The following news items are from _Teacher Magazine_, August 1996.
"Catholic Schools"
"The number of students attending the nation's 8,243 Catholic schools has 
risen 
for the fourth consecutive year, according to Sister Catherine McNamee, 
president of the 200,000-member National Catholic Education Association.  
Catholic school enrollment this past academic year was 2.6 million students, 
up 
nearly 17,000 students over 1994-95.  McNamee also reported that the number 
of 
minority students attending Catholic schools has more than doubled since the 
1970-71 school year; currently 25% of Catholic school students are members of 
a 
minority group., she said."
"Union Wins"
"A three-judge panel of the New Jersey Superior Court has ruled that lay 
elementary school teachers in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden have the 
right to organize and bargain collectively.  The diocese had argued that the 
state could not force the church to recognize the union.  Such a mandate, 
church officials said, would interfere with its constitutional right to 
freedom 
of religion.  The South Jersey Catholic School Teachers Association, which 
already represents about 220 lay high school teachers in the diocese, wants 
to 
represent lay teachers at six Catholic elementary schools.  The court stated 
that the right to organize is a "compelling state interest which outweighs 
the 
claimed burden on defendents' free-exercise rights."  An appeal is  likely."
"Fired Over Film"
"The Jefferson County, Colo,,, school board has fired Columbine High School 
teacher Al Wilder for showing his students the R-rated film, "1900," by 
Italian 
director Bernardo Bertolucci.  In announcing its decision, the board cited 
the 
teacher's pattern of tardiness and leaving his classes unattended, in 
addition 
to showing the film.  A hearing officer ruled this spring that Wilder should 
not be fired because the district's policies on controversial learning 
materials are vague.  But that ruling was not binding on the school board.  
"Mr. Wilder should have known that administrative approval should be obtained 
before the use of an R-rated film containing nudity, sexual conduct, drug use 
and violence," the board said in its resolution dismissing the teacher.  
Wilder, who had received a letter of support from Bertolucci, has said he 
will 
challenge his dismissal in court."
Teacher magazine is published 9 times a year by Editorial Projects in 
Education, Inc. in Washington, D.C.  Subscriptions are available for $17.95 
per 
year at Teacher Magazine Subscription Service, P.O. Box 2083, Marion, OH 
43305-2083.  I highly recommend it, though some of the articles might get 
your 
blood boiling a bit.  
Chuck Beams
Fidonet - 1:2608/70
cbeams@future.dreamscape.com
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