This book is a collection of twelve papers concerning the role of the public school principal and the legal decisions he or she is forced to make on the job. The twelve contributors are nationally recognized experts in the field of school law and school administration. Topics covered include legal aspects of a principal's employment; authority over personnel; teacher employment, evaluation, and dismissal; collective negotiations; strikes; substantive and procedural issues of student discipline; student crimes; access to student records; tort liability; managing a school's fiscal resources; and ensuring equality of educational opportunity. (Author/LD)