Chapter 10: POLITICAL AND LEGAL CONTEXT

Building upon the previous chapter’s discussion of the importance of partnering within the community, this chapter will provide an overview of educational law and how political, social, and cultural changes are directing how courts act and react.  The global mindset present in the nation’s highest courts has directed and will continue to redirect how the courts view many judicial rulings, and from those considerations, a new set of legal precedents will emerge that will affect how those courts view educational systems.  This chapter will present public and private school law and include a discussion of how the courts have traditionally ruled in various educational incidents.  F ederal, state, and local laws will be discussed along with federal and state court systems, including a discussion on the amendments—specifically those that apply to education.  Other components that will facilitate the reading are basic definitions of legal jargon, historical background, critical issues, and biblical perspectives.