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I received my Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration. I am currently a 8th grade U.S. History teacher with aspirations of being a secondary school principal. Upon completion of a Master of Education in Administration, I hope to obtain a position as a school principal. In this role I will have to deal with many legal and ethical issues. The principal is not only the instructional leader of the school but he is also responsible for following the law and making ethical decisions that will affect all stakeholders.

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Interview with a Principal
I interviewed Mrs. Long 6th grade principal and asked her about legal and ethical issues she has to deal with as a principal. We discussed several issues, but I want to concentrate on an issues that every school principal in the nation has to deal with, school safety.

#1

According to Mrs. Long her priority is to keep staff and students safe. "In this job every day is a challenge, but keeping everyone safe is a daunting task, especially in light of recent school shootings." At our school all students must go through metal detectors, and every back pack is checked. Mrs. Long stated "We check every single bag and we also require student to have clear or mesh back packs. Last year we had an incident where a parent threatened legal action if we searched her daughters back pack. I kindly let her know that it is for the safety of all children and staff, and that her child has brought contraband before. We had reasonable suspicion that she had a taser because she was seen playing with it. As school administrators, we have to be prudent and make sure we follow the law, the eyes of the community are always on us."

#2

Mrs. Long also explained that keeping the building safe is also important because it can have legal implications. "As the principal, you always have to be on the lookout for potential problems with the building. A student can get hurt and that could cause legal problems for the district."

#3

Another issue Mrs. Long and I discussed is freedom of speech. She believes in first amendment rights.  She stated “ We do not want to infringe on anyone’s rights. The last thing we need is a lawsuit, even though I believe all students should recite the pledge (That’s my opinion), those who wish not to do so are not reprimanded as long as they do it peacefully”.

#4
Discipline of students is a challenge that administrators must deal with everyday. According to Mrs. Long student also have due process. Contrary to what people might think students cant just be expelled. There is a process the school must follow. Mrs. Long state"The principal must be knowledgeable of school law, lawsuits are expensive."

#5
Physical contact with students is another topic we discussed. Mrs. Long explained that appropriate force can be used when stopping an altercation in the classroom. She emphasized that teachers have to be prudent when stopping a fight because you don't want to be accused of touching a student inappropriately.

Reference:
L. Long, personal communication, August 23, 2018

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Chapter 8 of The Educator's Guide to Texas School Law, focuses on student due process. When a student is breaks the rules the student must be given due process rights. The landmark case Goss v. Lopez the court concluded that due process is required before the school can suspend the student. According to the courts decision because the state mandates schooling, suspension deprives the student of a right. Student must given a written notice to give student opportunity to offer explanation.  In the case of Meyer v. Austin I.S.D. the Fifth Circuit emphasized that due process must be provided to the student. In the Case Meyer v. Austin ISD, a principal suspended several students that the principal for having what he though was gang related clothing the principal did not give the students due process and the court ruled that if the student could prove that the principal suspended with due process then the principal could be held liable.
References:
Walsh, J., Maniotis, L., & Kemerer, F. R. (2014). The Educator's Guide to Texas School Law. Austin: University of Texas Press.

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Today in the State of Texas corporal punishment is still legal TEC §37.0011 def nes “corporal punishment” as: “the deliberate infl iction of physical pain by hitting, paddling, spanking, slapping, or any other physical force used as a means of discipline." Most school district have banned corporal punishment. Only a few districts in Texas use corporal punishment unless parents have written statement prohibiting corporal punishment, some districts require parental consent. Corporal punishment poses a huge liability because school administrator could be sued for using excessive force.
References
Walsh, J., Maniotis, L., & Kemerer, F. R. (2014). The Educator's Guide to Texas School Law. Austin: University of Texas Press.

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Step 4: School Discipline 101 Students Due Process Rights in Expulsion

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Step 4: School Discipline 101 Students Due Process Rights in Expulsion

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School Discipline 101 Students Due Process Rights in Expulsion

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Step 4: The Due Process Clause and Students

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Step 4: The Due Process Clause and Students

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As a future school principal, it is essential that I am knowledgeable of Texas public school law. A successful principal understand the law and abides by it. Not knowing the law could be detrimental to one's career. In my interview with Mrs. Long I understood the importance of school safety and the real possibility of parents taking legal actions if the students are not given due process. In The Educator's Guide to Texas School Law, I learned about decisive court cases that shaped student due process rights. This is helpful as a future administrator because it gives a better understanding of what is permissible and what is not. I hope that by the end of this course I will have a better understanding of school law .

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The Educator's Guide to Texas School Law

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The Educator's Guide to Texas School Law

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The Educator's Guide to Texas School Law