Legal Issues Facing Today’s School Leaders
Directions
It is important as a school leader to have a working knowledge of the court systems in your state so that you are aware of how and where legal issues are addressed. Legal issues may come your way and a school leader that is informed and knowledgeable of the process that will occur and which courts will likely have jurisdiction will help you navigate the questions you may have.
Follow these steps:
- Research your state’s court system. You can do an internet search by typing in your state’s name and the term “state courts” into a search engine. Remember to use official court websites as others may not have reliable information.
- Find an issue in your state that is a legal requirement that the courts have ruled on and is of interest to you.
- Summarize the issue/requirement in a presentation. Identify the court that made the ruling and explain how the case moved from the local level to the state level as well as the parties involved.
- Next, find an issue/requirement that is educational related that had to be heard by the Supreme Court. As you summarize this issue/requirement, trace the path it took from the local court to the Supreme Court.
Now create a presentation. Your presentation can be a PowerPoint or a Prezi, which is compiled of 8-10 slides (not including the cover or reference slide). When your presentation is complete, post it to the discussion board. Make sure that you respond to your classmates in a way that promotes the discussion. Ask for clarification from their posts if needed, or compare/contrast their state’s court systems with yours.