Thursday, February 23, 2006

The law of Education

As a soon-to-be lawyer, I know that very little of what happens in life is not governed by some law. This post by Coach Brown about special education law made me start to wonder--how much instruction in education schools is dedicated to the law of education?

Coach Brown discussed Individual Education Plans, but that pertains to special education. Not that special education doesn't have its own set of laws, but what about the general education law?

I have looked up the curriculum at the University of Maryland School of Education, and found that a couple of graduate level courses deal with law, specificially the law of higher education and a Course called Education Law and Policy. But right now, at the school that produces a larger percentage of Maryland's new teachers, the undergraduate courses in education do not contain a required course in the law of education.

When looking at the preparation of teachers and the frequent postings I have made about the professionalization of teaching, this would seem to be one of the requirements that should be mandated. The manner in which schools are governed would dictate the manner in which schools and classrooms are operated. Wouldn't having knowledge of and an understanding of educational law seem appropriate?

Just a thought.

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