A study unit for students of Indiana school law

• Main Author: Talbott, Terry Lynn
• Other Authors: Marconnit, George D.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Educational law and legislation > Indiana.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/181332; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/420218

The purpose was to develop a study unit to acquaint Indiana educators with the use of basic legal resources of Indiana through explanations of the relevant primary research publications.Review of related literature indicated a void of such publications in Indiana explaining the primary legal resources of the state. Due to the complexity of the legal network forming the foundation, structure and control of school systems in Indiana, a study unit providing knowledge of the mechanics of legal resources for students of school law was necessary, beneficial and innovative.Nine legal resources were chosen with the aid of How to Find the Law, by Roalfe; Pollack's Fundamentals of Legal Research, by Jacobstein and Mersky; Effective Legal Research, by Price and.Bitner; Legal Research in a Nutshell, by Cohen; West's Law Finder, byWest; and A Schoolman in the Law Library, by Rezny. The nine basic legal resources of Indiana selected for study and explanation were:Constitution of the State of Indiana 2) Burns' Indiana Statutes AnnotatedAnnual Reports and Official Opinions of the Attorney General of IndianaIndiana ReportsShepard's Indiana CitationsWest's Indiana DigestWest's Indiana Law EncyclopediaIndiana ActsIndiana Code of 1971A basic pattern was maintained in presenting a background in the use of the legal resources explained. The purpose and. definition of each resource was provided with tables of contents, legal abbreviations, coded numbers and subject indexes presented subsequently. Reproduced pages of the resources were incorporated to aid in explaining the research publications. The repeated system of explanation was designed to aid the educator in following the procedure utilized in each of the nine basic legal resources and to facilitate understanding of each primary legal resource of Indiana.The scope and relevance of each resource was also emphasized. In many instances the resource explained provided helpful cross references, extending the value of the legal publication for further school law research by the educator in Indiana. Skill in the use of the nine Indiana legal resources allowed the educator to locate and understand the cases and statutes relating to educational law in Indiana.Summary questions were designed to involve the student in actual use of the basic legal resources. Each summary question presented involved a specific aspect of the previously explained legal resource. Insight and appreciation for the systematization of the resources was to be gained by the educator in utilizing the information provided to answer the questions posed. The questions were further designed to assist the student of school law in locating answers to specific questions that might arise in the daily operation of Indiana schools. Questions posed for purpose of the study unit were followed by the appropriate answer allowing students to determine if correct responses were being made.A glossary of commonly utilized legal terms was provided to facilitate the understanding of thestudent, since the basic legal resources frequently used legal language.The legal explanations and summary exercises provided in the study unit were not designed to answer specific questions or solve specific problems for the school administrator involving school law. Nor was the information presented designed to eliminate legal counsel when serious problems concerning school law arose.The intention of the study unit explaining the basic legal resources of Indiana was to facilitate the researching of cases and statutes concerning school laws relevant to. the operation of Indiana schools.