Lacroix, Anne-Laurence; Mejia, Fernando (1995). Rights of the Child in Senegal. This report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child contains observations of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) concerning the application of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child by the Republic of Senegal. Part 1 of the report, "Preliminary Observations," discusses Senegal's ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its participation in other international instruments relating to human rights which condemn the practice of torture. Part 2, "General Observations," discusses in detail Senegal's legislation regarding torture and crimes against children and points out perceived inadequacies in policy and practice. Part 3, "Children in Conflict with the Law," details Senegal's Penal Code with regard to minors, pointing out areas for improvement. Part 4, "Conclusions," asserts that the International Secretariat of OMCT/SOS-Torture laments the excessively condensed manner in which Senegal… [PDF]

Mejia, Fernando; Schonveld, Ben (1997). Rights of the Child in Ethiopia. This report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child contains observations of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) concerning the application of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child by the nation of Ethiopia. The report's introduction asserts that despite the considerable lip service being paid by Ethiopia's government to children's rights, OMCT is concerned that the needs of the Ethiopian child with regard to gross violations of human rights are being overlooked. The report then presents observations and recommendations in the following areas: (1) the age of criminal responsibility; (2) torture, ill treatment, or other cruel or degrading treatment: the absence of protection; (3) draft legislation concerning torture; (4) current legislation concerning torture; (5) the right to redress; (6) corporal punishment as a punitive measure; (7) physical chastisement in institutions; (8) general protection from violence for children; (9) children in… [PDF]

Lacroix, Anne Laurence (1997). Rights of the Child in Ghana. This report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child contains observations of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) concerning the application of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child by the Republic of Ghana. The report's introduction asserts that although OMCT welcomes the measures taken by the Ghanian authorities in order to bring national legislation and policy into line with the Convention, as well as the self-critical attitude adopted by Ghana's own report on its progress, OMCT regrets that Ghana's report deals only very briefly with certain of the main objectives incumbent upon the government and certain major violations affecting the rights of the child. The report then presents observations and recommendations in the following areas: (1) definition of a child; (2) age of criminal responsibility; (3) protection against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatments (penalties not proportionate to the gravity of the crimes… [PDF]

Mejia, Fernando (1997). Rights of the Child in Algeria. This report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child contains observations of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) concerning the application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by Algeria. The report's introduction asserts that although OMCT welcomes legislative and institutional efforts made by Algeria since 1992 to carry out its obligations under the Convention, many efforts thus far are insufficient or contradictory. The report then contains observations and recommendations in the following areas: (1) definition of the child; (2) penal responsibility of the child; (3) the right to be heard in any procedure; (4) competent jurisdiction; (5) sanctions applied to children; (6) death penalty and life imprisonment; (7) definition and prohibition of torture; (8) protection during police custody; (9) medical examination during police custody; (10) sanctions in case of arbitrary arrest or detention; (11) validity of confessions obtained under torture;… [PDF]

Gottlieb, Stephen S. (1991). A High School Student's Bill of Rights. Teaching Resources in the ERIC Database (TRIED) Series. Designed to tap the rich collection of instructional techniques in the ERIC database, this compilation of lesson plans focuses on teaching high school students their Constitutional rights and responsibilities. The 40 lesson plans in the book cover the courts and basic rights, the rights of criminal suspects, the rights of minors and education law, and individual freedom at school and in the working world. The book includes an activities chart which indicates the focus and types of activities (such as class discussion, creative writing, critical reading, role playing, group activities, etc.) found in the various lessons. The United States Bill of Rights, The Northwest Ordinance of 1787, and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights are attached. (RS)… [PDF]

Kransdorf, Martha (1987). Frances Eisenberg at Canoga Park High School, 1946: Prelude to McCarthyism in the Los Angeles Public Schools. Targeted by the "California Fact-Finding Committee on Un-American Affairs" in 1946, Frances Eisenberg subsequently was dismissed from the Los Angeles Public School System after 20 years of teaching. In 1947, the "Tenney Committee" introduced eight bills in the California legislature to prevent the teaching of controversial subjects in elementary schools and to increase legislative control over textbooks. Eisenberg was charged with "indoctrinating with subversive ideologies" in the small rural agricultural community of Canoga Park, California. In spite of strong parental and student support, Eisenberg, a teacher of journalism and English and the faculty advisor for the school newspaper, became the target for suspicion and hostility during a period of nationalism. Known anti-Semites were called as witnesses against her as well as students who had never been in her classes. Although the board of education appointed a committee which investigated the… [PDF]

