School Law 2010

Special Education Restraint Questioned
An investigation by the federal Government Accounting Office last year found that restraining or isolating disruptive students may be much more common than expected, particularly in special education classrooms. Some states already have counted thousands of incidents, and researchers studying the issue believe those numbers are underestimated.
March 2010

Policies on Student and Teacher Writing
The standing advice of school attorneys is be careful what you say, but be even more careful what you write. That admonishment applies equally to students and school employees, because a written record is powerful evidence in court. Although less dramatic, written proof is as strong if not stronger than verbal witness testimony.
March 2010

The School's Role in Custody Disputes
Any public school principal will tell you that families come in all varieties. This column focuses on the “non-custodial parent” -- the biological mother or father who no longer lives with the student and does not possess some of the legal rights that might otherwise apply.
February 2010

JROTC and the Law
While JROTC may serve both patriotic and curricular aims, whether it exists at all is a judgment that cannot be legally forced on a school district. Yet, school board members must beware that, while they can be legally right, such pronouncements can be politically wrong.
January 2010