School Law: Cases and Concepts

by Michael W. LaMorte

An engaging, case-based approach to the most up-to-date legal topics gives educators a basic understanding of the legal aspects of their work. This text introduces K-12 educators to a body of school law that will help them to conduct themselves in a legally defensible manner. A balance of case law, statutory law, constitutional provisions, and analytical commentary, this vital book covers a wide range of topics sources of law under which educators operate; legal restraints to state action in K-12 education; legal rights and restrictions applicable to students and teachers; law pertaining to persons with disabilities; and liability for damages as a result of official action or inaction. In addition, broad legal concepts such as due process, equal protection, freedom of expression, the wall separating church and state, and reasonable search are analyzed to assist professional educators in gaining a better understanding of the legal landscape in which they operate. The entire text is written in a clear, engaging style appropriate for those who do not have extensive legal backgrounds.

Genres: Education, School, Academic, Nonfiction, Law

424 pages, Hardcover

First published January 28, 1982

Reviews

[Hillary Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry but important for school leaders to know. Toughest class in my EWU program because it was so foreign. But, in our litigious society school administration needs to be prepared for facing these 3 questions:
Is this best for students?
Am I okay with this being on the news?
Will this decision cause me or the school district to appear in court?
Interesting and important class. Glad it's over though too!

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as textbooks go, this is one of the more engaging ones. That’s a low bar to cross but the material really pops here if constitutional law is your thing. The case dockets in here also span from The Supreme Court to district and appellate courts. While dense material, the book clearly weighs out the challenges in discerning the law as it was written to our ever changing society.

[Tory · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any educator who wants to be armed with the law.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

School Law is an important but heavy class and this textbook served its purpose.

[Nicole]

If I read an entire 350+ page textbook you can bet it’s going to count for my yearly book goal!

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the graduate course I had that used this textbook. Perhaps that explains the high rating. After all, it's just a book full of school law cases. All are available, I suspect, online these days. Hardly a need to spend money on them in book form.

All the classic school law cases are presented here.
****

This book illustrates the college book scam that our higher education industry is riddled with. This is when I clued in that graduate degrees are purchases, not purely scholarly.

For my second graduate program, I was required to take school law again. I suggested that since I already took the class with the same professor (New Jersey Assembly Speaker Jack Collins), I should receive credit for it from the first program. I was told it was a different class and different cases would be used. That was not the case. Furthermore, I was required to purchase a new edition of the book. Grrr . . . nothing had changed and I now have two editions of this book.

FWIW, I earned the same grade each time.

[Matt Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a textbook filled with Supreme Court case decisions and dissents that have defined school law over the last 100 years. While not exactly a piece that will enthrall the average reader, anyone who is fascinated with monumental Supreme Court cases, or who has worked in education, will find this one to be of interest. La Morte's reflections on some cases, and the way he ties various decisions together to illustrate how certain school policies have taken shape on the national level, add a great deal to the book.

[Kimber Lybbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay people--I'm putting a textbook on Goodreads. And it was a good read. Honestly. It was clearly and concisely written, and if you are a teacher or have children in school, you'll find the cases pretty interesting. Plus, if I'm going to make it to 100 books while working three jobs and doing my Doctorate, Ima have to include some of these textbooks.

[Sandy]

I bet you are all jealous - I can share when I'm done.