Education Law Snippets

Well, educators, can you feel it? Yes, it is that time of year again and already this week there is a good deal of education law related news to tell you about in the snippets.

First, schools, such as this one in White Plains, are beginning to question their racial balancing plans that seems to have been working for years. This in reaction to the Supreme Court's recent decision in the Parents Involved in Community Schools (Louisville and Seattle) case. The White Plains plan gave parents some limited choice about where to send their children and required schools to achieve a racial balance (similar proportions of Black, Hispanic, and Other groups within 5%). However, under the ruling, such plans are likely unconstitutional. But, interestingly, already some lawyers for the White Plains district have encouraged the school to use socio-economic status (determined by free and reduced lunch) as a proxy for race to achieve the same results. I would imagine we will see a lot more of SES as an admissions factor in the near future.

In Seattle, The Network for Excellence in Washington Schools is challenging the Washington State system of funding public schools under the Washington Constitution. Apparently, education is the "the" paramount duty in the State of Washington. The group would like for the State to pay 100% of education funding so that no dollars come from local sources. Should be another interesting school finance case.

One in Four adults read no books last year. The typical person claimed to have read 4 books. Anyone else think those numbers regarding book readers are actually too high? Where I am from in Southern Illinois, I would put the number closer to one in 10. But, perhaps in the population centers, the cities, more people read books. (Just as an aside, the best book I read this year is Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner. Second place, Ishmeal Beah's A Long Way Gone - although it is very violent).

They are apparently partying in Morgantown. Congrats? Also, the latest US News Rankings are out. Although more and more schools are opting out.

They are thinking about doing driver's education courses online in Missouri. When I see Missouri license plates, I already get a little concerned, this is not going to help that any... just joking ...

Finally, school nutrition and PE were on the mind of Florida Governor Charlie Crist the other day. And this story gives us the quote of the day:

Many schools have been reducing or cutting out physical education to
provide more time for academics including preparation for high-stakes
standardized tests that can determine whether principals, teachers and
other staffers are rewarded or punished.

Crist was stunned,
though, when Ellen Smith, a physical education teacher at Gove
Elementary School in Belle Glade, told him one school was counting the
time it takes students to walk to the cafeteria for lunch as part of
the physical education requirement.

''Some principals are like good lawyers,'' Smith said. ``They find loopholes.''

Even though it was not intended, I will take that as a compliment.