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Avoiding Legal Hassles

What School Administrators Really Need to Know

Second Edition
By: William A. Streshly, John Walsh, Larry E. Frase

A comprehensive quick reference that cover virtually every legal challenge faced by schools today

Veteran school administrators Streshly and Frase have taken their classic "quick reference" and combined it with the insight and experience of a practicing school attorney for a comprehensive, up-to-date reference that covers all the basics and more, including:

School Discipline
School Safety and Security
Special Education
Personnel Management
Collective Bargaining

… as well as new strategies for avoiding lawsuits and a highly useful "troubleshooting guide". It's an essential 21^st century reference that belongs on every administrator's desk.

Full description

Product Details

Grade Level: PreK-12
ISBN: 9780761945307
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2001
Page Count: 136
Publication date: December 20, 2001

Available As:

Review Copies

This book is not available as a review copy.

Description

A comprehensive quick reference that covers virtually every legal challenge faced by schools today

Veteran school administrators Bill Streshly and Larry Frase have taken their classic "quick reference" and combined it with the insight and experience of a practicing school attorney for a comprehensive, up-to-date reference that covers all the basics and more, including:

Education's legal framework
Making the system work for you
Understanding the direction of the changing law
The struggle for human rights: students, parents
Separation of church and state
Managing grades, tests, and student records
School discipline
School safety and security
Special education
Personnel management
Collective bargaining

… as well as new strategies for avoiding lawsuits and a highly useful "troubleshooting guide".

New to the Second Edition: Summaries and insights on the newest laws and trends in legislation … and now, for the first time, experienced administrators William Streshly and Larry Frase, join forces with John Walsh, a practicing attorney with extensive experience in school law, combining his knowledge of the judicial system with the needs of educators.

Author(s)

William A. Streshly

William A. Streshly is Emeritus Professor of Educational Leadership in the College of Education at San Diego State University (SDSU). Prior to coming to SDSU in 1990, he spent 25 years in public school administration, including five years as principal of a large suburban high school and 15 years as superintendent of several California school districts varying in size from 2,500 to 25,000 students.

In addition to his numerous publications in the professional journals, Dr. Streshly is author or co-author of five practical books for school leaders, The Top Ten Myths in Education, Avoiding Legal Hassles (two editions), Teacher Unions and Quality Education, Preventing and Managing Teacher Strikes, and From Good Schools to Great Schools: What Their Principals Do Well.

Currently, Professor Streshly is a Senior Lead Auditor for Curriculum Management Systems, Inc., an affiliate of Phi Delta Kappa International. He has audited the instructional operations of more than 40 school districts in 16 states. His intense interest in the role of effective school leadership stems from his own extensive experience as well as his in-depth observation of the work of hundreds of practicing school principals across the country.

John Walsh

Larry E. Frase

Larry E. Frase was professor and department chair of educational leadership in the College of Education at San Diego State University. He was a former superintendent of schools of the Catalina Foothills District in Tucson, Arizona, and is the author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books and 80 professional journal articles. His books include Top Ten Myths in Education; School Management by Wandering Around; and Teacher Compensation and Motivation. He is also coauthor of Walk-Throughs and Reflective Feedback for Higher Student Achievement. He has presented papers at AERA and UCEA. He is a senior lead auditor, having led curriculum audits of 32 school systems, including Oakland, California, and Baltimore, Maryland. Frase earned his EdD at Arizona State University.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Preface

About the Authors

1. Education's Legal Framework

Making the System Work for You

Free Public Education: An American Ideal

The Role of the Federal Government

The Role of the State of Government

State Office of Education

The Role of the Intermediate Education Agencies

The Role of Local School Boards

Charter Schools

The Judicial System

Keeping Abreast of the Law in Education

Key Terms

References

2. Coping With the Major Issues

Understanding the Direction of the Changing Law

The Search for Equality

The Struggle for Human Rights: Students, Parents

Separation of Church and State

Key Terms

References

3. Laws Affecting Students

Compulsory Education: The Obligation and the Right to Attend Public Schools

Spotting Traditional Legal Problems in the Curriculum

Managing Grades, Tests, and Student Records

Key Terms

References

4. Planning for Good School Discipline

Planning a Team Approach

Developing Strong Board Policies

Designing Comprehensive Site Discipline Plans

Protecting Student Rights

Guaranteeing Due Process

Protecting Freedom of Speech

Using Proper Search and Seizure Procedures

Mass Searches and Locker Searches

Enforcing School Rules

Crimes on Campus

Administering Punishment Effectively

Key Terms

References

5. Making the Campus Safe

A Duty to Protect

Avoiding Negligence

Providing Adequate Supervision

Statute of Limitations and Administrative Claims

Dealing With Police

Athletic Program Liability

Physical Education Classes

Liability in Shop Classes

Liability in Science Labs

Liability on Playgrounds

Dealing With Loiterers and Other Outsiders

Key Terms

References

6. Administering Special Education: The Question of Equal Access

Education for All Handicapped Children Act

School Year for the Disabled

IQ Tests for Placement

Key Terms

References

7. Coping With Legal Problems in Personnel Management

Hiring Professional Staff

Teacher Evaluation

Tenure

Due Process Rights of Employees

Personnel Files

Contracts and Salary

Worker's Compensation

Key Terms

8. Avoiding the Legal Pitfalls of collective Bargaining

The Legal Foundations of Collective Bargaining

The Negotiating Process

Alternatives to Adversarial Bargaining

Contract Management and Grievance Procedures

Key Terms

References

9. Strategies to Avoid Lawsuits

Planning With the Courts in Mind

Risk Management

The Role of the Principal in Risk Management

Key Terms

References

Troubleshooting Guide

Other Titles in: Principalship | Legal Issues | School Safety

Available As:

Review Copies

This book is not available as a review copy.