Watson, Joan Q. (1981). Know Your Laws. These 24 self-contained competency-based modules are designed to acquaint Florida adult students with laws they will meet in everyday life; fundamentals of local, state, and federal governments; and the criminal and juvenile justice systems. (The 130 objectives are categorized in the first three levels of the Cognitive Domain and parallel the Adult Performance Level competencies.) Rationale and terminal performance objectives are first presented. Each module may contain some or all of the following: objectives, vocabulary list with definitions, enabling activities, resources needed, synopsis of film(s) listed as resources, and handout(s). Topics covered include need for laws, driving laws and signs, voting duties and responsibilities of citizens, consumer law, citizen rights, legal importance of name, need for lawyer, legal documents, social legislation, Florida police, local government, elected county government, state officials, Florida governor, Florida laws, how a bill becomes a… [PDF]

Sanders, Beverly (1979). Women in American History: A Series. Book Four, Women in the Progressive Era 1890-1920. The document, one in a series of four on women in American history, discusses the role of women in the Progressive Era (1890-1920). Designed to supplement high school U.S. history textbooks, the book is comprised of five chapters. Chapter I describes reformers and radicals including Jane Addams and Lillian Wald who began the settlement house movement; Florence Kelley, who fought for labor legislation; and Emma Goldman and Kate Richards O'Hare who became political prisoners for speaking against World War I. Chapter III focuses on women in factory work and the labor movement. Excerpts from diaries reflect the working conditions in factories which led to women's involvement in the AFL and the formation of the National Women's Trade Union League. Mother Jones, the Industrial Workers of the World, and the \Bread and Roses\ strike (1912) of 25,000 textile workers in Massachusetts are also described. Chapters III and IV trace how women got the vote through the decades of struggle and… [PDF]

Knowles, Laurence W. (1974). Higher Education. This chapter on higher education reviews and discusses court cases dealing with organization and administration, property, buildings, liability, aid to private education, faculty, student rights, discrimination, and intercollegiate athletics. (DW)…

(1976). A Guide to Postsecondary Institutions for Implementation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as Amended. This document provides guidance to postsecondary institutions for implementation of and compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended. It is intended to serve all institutional components that possess and maintain education records about students. The historical background of the act is reviewed and descriptions are given of its essence, institutions and records to which it applies, and enforcement. Requirements for compliance are discussed with regard to written institutional policy, notice to students of their privacy rights, and students' access to their education records. Procedures and strategies for compliance include (1) disclosure of education record information, (2) challenge of the contents of education records, and (3) records of requests and disclosures. Appended are sample forms, the act itself, final regulations, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, Section 152. (LBH)… [PDF]

Balkman, Kathy; Sewall, Angela Maynard (2002). Do Special Education Teachers Leave Their Rights at the Schoolhouse Door?. This paper is part of a collection of 54 papers from the 48th annual conference of the Education Law Association held in November 2002. It discusses teachers' rights to private and public speech. Specifically, it examines the rights of special-education teachers and other special-education professionals to advocate, privately or publicly, on behalf of the disabled. In analyzing a number of court cases and recent legal developments regarding freedom of speech for special-education teachers, the paper touches briefly upon a variety of issues, including the following: (1) teacher property interests in teaching a particular grade, teaching at a particular school, or teaching a particular subject; (2) teacher probationary periods; (3) tenure; (4) recognized grounds for termination of teachers; (5) the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; (6) a code of ethics for special-education professionals; and (7) advocacy versus unprotected speech. (WFA)…

Kramer, Bill (1993). Title IX in Intercollegiate Athletics: Litigation Risks Facing Colleges and Universities. AGB Public Policy [Paper] Series, No. 93-2. Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges Recently Title IX lawsuits have highlighted the vulnerability of colleges and universities to claims of gender discrimination in intercollegiate athletics. Female athletes have sued schools for eliminating varsity sports and for failing to create varsity teams. In addition, discrimination claims related to other gender-based issues have been filed. Title IX lawsuits can have serious consequences for institutions, including monetary damages, attorneys' fees, court-mandated funding of programs, court control of athletics programs, and additional litigation. Compliance with the law may be established by satisfying one of three tests: "Safe Harbor," wherein the institution can show that participation opportunities for male and female students are substantially proportionate to student enrollments; a history and continuing practice of programs responsive to members of the "underrepresented" sex; or that the interests and abilities of the "underrepresented"…

