LawQuest 

You are a teacher at Mason Elementary School.  There have been several incidents at your school that makes you wonder if your fellow teachers understand school-related laws.  Your principal is concerned about lawsuits or possible criminal charges and has asked you to put together a series of workshops for your fellow teachers on current United States' laws and their implications for schools.  You have asked 4 of your colleagues to assist you in designing and presenting these workshops.

You are aware that understanding and interpreting laws is a difficult endeavor.  However, your principal does not want to face a lawsuit so it will be your job to make the law easy to understand.  You are also concerned that some of the topics are controversial and/or offensive and, often times, produces an emotional response in people.  Therefore, it will be important to deal with these topics in a sensitive manner.

Your team has been assigned one of the following topics:
Copyright Laws
Religious Expression in Schools
Inclusion and Least Restrictive Environment
Privacy Issues on the Internet
Sexual Harassment
Child Abuse Issues
Freedom of Speech
Violence in Schools
School Liability
Protecting Children on the Internet
Desegregation of Schools

You need to put together a 20 minute presentation on the law related to your topic and its impact on schools.  Your presentation needs to be easy to understand and should include examples or case studies of real events.  Prepare a slide presentation using PowerPoint or some other presentation tool.  You may include relevant handouts.

Carefully read all the steps in THE PROCESS before you begin.  Plan out the things you need to do and decide who on your team is going to be responsible for each part of the presentation.

Steps to complete a presentation on United States laws and their implications for schools:

Step 1:  Not everything you read on the Internet is accurate information.  Learning to evaluate the validity of websites is an important task for teachers who choose to use the Web in their classrooms.  It is also an important skill for students to learn.  Take time to go through the Internet Detective tour.  It takes approximately 2 hours to complete the entire tour.  However, if you login with your e-mail address, you can save the tour and return at a later time in the same place.

Other sites with information on evaluating websites:
Evaluation of Information
Checklist for an Informational Web Page
Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators - Critical Evaluation Surveys - contains links to several other sources

Step 2:  To further enhance your understanding of evaluating websites, watch the Teaching Website Evaluations Webcast.  Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on April 30, 2001.  Choose either Quicktime or Media Player (whichever program you have on your computers).  If you have both programs we recommend you use Quicktime if you are viewing this at home over a telephone line; the picture is not as good, but it downloads faster.  If you are viewing this at school or have a fast connection (cable modem or DSL) then use Media Player.  If you have neither program, both players are available free and there are links to the appropriate website.  Click on View Entire Webcast.  Watch the webcast as you would a video.

Step 3:  Conduct research on the law or laws related to your topic.  Try to find the exact wording of the law(s).  The websites listed in the RESOURCES section should help you.  Keep in mind that some of these topics may have more than one law associated with them.  Also some of the topics overlap so be sure to look at the description of websites listed under other topics.

Step 4:  Conduct research on actual school-related cases and record the outcome and the reasoning.
Keep in mind that many of these cases are appealed so the final authority may be the Supreme Court.

Step 5:  Many of these laws are misinterpreted by lay people, causing much controversy.  Conduct research on the misinterpretations of the law.  Again, the websites in the RESOURCES section should help you.

Step 6:  Prepare a 20 minute presentation on the law and its implications for schools.  Use PowerPoint or some other presentation tool.  Include relevant handouts that will help your colleagues understand the law.  Your presentation should include the following:

    a.  Exact wording of the law or laws related to your topic.
    b.  Simplified version of the law so lay people can understand its meaning.
    c.  One or two relevant school cases and the final ruling.
    d.  Implications of the law for schools.  What should teachers do or not do?
    e.  Final comments.

Step 7:  Be prepared to answer questions from your colleagues.  There will be a 5 minute question and answer period after each workshop.

Copyright Laws
Copyright Basics - US Copyright Office, contains the actual wording of the Copyright Law
Copyright Implementation Manual - contains links to several other sites
Intellectual Property - article about intellectual property and copyrights
What is Copyright Protection? - article that explains copyright laws in simple to understand terms.
Fair Use Harbor - contains information on copyrights related to technology-based media, includes a quiz on copyright issues
Copyright and Fair Use - advice related to school websites
 
Religious Expression in Schools
United States Department Of Education - Speech by Secretary Riley on religious expression in schools
Student sues Hawaii school over 'God' phrase in honor code - news article
Teacher Fights to Teach Religion After School -  news article
Religion and School Choice - article by by Harry Messenheimer, Ph.D.
Religion and the "Community School" - one teacher's experience
Religion and Prayer in U. S. Public Schools - includes excerpts from the Constitution, landmark court decisions, and more.
After ACLU Intervention on Behalf of Christian Valedictorian, Michigan High School Agrees to Stop Censoring Religious Yearbook Entries - a case study of one student's experience

Inclusion and Least Restrictive Environment
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - US Dept. of Education site, contains actual wording of the law
IDEA AND EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Education Rights of Children with Disabilities:  A Revised & Updated Primer for Advocates
Section 504: What Teachers Need to Know - essay for teachers
Making Accommodations: The Legal World of Students with Disabilities - By Paul D. Grossman
Legal Requirements/Court Cases -contains information about IDEA and summary of court cases
Least Restrictive Environment - further information on LRE, presented by the Nebraska Department of Education
Disability Discrimination - questions and answers on disability discrimination, U. S. Department of Education

