TR> I agree that some of the schools go overboard, but you have to remember 
th
 TR> school policy is not the law.
 JFD> Yes I know that School Policy is not the law.. Unless you happen to be
 JFD> inside the school.... Then it is the law (Well, not legally, but still
 JFD> it has the force of law)
John, you can't be charged in court with school policy unless that school
policy is public law. There is no jail time, misdemeanor or felony, for
chewing gum in class. This is the difference between school policy and public
law.
 JFD> However Schools are free to make their own policy.  At the wim of
 JFD> thier board, With little, if any, public interference.  The Pubilc, in
 JFD> many cases NEVER KNOWS.  And the only recourse is to vote for
 JFD> differeent appliccants in the next school board elections.
You are correct. However, most school districts have hearings or appeals
which can and are heard by the school board. Most school board meetings are
also public meetings with their agenda listed. Many school board meetings are
televised, just like the city council meetings in many places. The biggest
difference between school policies and public laws are the tests of time and
the courts.
 JFD> In fact, I've witnessed schools who extend that power beyond their
 JFD> boundries.  To public lands patrolled by the police.  (This I have
 JFD> witnessed with my own eyes)
Schools are responsible for the welfare of children to and from school in
most jurisdictions. As a result, they can extend school rules to the bus
stop, the school bus, the walk to and from school, the lunch hour, etc.
Again, applying a school rule is different than applying a public law. This
is nothing new at all, rather the norm for most portions of the country.
It's nothing new for school districts to hire off-duty police officers
either. This is very common around the country because of the serious
problems most schools have. Some schools are installing metal detectors to
remove guns from kids as they enter the school. I think this is pretty sad,
but it is a fact of life in some places.
Tom Rightmer - A Victims' Rights Advocate
... Irony: Giving father a billfold for Christmas.
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