Feller, Markus (2000). Rights of the Child in Burundi. This report to the United Nations (U.N.) Committee on the Rights of the Child contains observations of the World Organisation against Torture (OMCT) concerning the application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by Burundi. The report is presented in seven parts. Part 1 outlines preliminary observations regarding Burundi's ratification of the Convention, noting that the government omitted important information in their report to the Committee on the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Part 2 presents general observations on the situation of children in Burundi, asserting that torture seems to be a systematic practice within the country, with evidence for violations of children's rights by rebel forces, the police and armed forces, and by family members. Part 3 of the report provides definitions of "child." Part 4 details protections against torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, including the definition of torture in… [PDF]

Collins, Loucrecia; Redcross, Joseph (2005). The Case of the Field Trip Disaster. Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, v8 n1 p35-40. For decades, the instructional field trip has been viewed as a strategy to enhance students' learning experiences. Yet what happens when an award-winning teacher is accused of choking a student while on a field trip? Tempers flare among community members, parents contact the police, and the principal is assigned the daunting task of investigating a staff member for assault and battery. This case study provides an opportunity for aspiring principals to analyze legal challenges posed by the supervision of students during instructional field trips. In addition, students will explore school board and site-based school policies regarding field trips and examine guidelines regarding due process for teachers. Finally, an analysis of the principal's relationship with the teacher's union representative will help prepare future administrators in working with negotiated contracts…. [Direct]

Wilson, Duncan (2004). Human Rights: Promoting Gender Equality in and through Education. Prospects: Quarterly Review of Comparative Education, v34 n1 p11-27 Mar. The Dakar Framework for Action represents the most important international political commitment towards promoting Education for All. The Framework contains two gender-based goals. In Article 7 (ii) the participants commit themselves to eliminating \gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005\. The second commitment is to achieve gender equality in education (Article 7 (v)). These are described as \gender parity\ and \gender equality\ respectively. This article focuses on gender equality and examines gender parity by way of comparison, on the premise that it is a necessary but insufficient precondition for the realization of equality. It also discusses a human rights framework for education to promote gender equality in and through education. (Contains 2 figures, 1 table and 47 notes.)… [Direct]

Hess, Diana (2007). From \Banished\ to \Brother Outsider\, \Miss Navajo\ to \An Inconvenient Truth\: Documentary Films as Perspective-Laden Narratives. Social Education, v71 n4 p194-199 May-Jun. The ubiquity of documentary films in social studies courses, along with their potential to influence what students learn, clearly show that documentary films matter in social studies education. While the high rate of documentary film usage by social studies teachers indicates that they are amenable to bringing new films into their classrooms, they also know that some films can provoke uproar in some communities. This is more likely to occur when the film is cutting edge–whether it's ahead of the mainstream consensus on what is considered school knowledge, perceived as taking a position on an issue that is highly controversial, or about a topic that some parents or other community members consider taboo. As a case in point, teachers in Federal Way School District, south of Seattle, were criticized for showing \An Inconvenient Truth\ (a 2006 documentary, featuring Al Gore on the perils of global warming) because, as one parent argued, \Condoms don't belong in school, and neither does… [Direct]

Carr, Joetta L. (2007). Campus Violence White Paper. Journal of American College Health, v55 n5 p304-319 Mar-Apr. In 1999, the American College Health Association (ACHA) Executive Committee issued a position statement for the Association that addresses acts of violence, bias, and other violations of human rights that have been occurring all too often within or adjacent to college communities. The statement called for all campus health professionals to become actively engaged in the struggle to end oppression, to prevent bias-related violence in campus communities, and to take action to eradicate injustice. Since this timely position statement was developed, acts of violence have continued to force U.S. colleges and universities to address the dangerous and alarming violent events that send shockwaves throughout many campuses and compromise students' and employees' health and safety. ACHA's "Healthy Campus 2010" establishes national health objectives and serves as a basis for developing plans to create college health programs and improve student health. The purpose of this White Paper… [Direct]

