny Can't Spell Bureaucracy, Neal Devins

Neal E. Devins

No abstract provided.

The Role Of The Administrator In Instructional Technology Policy, Philip T.K. Daniel, Jason P. Nance

Jason P. Nance

In response to national and state reform movements, and in an attempt to strengthen preparation standards for teachers and students, accreditation boards have prepared performance indicators in the area of technology. Such standards call for the full integration of technology in school curricula, formal coursework and professional development workshops for teachers, and an understanding on the part of teachers and students alike as to the legal and ethical issues surrounding the use of technology. The thesis of this research is that it is essential that school administrators be involved in all levels of planning and integrating technology into school curricula …

Measuring State Compliance With The Right To Education Using Indicators: A Case Study Of Colombia’S Obligations Under The Icescr, Sital Kalantry, Jocelyn Getgen, Steven A. Koh

Sital Kalantry

The right to education is often referred to as a “multiplier right” because its enjoyment enhances other human rights. It is enumerated in several international instruments, but it is codified in greatest detail in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Despite its importance, the right to education has received limited attention from scholars, practitioners, and international and regional human rights bodies as compared to other economic, social and cultural rights (ECSRs). In this Article, we propose a methodology that utilizes indicators to measure treaty compliance with the right to education. Indicators are essential to measuring compliance …

Is It Unconstitutional To Prohibit Faith-Based Schools From Becoming Charter Schools?, Stephen D. Sugarman

Stephen D Sugarman

This article argues that it is unconstitutional for state charter school programs to preclude faith-based schools from obtaining charters. First, the “school choice” movement of the past 50 years is described, situating charter schools in that movement. The current state of play of school choice is documented and the roles of charter schools, private schools (primarily faith-based schools), and public school choice options are elaborated. In this setting I argue a) based on the current state of the law it would not be unconstitutional (under the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause) for states to elect to make faith-based schools eligible for …

Resolution 07-10-2015 About K-12 School Field Trip Liability, Catherine L. Rucker

Catherine L Rucker

To amend California Education Code section 35330 and to delete section 44808 in order to resolve the conflict between the liability provisions for “field trips/excursions” and “school-sponsored activities.”

The Way Of Colorinsight: Understanding Race And Law Effectively Through Mindfulness-Based Colorinsight Practices, Rhonda Magee

Rhonda V Magee

Most of us know that, despite the counsel of the current Supreme Court, colorblindness does not comport with our cognitive experience of the real world. Thus legal scholars, backed by cognitive scientists, have called for a move from colorblindness to color insight -- defined as an understanding of race and its pervasive operation in our lives and in the law. This Article is the first to explore the role of research-grounded mindfulness-based contemplative practices in enhancing what may be called Colorinsight, and to suggest specific practices that assist in its development not only of personal capacity to deal more effectively …

Opportunity Lost: Teachers’ Union Reform - Past, Present & Future, Edward C. Klein Iii

Edward C Klein III

Teachers’ unions, in their current form, truly took shape in the tumult of the 1960’s. Built upon the model of industrial unionism first codified in the private sector with the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, and later extended to the public sector through state law, teachers’ unions simultaneously embraced the language of the Civil Rights movement and the classic labor-management dichotomy. Thus, teachers’ unions have come to be a powerful influence on American public education for over 50 years, representing approximately three-quarters of all public school teachers today.

However, the direction of teacher’s unions has not always been clear, …

Gentrification And Urban Public School Reforms: The Interest Divergence Dillema, Erika Wilson

Erika K. Wilson

Across the country cities are experiencing rapid increases in gentrification: the influx of middle-class, often white residents, into cities with large minority populations. In some gentrifying cities, significant numbers of white middle-class residents are enrolling their children in city public schools, reversing a long standing trend of white flight out of city schools. Local officials value the renewed interest in public schools by these residents because it represents an opportunity to keep them, and their tax dollars, from fleeing to the suburbs once they have school aged children. This Article chronicles the ways in which local officials in gentrifying cities …

Ferguson, The Rebellious Law Professor, And The Neoliberal University, Harold A. Mcdougall Iii

Harold A. McDougall III

Neoliberalism, a business-oriented ideology promoting corporatism, profit-seeking, and elite management, has found its way into the modern American university. As neoliberal ideology envelops university campuses, the idea of law professors as learned academicians and advisors to students as citizens in training, has given way to the concept of professors as brokers of marketable skills with students as consumers. In a legal setting, this concept pushes law students to view their education not as a means to contribute to society and the professional field, but rather as a means to make money. These developments are especially problematic for minority students and …

Mother May I? No, You May Not! Parental Consent Requirements For Students To Participate In Student-Led Clubs At Public Schools, Kelly A. Sherrill Linkous

Kelly A. Sherrill Linkous

This article considers the constitutionality of laws or policies requiring parental consent for student participation in school-based clubs or organizations, along with their consistency with the language in the federal Equal Access Act. It weighs the dueling parental right to direct the upbringing of their children against students’ constitutional speech and religious exercise rights within the schoolhouse gate. As a vehicle to analyze the constitutionality of all similarly-worded state laws and school district policies, the article examines a Georgia statute mandating parental consent for student participation in clubs. The Georgia statute is similar to Oklahoma’s and Utah’s statutes, as well …

Searching For Equity Amid A System Of Schools: The View From New Orleans, Robert A. Garda Jr.

