Recent court decisions and federal legislation which have contributed to conflicts in the delivery of services to emotionally disturbed adolescents are reviewed and possible solutions are examined. The impact of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Public Law 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) are assessed along with such decisions as Mills v the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens. The 14th Amendment dilemma for the special educator is identified: modify the student's behavior and risk due process violation charges or play it safe and fail to serve the child. Other conflicts existing in areas such as curriculum, teacher rights, and student placement are explored. Solutions to the conflicts, including suggestions such as clarifying the differences between teaching modalities and subject content, are presented. (PHR)