Graf, Victoria L.; Jimenez, Terese C.; Rose, Ernest (2007). Gaining Access to General Education: The Promise of Universal Design for Learning. Issues in Teacher Education, v16 n2 p41-54 Fall. On November 29, 1975 then President Ford signed the "Education of All Handicapped Children Act" (EAHCA) into law, mandating for the first time that children and youth with disabilities be afforded the right to a free and appropriate public education, individualized programming, parental participation in the decision making process, nondiscriminatory identification and evaluation, instruction in the least restrictive environment, while ensuring families due process rights and responsibilities. One challenge has been ensuring adequate access to the general education curriculum for an increasingly diverse group of learners within general education classrooms. One approach to making general education curriculum more accessible to diverse learners regardless of ability, learning style, language, or culture is the application of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Grounded in research of learner differences, the capacities of new media, and the most effective teaching practices… [PDF] [Direct]

Sablan, Velma A. (1996). Consumer Self Advocacy: A Training Program for Individuals with Disabilities and Their Families. Facilitator Manual. Revised [and] Participant Manual. This training package, including both a facilitator manual and a participant manual, presents information in four modules to teach self-advocacy skills to Guam individuals with disabilities and their families. Module 1 provides information on the definition of advocacy and self-advocacy, cultural influences that affect advocacy in Guam, and the needs of individuals with disabilities. Module 2 discusses legal rights and entitlements for consumers with disabilities. Module 3 describes expectations and goals for services for persons with disabilities, including information on service providers and support services. Module 3 also covers values that promote/support appropriate services and natural supports to self-advocacy. Module 4 explains methods of advocacy and effective strategies, including information on building self-confidence, developing problem-solving skills, developing effective communication and interpersonal relationships, and using the legal system to solve problems…. [PDF]

Barnett, Elizabeth F. (1994). Mary McLeod Bethune: Feminist, Educator, and Social Activist. Draft. Multicultural education in the 1990s goes beyond the histories of particular ethnic and cultural groups to examine the context of oppression itself. The historical foundations of this modern conception of multicultural education are exemplified in the lives of African American women, whose stories are largely untold. Aspects of current theory and practice in curriculum transformation and multicultural education have roots in the activities of African American women. This paper discusses the life and contributions of Mary McLeod Bethune as an example of the interconnections among feminism, education, and social activism in early 20th century American life. (Author/EH)… [PDF]

(1993). Americans with Disabilities Act. This paper outlines key elements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as the ADA pertains to businesses, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications. Implications of the legislation for postsecondary education institutions are then explored. The paper indicates that the ADA demands virtually the same standards for compliance in the employment area as Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Implications include renewed attention to disability access to facilities and programs, and increased use of campus facilities and programs by individuals with disabilities as transportation access improves. Differences between Section 504 and the ADA are analyzed, focusing on requirements for physical access in new construction or major renovations. Four publications on postsecondary education compliance with Section 504 and the ADA are described. Several government agencies and publications offering assistance on ADA requirements are listed. (JDD)… [PDF]

(1992). Women with Work Disabilities. Facts on Working Women No. 92.2. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) should provide disabled working women with better employment prospects and greater earning capacities. The ADA prohibits discrimination in all terms and conditions of employment against qualified disabled persons who can perform the essential functions of a given job with or without reasonable accommodation. More disabled working women are employed today than 10 years ago, and they are more likely to be employed full time; however, women with work disabilities are still three times as likely as nondisabled women to be unemployed. Black women workers are much more likely to be disabled than white women workers (13.8% versus 7.7%). The incidence of work disability increases with age. The percentage of disabled women working in service occupations is higher than the percentage of nondisabled women, and the disparity in the earnings of disabled and nondisabled working women widened significantly during the 1980s. A number of government… [PDF]

Benestante, Judi J. (1998). Protecting the Rights Guaranteed by the First Amendment Religious Liberty Clauses in Public Schools: The Role of the Superintendent. This paper analyzes the superintendent's role in protecting the religious liberty of students in today's public schools. The dilemma for superintendents is to find a way to step back, objectively and evaluate the activism in the community, and then move to a bonding leadership style when working with diverse religious issues. The paper opens with an overview of religion in schools, charting its influence from early America to today's public schools. The study's methodology consisted of structured interviews of three expert informants and structured interviews over a 6-month period with six superintendents who had experienced conflict in the public schools over religion-in-the schools issues and who had survived these conflicts. The findings indicate that the ability to find common ground in problematic environments is built on a certain knowledge base and a certain set of skills. Superintendents had to be committed to finding common ground, and this commitment had to include a… [PDF]

