School District Superintendents' and Attorneys' Perceptions of the Most Important Educational Law Issues Impacting Agricultural Science Teachers

Abstract

Teachers are tasked with the important role of educating and empowering the Nation’s youth. Although teaching is a rewarding vocation, teachers are subjected to risk and liabilities on a daily basis. The rising number of school-based litigation and the litigious nature of today’s society bolster the need for teachers to abide and understand the administrative, statutory, judicial, and constitutional laws mandated in the state of Texas. Aside from the general liabilities faced by educators, agricultural science teachers are exposed to additional liabilities due to their unique professional responsibilities. A systematic delivery of educational law training could potentially aid in improving the educational law competency of teachers in Texas. However, educational law training is only viable if the most pertinent educational law issues are being addressed. To identify the most important educational law issues, this Delphi study involved the inquiry of school district superintendents’ and attorneys’ opinions of the most important educational law issues. The panel indicated teacher rights, student discipline, special education, and teacher’s communication with students as the most important general educational laws issues. Moreover, the issues of student safety/supervision, communication with parents and superiors, and financial responsibility were the most important agricultural education-related issues faced by teachers.