CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS, THE COURTS, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION

ELPA 910

Interpretation and critique of legal authority impacting education. Topics may include education and religion, students' rights, teachers' rights, and federal involvement in education.

EDPOL/ELPA/LEGALST 542

Examines the legal issues related to the policy decisions and delivery of public education (elementary and secondary) in the United States. Learn how law impacts both curriculum development and curricular delivery, explore current legal controversies, constitutional issues, and learn about legal reasoning and analysis. Examines how both legislation and litigation affects public education. Particular attention is paid to law as public policy and the analysis of the same.

ELPA 640

Examines the legal issues confronting the classroom teacher on a daily basis. An emphasis will be placed on understanding legal analysis in order to empower teachers to better balance the multiple interests confronting them. Also, understanding of how law can further the development of a democratic classroom. Specific topics to be examined include: curricular control, teachers' academic freedom, religion in the curriculum, equity in programming, special education, student records, student discipline, teacher contracts, teacher discipline, and negligence.

ELPA 840

Legal aspects of public K-12 education. Legal structure; employee rights; employee discipline; curriculum; students' rights; student discipline, special education; torts; contracts, religion. Impact of federal and state constitutions, statutes, and court decisions on education.

AFROAMER/LEGALST 435

Exploration of civil rights. Question what it means to discriminate (on the basis of race, sex, national origin, religion, and disability), how we might investigate and detect acts of discrimination, and the legal constraints on governmental efforts to remedy discrimination in employment, housing, and voting. Explore the intersection of government power and civil rights. Examine how the government targets groups during times of national crisis. Consider what constitutes acceptable conditions of incarceration for prisoners. Finally, learn police use-of-force doctrine, and discuss the challenge of protecting both officer and civilian safety.