Robert A. Garda

Hurricane Katrina leveled both the buildings and governance structure of the New Orleans school system. The system was transformed from one elected school board controlling nearly all the schools to a system of schools with sixty-three school districts operating within the city’s geographic boundaries that are run by forty-four independent school boards. There is not a more decentralized school governance structure in the United States. This article discusses how this new system of schools is attempting to achieve equal educational opportunities for its most vulnerable and at-risk student populations: the poor, minorities, students with disabilities, and English Language Learners.

For …

Cocktails On Campus: Are Libations A Liability?, Susan S. Bendlin

Susan S. Bendlin

ABSTRACT: By Susan S. Bendlin

An estimated 1,825 college students die each year from alcohol-related, unintentional injuries. Roughly 599,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are injured every year while under the influence of alcohol. Tales of intoxicated college students’ wild, disgusting, and often violent behavior have made the national news. Litigation over alcohol-related incidents on college campuses arises from various situations, including injuries that result from intoxicated students falling, injuries suffered during parties and hazing rituals involving alcohol, and injuries from other assaults that occur after alcohol has been consumed on campus.

At the outset, this Article …

Studying Is Dangerous? Possible Federal Remedies For Study Abroad Liability, Robert J. Aalberts, Chad G. Marzen, Darren A. Prum

Chad G. Marzen

Every year, thousands of U.S. students study abroad for academic credit. Study abroad programs have traditionally garnered strong congressional support, and proponents of the programs emphasize the educational, cultural, and diplomatic benefits from study abroad experiences.

Despite the many benefits of study abroad programs, risks are incurred overseas. In the past several years, a number of incidents have resulted in which students studying abroad have not only incurred physical harm, but in some instances have died while enrolled in a study abroad program. The current liability standards governing study abroad programs are murky. This article not only discusses the various …

Accidentally On Purpose: Intent In Disability Discrimination Law, Mark C. Weber

Mark C. Weber

American disability discrimination laws contain few intent requirements. Yet courts frequently demand showings of intent in disability discrimination lawsuits. Intent requirements arose almost by accident: through a false statutory analogy; by repetition of obsolete judicial language; and by doctrine developed to avoid a nonexistent conflict with another law. Demanding that section 504 and Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) claimants show intent imposes a burden not found in those statutes or their interpretive regulations. This Article provides reasons not to impose intent requirements for liability or monetary relief in section 504 and ADA cases concerning reasonable accommodations. It demonstrates that no …

Death Or Transformation? Educational Autonomy In The Roberts Court, Elizabeth Dale

Elizabeth Dale

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court's decisions in Grutter and Gratz a number of commentators argued that the Court had begun to embrace a new constitutional doctrine that required deference to the decisions of some institutions. Most notably they asserted that the Court would defer within the field of education. But even as they suggested that the Court was more willing to explore the doctrine, those two opinions left several large questions unanswered: Did the Court's embrace of institutional autonomy extend beyond higher education, into the K-12 realm? If so, what were its bounds? Was the doctrine only relevant …

Setting A New Standard For Public Education: Revision 6 Increases The Duty Of The State To Make ‘Adequate Provision’ For Florida Schools, Jon L. Mills, Timothy Mclendon

Jon L. Mills

Among the nine revisions proposed to Florida voters by the Constitution Revision Commission in 1998, Revision 6 fundamentally enhanced Florida's responsibility for public education. Revision 6 amended Article IX, Section 1, of the Florida Constitution, which sets forth the State's duty to provide for public education. Entitled “PUBLIC EDUCATION OF CHILDREN,” Revision 6 makes a declaration of the relative importance of education to the people of Florida, and describes as “paramount” the duty of the state to adequately provide for education. Revision 6 goes on to detail and raise the constitutional standard for what constitutes “adequate provision” for public education, …

School Security Considerations After Newtown, Jason P. Nance

Jason P. Nance

On December 14, 2012, and in the weeks thereafter, our country mourned the deaths of twenty children and six educators who were brutally shot and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Since the horrific massacre, parents, educators, and lawmakers have understandably turned their attention to implementing stronger security measures in schools. This essay provides important points for policymakers and school officials to consider before embarking on a new phase of school security upgrades.

