Due to the value of personal rights and freedoms, along with the associated questions and continuing problems, the issue of "civil rights" continues to be relevant in the twenty-first century. In the United States, the civil rights of disenfranchised people are adversely affected by various social, regional, and federal policies.…

The purpose of this research was to examine Court Cases Alleging Employment Discrimination in Public Schools by analyzing 115 law based court cases ranging during 1980-2012, through the most available publication of "West's Educational Law Digest" of 2012. Employment is a means to provide sustainable income to support the individual(s)…

The disestablishment clause of the U.S. Constitution has led educators in the United States to establish guidelines about addressing religion in the classroom. As a basic rule, districts have allowed teaching about religion without encouraging or supporting a particular religion. This article suggests that patriotism and patriotic expressions are,…

Issued by the Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution, this collection of instructional materials is designed to help teach about the United States Constitution. The documents include: "Plant a Living Legacy"; "Teaching Guide to Accompany United States Presidents, 1789-1989"; "Skills Handbook: 200…

Each year, third graders in a rural Missouri intermediate elementary school are presented with a challenge--to collaborate on a virtual adventure to the nation's capital to find answers to these questions: (1) What were the main purposes of the Declaration of Independence?; (2) What is the purpose of the United States Constitution?; and (3) Why is…

Background/Context: Almost 100 years ago, John Dewey advocated for a democratic U.S. educational system, one that echoed the tenets of the U.S. Constitution and achieved an ethical ideal by inviting participation of all students. Yet the U.S. educational system continues to stop short of this goal insofar as students of Color--especially those in…

This report argues that the Michigan state constitution's "Blaine Amendment," a provision which prevents parents from drawing on state funding to go outside the public school system, is superseded by the United States Supreme Court's 2020 ruling in the case Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue. The report discusses a legislative…

Classroom activities to help children learn about and celebrate the bicentennial anniversary of the United States Constitution are described, including making up a class constitution, teaching about becoming a United States citizen, and researching details of a specific state's ratification of the Constitution. (CB)

The passage of the Equal Access Act (1984) brought to light the legal conflict that had been building over the previous four decades over who should or should not have access to public school facilities. Following the passage of the Act, many student and community groups began to request use of school facilities. School leaders were called on to…

This article examines charter schools from the perspective of religious institutions and parents that may want to open such schools. Religion-based charter schools also pose unique policy and legal questions because charter schools are a singular reform method. It examines the relevant, recent and historical, legal cases, and relevant examples of…

Describes eight resources for teaching about the United States Constitution available from ERIC. Described are instructional materials for junior and senior high school students on such topics as (1) the role of the U.S. Supreme Court, (2) freedom of the press, (3) the history of the United States Constitution, and (4) problems of the…

While children's rights are often framed in a global context, ultimately they are upheld, defended, and realized at the local community level. Despite the United States being the only country that has not ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, every child in the U.S. has the right to a public education as recognized in state…

Over 600 higher education institutions have been identified as alleged diploma mills by governmental authorities based on criteria set forth in U.S. federal law. The characteristics of religious colleges exempt from State oversight varied based on each States' higher education legislation and implementing policy. The U.S. Constitution was the core…

This document consists of six pages of course description accompanied by over 200 pages of reproduced material including the complete constitutions of Bulgaria, Romania, and the United States, respectively. This unit allows students to analyze primary and secondary sources, think critically about the documents, and reflect on whether a country's…

The history of the Fourteenth Amendment is reviewed from the time it was added to the Constitution of the United States in 1868. (MC)