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CHAPTER 8: SCHOOL LAW: ETHICAL AND LEGAL INFLUENCES ON TEACHING
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
The chapter begins by examining how ethics and law influence professional decision making. Our
legal system is described as an overlapping and interconnected web of federal, state, and local
CHAPTER LEARNING OUTCOMES
2. Describe how the legal system at the federal, state, and local levels influences education.
InTASC Core Teaching Standard 9, Professional Learning and Ethical Practice
lives are influenced by the law.
InTASC Core Teaching Standard 9, Professional Learning and Ethical Practice
4 Describe the legal implications of religion in the schools.
InTASC Core Teaching Standard 2, Learning Differences
POWERPOINT SLIDES
PPT 8.1 Limitations of Laws as Guidelines for Teachers (3 slides)
PPT 8.3 Constitutional Amendments Influencing Teaching (2 slides)
PPT 8.5 Collective Bargaining and Tenure (2 slides)
PPT 8.9 Teacher Notoriety (4 slides)
PPT 8.11 Student Freedom of Speech and Sexual Harassment (2 slides)
PPT 8.13 An Application of the Buckley Amendment (2 slides)
PPT 8.15 Reflecting on Legal and Ethical Influences on Teaching (3 slides)
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CHAPTER OUTLINE
I. Law, Ethics, and Teacher Professionalism
A. Limitations of Laws
B. Ethical Dimensions of Teaching
II. The U.S. Legal System
A. Federal Influences
1. Constitutional Amendments
2. Federal Laws
B. State and Local Influences
C. The Overlapping Legal System
III.
A. Teacher Employment and the Law
2. Contracts
4. Tenure
6. Dismissal
a. Reduction in Force
B. Academic Freedom
C. Copyright Laws
D. Teacher Liability
E. Child Abuse
F.
1. Teachers with AIDS
Communicate with Students
IV. Religion and the Law
A. Prayer in Schools
B. Religious Clubs and Organizations
C. Religion in the Curriculum
V. Students and the Law
A. The Educational Rights of Immigrant Children
B.
Cyber-bullying
Sexting
1. Student dress codes
2. School uniforms
C. Sexual Harassment
H.
1. Disciplinary Actions and Students with Exceptionalities
I. Students with AIDS
Chapter 8: School Law: Ethical and Legal Influences on Teachi
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
I. Law, Ethics, and Teacher Professionalism
A. Limitations of Laws
B. Ethical Dimensions of Teaching
Teaching Suggestions:
Law, Ethics, and Teacher Professionalism
students:
2. Legal and Ethical Issues in
have your students respond to the questions on the slides, and discuss their responses.
The first slide of PPT 8.2 refers to an editorial in the New York Times. The citation for the
editorial is below. If you want to share the editorial with your students, it can be accessed with
the citation below.
II. The U.S. Legal System
A. Federal Influences
B. State and Local Influences
C. The Overlapping Legal System
Teaching Suggestions:
The U. S. Legal System
how the Constitution of our country will influence
their work with students when they begin teaching:
1. Have students respond to
the directions on the first slide, and discuss their responses.
III.
A. Teacher Employment and the Law
2. Contracts
4. Tenure
6. Dismissal
a. Reduction in Force
B. Academic Freedom
C. Copyright Laws
D. Teacher Liability
E. Child Abuse
64
F.
1. Teachers with AIDS
Communicate with Students
Teaching Suggestions:
teaching:
1. have them respond to the questions on the slides, and
explain their responses.
2. and have your students respond to the
3. provides an application that involves academic freedom. You
might remind your students that an incident, such as the one illustrated in the slide, is unlikely,
but stranger things than this have happened to teachers.
4. provides an additional application, in this case involving the issue of
copyright laws.
5.
6. To change the direction of your class slightly, ask your students to offer some examples of what
they might do that would cause them to lose their jobs.
have them respond to
the question on the slides, discuss their responses, and then provide the feedback for each of the
items.
IV. Religion and the Law
A. Prayer in Schools
Chapter 8: School Law: Ethical and Legal Influences on Teachi
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Teaching Suggestions:
Religion and the Law
egal boundaries and constraints involving
religion in public schools:
1. have them respond to the questions on the
slides, and discuss their responses.
The answers to the questions on the slides provide a summary of the boundaries and constraints
V. Students and the Law
A. The Educational Rights of Immigrant Children
B.
edom of Speech and Technology
Cyber-bullying
C. Sexual Harassment
H.
1. Disciplinary Actions and Students with Exceptionalities
I. Students with AIDS
Teaching Suggestions:
your students understand the rights and responsibilities of the students they
will teach when they begin their first jobs:
1. have them respond to
2. provides an overview of Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act [commonly known as the Buckley Amendment].
3. which is designed to help
ons it can
have for their teaching.
4. Ask your students how they feel about corporal punishment, i.e., are they in favor of it, or do
they oppose it? Have them explain their positions.
Chapter 8: School Law: Ethical and Legal Influences on Teachi
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method of controlling student behavior.
5. You may choose to summarize the chapter by having your students respond to the questions on
Reflecting on Legal and Ethical Influences on Teaching and offer reasons for their
views.
SUGGESTED STUDENT PORTFOLIO ACTIVITIES
Portfolio Activity 8.1 is included at the end of the chapter. The following are additional suggested portfolio
activities.
Portfolio Activity 8.2: Deepening Your knowledge of Legal Issues
InTASC Core Teaching Standard 9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice
Portfolio Activity 8.3: Assessing Your Knowledge of School Law
InTASC Core Teaching Standard 9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice
The purpose of this activity is to assess your personal knowledge of legal issues facing the education
profession. Begin by reviewing the Important Concepts found at the end of this chapter. How many of
Portfolio Activity 8.4: School Law and Professional Ethics
InTASC Core Teaching Standard 9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice
This activity is designed to acquaint you with the NEA Code of Ethics and legal issues raised in this
Chapter 8: School Law: Ethical and Legal Influences on Teachi
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GOING INTO SCHOOLS
Many Introduction to Education courses include a field component.
1. Teacher Contracts
Ob
areas?
a. Probationary period before tenure
b. Tenure
2. District Policies
(These are available at the district office, or online.)
What are the policies in the following areas?
3. Child Abuse
a. Are the policy and procedures clear?
b. Does the teacher know what his or her rights and responsibilities are in reporting child abuse?
c. Has the teacher ever had to report child abuse, and if so, what was the outcome? What did the
unanswered questions you might have about the process.
4.
Interview several middle or high school students to find out about their knowledge of legal issues. Ask
them about their rights and responsibilities in the following areas:
a. Freedom of speech
b. Student records and privacy