Students, Security, And Race, Jason P. Nance

Jason P. Nance

In the wake of the terrible shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, our nation has turned its attention to school security. For example, several states have passed or are considering passing legislation that will provide new funding to schools for security equipment and law enforcement officers. Strict security measures in schools are certainly not new. In response to prior acts of school violence, many public schools for years have relied on metal detectors, random sweeps, locked gates, surveillance cameras, and law enforcement officers to promote school safety. Before policymakers and school officials invest more money in strict security measures, this Article provides …

School Surveillance And The Fourth Amendment, Jason P. Nance

Jason P. Nance

In the aftermath of several highly-publicized incidents of school violence, public school officials have increasingly turned to intense surveillance methods to promote school safety. The current jurisprudence interpreting the Fourth Amendment generally permits school officials to employ a variety of strict measures, separately or in conjunction, even when their use creates a prison-like environment for students. Yet, not all schools rely on such strict measures. Recent empirical evidence suggests that low-income and minority students are much more likely to experience intense security conditions in their school than other students, even after taking into account factors such as neighborhood crime, school …

Trends In Special Education Case Law: Frequency And Outcomes Of Published Court Decisions 1998-2012, Zorka Karanxha, Perry A. Zirkel

Zorka Karanxha

Executive Overview • This article determines the frequency and outcomes of published court decisions under the IDEA for students from pre-K through grade 12, starting in January 1998 and ending in October 2012. • The frequency of these decisions trended upward during the 15-year period, particularly during the most recent five-year interval. • The conclusive outcomes favored districts on a 3:1 basis both overall and on relatively consistent longitudinal basis; however, the intermediate outcomes partially ameliorated this pronounced pro-district tendency. • The Second Circuit region (New York, Vermont, and Connecticut) had the highest volume of cases, and the Tenth Circuit …

Teaching The Biological Clock: Age-Related Fertility Decline And Sex Education, Kerry Macintosh

Kerry L Macintosh

Fertility in women declines significantly at age thirty-two and takes a sharp downward turn at age thirty-seven. Miscarriages also increase with age. In vitro fertilization cannot reverse the effects of aging, and embryo screening, egg freezing, and egg donation are imperfect solutions.

Unfortunately, many women fail to grasp these facts until it is too late. Various factors are to blame, including physicians who shy away from the topic of age-related fertility decline, persistent messaging about the need for pregnancy prevention (implying that conception is easy), and media accounts of celebrities who are pregnant in their forties.

This Article argues that …

But We Were Born Free: The Racial & Sexual Quota As A Constitutiional Bill Of Attainder, David D. Butler

David D. Butler

Racial & Sexual Quota Schemes meet or equal every constitutionial forbidden practice ennumerated in the bar against government's use of bills of attainder or bills of pains and penalities.

Justiciability And The Role Of Courts In Adequacy Litigation: Preserving The Constitutional Right To Education, Robynn K. Sturm, Julia A. Simon-Kerr

Julia Simon-Kerr

In the first study of opinions handed down in education adequacy litigation between January 2005 and January 2008, this paper shows a marked shift away from outcomes favorable to adequacy plaintiffs. Following two decades in which courts spurred significant reforms in our nation’s neediest schools by interpreting the education clauses of their state constitutions to guarantee an “adequate” education for all students, the years 2005 to 2008 have seen a dramatic change in the judicial response to adequacy litigation. Through an analysis of the latest body of cases, this paper shows that separation of powers concerns have begun to drive …

Omnipresent Student Speech And The Schoolhouse Gate: Interpreting Tinker In The Digital Age, Watt L. Black Jr.

Watt Lesley Black Jr.

This paper focuses primarily on federal circuit level decisions regarding public school district's ability to discipline students who engage in electronic speech while off-campus and not involved in school activities. Particular attention is paid to the question of whether and how appeals courts have been willing to apply the "material and substantial disruption" standard from the Supreme Court's 1969 Tinker v. Des Moines decision to speech occurring off-campus. The paper, which is targeted toward both legal scholars and school administrators, draws together the common threads from the various circuits and weaves them into a set of guidelines for school administrators …

Masculinity And Title Ix: Bullying And Sexual Harassment Of Boys In The American Liberal State, Nancy C. Cantalupo

Nancy C Cantalupo

This article examines two recent “hot topics” related to Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”): sex-segregated schooling and gender-based violence including sexual harassment and bullying. First, in 2006, the Department of Education suspended Title IX’s prohibition of sex-segregated education in K-12 public schools amidst some sex segregation advocates’ claims that a “feminized” educational system causes sex discrimination against boys. Second, over the last decade an increasing number of boys have sued or complained against their schools for sex discrimination in the form of gender-based violence (including same-sex bullying, sexual harassment, hazing, and sexual violence).

This article …

In Defense Of Idea Due Process, Mark C. Weber

Mark C. Weber

Due Process hearing rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are under attack. A major professional group and several academic commentators charge that the hearings system advantages middle class parents, that it is expensive, that it is futile, and that it is unmanageable. Some critics would abandon individual rights to a hearing and review in favor of bureaucratic enforcement or administrative mechanisms that do not include the right to an individual hearing before a neutral decision maker. This Article defends the right to a due process hearing. It contends that some criticisms of hearing rights are simply erroneous, and …

Idea Class Actions After Wal-Mart V. Dukes, Mark C. Weber

Mark C. Weber

Wal-Mart v. Dukes overturned the certification of a class of a million and a half female employees alleging sex discrimination in Wal-Mart’s salary and promotion decisions. The Supreme Court ruled that the case did not satisfy the requirement that a class have a common question of law or fact, and said that the remedy sought was not the type of relief available under the portion of the class action rule permitting mandatory class actions. Over the last two years, courts have struggled with how to apply the ruling, especially how to apply it beyond its immediate context of employment discrimination …