(1991). [United Nations Resolutions. Resolution on Prison Education. Resolution on Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners. Resolution on Criminal Justice Education.]. This document contains three United Nations resolutions that emphasize the role and practice of prison education. The three resolutions were adopted in 1990: (1) the Economic and Social Council Resolution 1990/20 on prison education; (2) the General Assembly Resolution 45/111 on basic principles for the treatment of prisoners; and (3) General Assembly Resolution 45/122 on criminal justice education. The first resolution affirms the right of everyone to education and recommends that member states promote prison education in the following ways: raising the educational level of prison personnel; focusing on resocialization, literacy, and vocational training; and developing policies that aim at developing the whole person. The second resolution sets out 11 principles for treatment of prisoners, including the following: respecting them as human beings, avoiding discrimination, respecting religious and cultural beliefs, and providing access to employment training and health services. The… [PDF]

(1992). Americans with Disabilities Act. Updating School Board Policies, v23 n4 May. Addressed to school board members, this article attempts to summarize requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its implications for school districts. It warns against hasty purchase of private compliance assistance; then provides an overview of each of the Act's five Titles which address employment practices, activities involving public contact, public accommodations, telecommunications companies, and miscellaneous provisions, respectively. Also discussed are liabilities under the ADA, requirements concerning hiring school personnel, and the Act's definitions of critical terms including: "physical or mental impairment,""major life activity,""record of impairment,""regarded as impaired,""qualified individual," and "essential function." In the "Tips 'n Techniques" section, eight benefits are listed for school districts enlisting senior citizen volunteers. The top 10 regional policy issues in…

(1991). An Overview of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention and Disability. This guide examines how the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 has focused attention on the issue of the relationship between disabilities and the increased risk for alcohol and other drug problems. A number of reasons for increased risk of drug use in individuals with disabilities are discussed, such as medication use, health concerns or chronic pain, peer group differences, fewer social supports, and enabling of alcohol and other drug use. Disability categories identified as at risk for alcohol and other drug use are examined, including attention deficit disorder, blindness and visual impairments, deafness and hearing loss, hidden disabilities, learning disabilities, mental illness, mental retardation, mobility limitations, and traumatic brain injury. The guide then cites needs in the area of drug abuse prevention for this population, including research, access to appropriate prevention information, early identification of problems, and access to appropriate treatment….

Baldwin, Gordon B. (1991). Student First Amendment Rights: Wisconsin School Board Association. Issues in students' First Amendment rights are discussed in this paper, which is directed toward school board members. The "Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Schools" (1969) decision is discussed, in which the United States Supreme Court struck down the discipline imposed on students who wore black armbands during school hours to protest the Vietnam War. A second court decision, "Hazelwood School v. Kuhlmeier" (1988), addresses the issue of principal censorship of school-sponsored newspapers. Finally, "Board of Education v. Pico" (1982) is discussed, which addresses school board discretion to remove objectionable books from school libraries. (LMI)… [PDF]

Fornadel, William M.; Taylor, Alton L. (1994). Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: Organization, Compliance and Concern in Higher Education. AIR 1994 Annual Forum Paper. This study investigated the organization, compliance, and concerns of public higher education regarding the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. A survey was developed and mailed to 480 colleges and universities selected randomly within each Carnegie Classification. Analysis of responses from 270 institutions indicated that public higher education administrators understand and "grasp" the complexities of the ADA, and that they have organized the function within the institution to respond to the specific requirements of the law. Approximately 50 percent of the study group was found to be near full compliance but only 6 percent of the institutions were identified as fully compliant. Two additional surveys were conducted approximately 1 year following the main study to determine if institutional researchers have assisted ADA coordinators and whether and how ADA coordinators have utilized the services of the office of institutional research… [PDF]

Fuller, Gerald B.; Vance, Booney (1983). Minimum Competency Testing and Handicapped Children: Is There a Role for the School Psychologist?. School psychologists can play a central role in ensuring that handicapped students are treated fairly in minimum competency testing (MCT). Advocacy concerns include protection in the evaluation process as well as access to graduation and/or a high school diploma. In addition to these rights guaranteed by P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, two other areas in MCT should be monitored by school psychologists: modifications in testing and the relationship between MCT and special education. A clearer relationship is needed between development and implementation of the individualized education program and the MCT. (CL)…

Orfield, Gary (1976). Will Separate Be More Equal?. Integrated Education, 14, 1, 3-5, Jan-Feb 76. Suggests that from the beginning a central problem with the separate but equal doctrine has been that once separation is assured, the dominant white society rarely feels any need to make even a pretense of equality. (Author/AM)…