1. 8th-grade student is suspended for sharing with friends via instant message, a small drawing, crude but clear suggesting a particular teacher should be shot and killed. This was done from his home computer outside of school hours.
This is a clear indication of lack of proper communication between the administration, teachers and the students. It is appropriate for the student to be suspended because this is an instance of inciting other people using social media. In essence, it is cyber bullying and everyone, both teachers and students, is protected against cyberbullying. The suspension should serve as an example to other students to refrain from such acts. In such a case, the right step to take is to follow proper channels of communication in the event of an issue between the teachers and the students. Inciting others through social media is not proper hence the punishment passed is fair.
2. What works for me? What does not work for me? What more do I want to know? Possible upgrades?
I have a great interest in learning more about this course since it will give me a wider perspective of understanding the legal aspects of educational administration. Working in groups works for me best. I enjoy working in groups especially with students from a native tongue since I am an international student myself, being given activities and presentations to work alone does not work for me. I prefer working in groups for activities and presentations. I would like to have knowledge on what steps to take to ensure that the rights of both students and teachers are not violated. Also, it will enable me to understand the aspects of freedom of speech, religion and the press, also in understanding the rights of assembly and petition. Possible upgrades that would be best is encountering elements that currently affect legal issues of educational administration. Another upgrade would be intertwining the cases and articles of legal matters in the past and the present so as to understand the transition that has occurred in legal matters of education administration over the years.
3. Search for articles and cases on your possible required project topics. Article must be about a legal issue facing schools today. Send articles and cases as Links and use reliable webs.
Discipline in relation to social media
(http://www.splc.org/article/2016/06/legal-analysis-student-speech)
Cyberbullying
(https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/05/23/after-years-of-alleged-bullying-an-ohio-teen-killed-herself-is-her-school-district-responsible/)
Privacy rights in schools
(http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr16/yr16rel18.asp)
Legal issues surrounding students who are transgender
(http://www.iasb.com/law/transgender.cfm)
Gang activity
(http://saferschoolstogether.com/gangs-guns-2016-speakers/)
(http://lawdigest.uslegal.com/education-laws/teacher's-rights/7230/#DueProcessRightsOfTeachers)
Zero tolerance policies
(http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2820411)
