"This is one of the best books involving legal issues that I have seen. It is practical, well organized, and thorough. Specific court cases and findings clearly illuminate the intent of the law, giving the administrator guidance in making sound legal decisions. This book would be an excellent reference for any administrator's collection."
-Sharon M. Redfern, Principal
Highland Park Elementary School, Lewistown, MT
The ideal quick-reference guide for understanding legal issues in schools!
On a daily basis, today's educators must make legally sound decisions concerning the instruction, supervision, and safety of students while operating within the boundaries of the U.S. Constitution, federal and state laws, and school district policy.
This compact, jargon-free, easy-to-understand reference focuses on two hundred common legal issues to provide school administrators and teachers with authoritative, legally defensible approaches for addressing school challenges. Through the accessible Q&A format, teachers and school leaders can read sequentially or browse for immediate answers on topics such as religious issues, individuals' rights, disciplinary practices, morality, teacher dismissal, liabilities, NCLB, and more. Practical and concise, this guide provides:
A list of relevant court cases pertaining to each question and answer
Legal references to guide teachers' and school leaders' actions
A glossary of legal terms and a list of selected federal statutes
Summaries and conclusions at the end of each chapter
The 200 Most Frequently Asked Legal Questions for Educators contains invaluable information to assist educators in performing their duties effectively and in accordance with the law.
Author Biography:
Nathan L. Essex is professor of educational law and leadership at the University of Memphis and president of Southwest Tennessee Community College. He has held public school teaching and administrative positions prior to completing the doctorate. Essex’s interests include law, educational policy, and personnel administration. He has served as consultant for more than 100 school districts and numerous educational agencies. He served as a policy consultant with the Alabama State Department of Education for 12 years and received numerous awards in recognition of his contributions in the field of education. He is the recipient of the Truman M. Pierce Award for educational leadership and outstanding contributions that advanced the direction of education in the state of Alabama; the Academic Excellence Award in recognition of professional achievement and academic excellence in the research, service, and teaching of education, Capstone College of Education Society, The University of Alabama; Teaching Excellence Award; Distinguished Service Award—Who’s Who in the State of Tennessee; The University of Memphis Distinguished Administrator of the Year 1995-96; “Educator on the Move,” The University of Memphis; Phi Delta Kappa, the President’s award for leadership and service to the community, Youth Services, Inc.; Who’s Who in Corporate Memphis, Grace Magazine; and President Bush’s Community Service Award, just to name a few. Essex has published numerous articles, book chapters, and newsletters on legal issues. Many of his works appear in The Administrator’s Notebook, The Horizon, Compensation Review, The Clearinghouse, The American School Board Journal, American Management Association, Community College Review, Education and Law, and many other professional journals. Essex has authored a law textbook entitled School Law and the Public Schools—A Practical Guide for Educational Leaders, which was published by Allyn & Bacon. A fourth edition was released in January 2007. Essex has also published a textbook for public school teachers, entitled Pocket Guide to School Law, and a booklet on No Child Left Behind that was published by Allyn & Bacon. He is highly sought by educators at all levels to share his knowledge and expertise regarding legal and policy issues that impact educational organizations. He received the BS degree in English at Alabama A&M University, the MS degree in educational administration at Jacksonville State University, and the PhD degree in administration and planning at The University of Alabama.
