HIS 502 Nevada Constitution

Course Description

This course is designed to meet the Nevada teacher licensure requirements in Nevada school law and Nevada Constitution. The course introduces students to the sources of educational law, related research, fundamental law concepts, case briefings of significant court decisions at the state and federal level, and Nevada statutory and regulatory materials used by school practitioners. The course also addresses codes of ethics and morality related to educational law.

Topics and Objectives

Nevada School Governance and the Constitution

· Analyze state laws and legislation influencing school governance

· Examine the basic principles of the Nevada Constitution

Federal Constitutional Provisions that Affect School Law

· Analyze landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions that affect schools

· Analyze legal systems that protect and promote students' rights and improve students' opportunities within the framework of constitutional case law enacted by the U. S. Supreme Court

Special Education: Federal and State Law Involving Children with Special Needs

· Identify teacher obligations and responsibilities under broader federal mandates (e.g., Title IX and Section 504)

· Identify the rights of special education students in public schools

The Constitution, Sum and Parts, and Amendments

· Identify the components of the United States Constitution

· Analyze the current amendments to the Constitution

Teachers' Rights, Responsibilities, and Employment

· Analyze issues related to legal and ethical rights and responsibilities of teachers

· Identify legal mandates and district responsibilities affecting teacher employment (e.g., certification, tenure, freedoms, rights, and due process)

Educator Liability Torts

· Examine tort law, exercise of standards of due care, negligence and liability, issues of defamation, and the importance of defensive practices

· Examine immunity and the Nevada immunity waiver

Students' Rights and Responsibilities

· Examine the area of student rights and identify school policies and procedures required to protect the rights of students

· Analyze the authority and duty of school officials to control student behavior

Religious Expression and Curriculum Issues

· Analyze constitutional provisions that define church-state relationships