Privacy Issues on the Internet
Internet Law Library - contains a search engine to find laws pertaining to the Internet
Privacy in Cyberspace:  Rules of the Road for the Information Superhighway - contains information for anyone who serfs the Internet
Children in Cyberspace: A Privacy Resource Guide for Parents - contains information for teachers, also
How Web Servers' Cookies Threaten Your Privacy - explains cookies and gives tip on protecting your privacy
FTC Releases Survey of Identity Theft - report from the FTC
Privacy Issues for Schools and Libraries - contains several resources and links to other sites
Privacy Policy Statements on School Websites - useful infrmation regarding school websies

Sexual Harassment
Sexual Harassment: It's Not Academic - provides clear definition of sexual harassment and tips for schools
Questions and Answers about Sexual Harassment - Office of Civil rights, U. S. Deptartment of Education
REVISED SEXUAL HARASSMENT GUIDANCE: HARASSMENT OF STUDENTS  BY SCHOOL EMPLOYEES, OTHER STUDENTS, OR THIRD PARTIES - provides information on Title IX  
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - provides the text for this law
Facts About Sexual Harassment - focus is on the workplace, but the suggestions are appropriate for schools
Impact on Title IX of the U.S. Supreme Court's Gebser v. Lago Vista Decision- by Secretary Riley
Sexual Harassment in the Classroom - presents a concise overview of sexual harassment in the classroom, developed for new York schools
Preventing Student Sexual Harassment - reviews effective strategies currently used by schools to combat sexual harassment, by Wendy Schwartz

Child Abuse Issues
National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information - provides many resources
Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act - text of the law
The Role of Educators in Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect - must read
An Introduction to Child Abuse - looks at the impact of child abuse reports on child welfare systems
Child Protection Guide - provide information for parents on child molestation, has signs to watch for near the bottom of the page
Childhelp USA Virginia - list of education and awareness programs to prevent child abuse in Virginia
What is Child Abuse and Neglect? - fact sheet from the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information
Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect: Signs and Symptoms - the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information

Freedom of Speech  
The Bill of Rights - Lists the first 10 amendments to the Constitution as ratified by the States
Students face expulsion under strict speech policy adopted by Va. school board - news article of case in Prince William County
We Have Rights Too - A guide to Some of the Most Important Questions that Students Have About their Civil Liberties
Ask Sybil Liberty about your right to FREE EXPRESSION - Questions and answers about freedom of speech, written for students
Elementary students protest restriction after showing public signs of affection - news article

Violence in Schools
Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994 - actual text of the law
CNN - A State-by-State Look at Gun Laws in the US - click on the state for information on its gun laws
Early Warning, Timely Response:  A Guide to Safe Schools - U.S. Dept. of Education
Preventing Violence in Schools - provides tips for helping students
Preventing Violence by Elementary School Children - by Wendy Schwartz
GIRLS AND VIOLENCE - by Jeanne Weiler
Zero Tolerance Policies - by Tobin McAndrews

School Liability
Teacher Liability for Student Injury and Misconduct - article that discusses liability, provides scenarios
What are Tort Laws? - explains about tort and the law differences between intentional and negligence
Watch that Peanut Butter! - an article about food allergies and their consequences
Broad Liability Exposure Confronts Educators - provides information on various topics, history of liability in schools
Teacher Liability - provides information on liability based on the law
School Law: Trends and Issues - by Brad Goorian, four subjects are the focus of this discussion of school law: sexual harassment, the copyright act, school discipline, and religion and the schools.

Protecting Children on the Internet
Critiquing Acceptable Use Policies - by Dave Kinnaman, explains what AUPs are and their implications
Senators Again Take Up Internet Restrictions - NYTimes article on the Internet School Filtering Act
Reno vs. ACLU - court case on the Communications Decency Act (CDA), contains links to Supreme Court decision
Communications Decency Act - a law passed by Congress to protect children from pornography on the Internet
Faulty Filters: How Content Filters Block Access to Kid-Friendly Information on the Internet - artcile dealing with blocking software
Quick Summary of CIPA Decision - issued by the U. S. Supreme Court
Schools and the Internet Protection Act - contains severl useful links
Website Owner Nabbed in Porn Scam - recent case of trying to trick children into going to inappropriate sites

Upon completion of this WebQuest, you and your colleagues will present on the topic assigned.  Presentations will be evaluated on your understanding of the law and its impact on schools.  The following criteria will be used in the form of a grading criteria sheet or a rubric:

• How much of the assignment was completed correctly?
• Is the required information presented?
• Is the presentation well organized?
• Is the presentation clearly spoken and presented in a logical fashion?
• Is the content of the presentation accurate?
• Are the handouts clearly written?

If you have successfully completed this WebQuest you will have a broad understanding of United States laws and the how they influence what happens in schools.  Hopefully this understanding will allow you to protect the children placed in your care while avoiding a possible lawsuit.

If you would like additional information on your rights and responsibilities as a teacher, contact your State Department of Education or local chapter of the National Education Association.