The impact of the 1976 copyright laws on educational institutions is unclear. This sixteenth chapter of a book on school law discusses copyright legislation and cases of interest to educators, dividing copyright problems into four categories: photocopying, performance, videotaping, and computer programs. The guidelines that can be drawn from…

Selected legal problem areas for sectarian and nonsectarian private schools that have generated substantial litigation and frequent questions from nonpublic school administrators and faculty are discussed. Major topic headings include tort liability, constraints on student and faculty discipline, governing board liability, governmental regulation…

The prohibition of student plagiarism by educational institutions creates problems associated with: (1) communicating acceptable practices for citing the works of others; (2) establishing appropriate penalties for those who do not follow the announced standards; (3) ensuring, through due process, the protection of the rights of those accused of…

A major problem area under the 1976 Copyright Act that needs clarification, if not revision, concerns the use of photocopied copyrighted materials in classrooms. (Author/MLF)

The range of nonpublic schools in the United States is considerable, from home instruction by parents to prestigious private schools, with or without religious affiliation. The continuing growth in nonpublic education can hardly be blamed on a disenchantment with or an apathy toward public schools; the central common denominator is a basic concern…

The almost universal doctrine of charitable immunity was traditionally justified at one time because of the altruistic nature of charities. The reasons for abolition of charitable immunity in most states have generally been two-fold: (1) charities are no longer low-budget, marginal operations; (2) the risk of crippling verdicts can be minimized…

In this article we explore the increasing complexity of plagiarism litigation in the USA and Australia. Plagiarism has always been a serious academic issue and academic staff and students have wrestled with its definition and appropriate penalties for some time. However, the advent of the Internet and more freely accessible information resources,…