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Teachers Rights

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Teachers’ Rights

In the field of education, the rights of educators both in and outside of the classroom and/or campus environment have been greatly discussed, debated on, and ruled on throughout the legal system. Over the past century, the rights of educators have greatly changed as landmark court cases have examined various topics of this vast and extensive educational issue. In the past, educators were held to strict and in some cases unfairly stern standards of behavior both in and outside of the classroom. In the previous generations, teachers were expected to exhibit almost picture-perfect behavior and were contractually bound to adhere to a code of conduct in their private lives that if broken was grounds enough for termination. In some parts of the country, teachers were prohibited from harmless and legal recreational activities such as, dancing, playing cards, drinking, as well as subjected to questioning concerning their church habits. Additionally, church attendance and participation was monitored, verified, and in many cases required in order to be in good standing within the profession (Utah Educational Association, 2009). While there are numerous court cases throughout the past century involving the rights and empowerment of teachers, the three cases that will be examined within the contents of this paper are Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District, James v. Board of Education, and Breen v. Runkel. These landmark cases helped to shape the current structures, policies, and freedoms that educators enjoy today. While today’s educator is not bound by outlandish codes of conduct as in the past, teachers and administrators are still looked upon by society as role models, and therefore, sometimes subject to closer scrutiny than the average citizen. Throughout this paper, the rights and freedoms of educators will be addressed along with the court

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