WASHINGTON, D.C. --
News
Students appeal to school board after superintendent asks to prior review publication
Students at Faribault High School in Faribault, Minn., are appealing to their school board after the superintendent shut down the student newspaper Monday.
PRESS RELEASE: New Education Privacy Rules Threaten Public Accountability
Contact: Frank D. LoMonteExecutive Director(703) 807-1904director@splc.org
New education privacy regulations slipping into effect at the eleventh hour of the Bush administration will make it much more difficult for journalists and parents to investigate the performance of schools and colleges, according to the Student Press Law Center, the nation's leading authority on the legal rights of student journalists.
The U.S.
Education department narrows educational privacy laws
Turning aside the protests of media and First Amendment groups, the U.S. Department of Education has published a final rule that would expand the definition of what constitutes a confidential "education record" under federal privacy standards.
Court hears arguments over student's suspension for fake Myspace page
Attorneys for a Pennsylvania school districtand for a disciplined high school student debated before a federal appeals courtWednesday whether a school can constitutionally apply a Supreme Court rulingthat allows schools to punish "lewd" and "vulgar" speechto penalize a student's off-campus Web page spoofing his principal.
Law professor drops defamation suit against student group after school clears his name
ARKANSAS -- Richard Peltz, a law professor at the University ofArkansas at Little Rock, has dropped a defamation lawsuit against two formerstudents and a law group after a school investigation determined that thecharges of racism against him were unfounded.
Florida high school student files complaint after suspension for creating Facebook page critical of teacher
A former South Florida high school student is suing tochallenge a three-day suspension that she incurred after creating an off-campusWeb site that criticized her English instructor as "the worst teacher I'veever met" and invited others to post additional criticisms.
Rutgers student newspaper awaits decision to allow students to opt-out of funding paper
The Daily Targum at RutgersUniversity in New Brunswick, N.J., is awaiting a decision on whether studentswill be able to opt-out of paying a $9.75 student activity fee in support of thestudent paper.
Education department rules UVA former policy incorrectly interpreted FERPA
The Department of Education found that a formerpolicy at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., incorrectlyinterpreted the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and violatedthe Clery Act by requiring student victims of sexual assault to abide byconfidentiality agreements.
Arkansas school district asks Supreme Court to hear black armband case
The Watson Chapel School District has filed apetition to have the United States Supreme Court decide the legality ofpunishing students for wearing protest armbands.