Well-known and highly-respected, this text is a compact survey of the full range of laws affecting education, particularly those generated by recent crises involving school violence, sexual abuse, student suicides, medication in the classroom, language barriers faced by immigrant learners, and discrimination in its many forms. The authors trace the legal controls that balance the rights of school administrators, teachers, pupils, and other parties involved in today's educational arena. Coverage addresses legislative as well as constitutional developments, and provides enough background to enable future teachers to recognize and address potential legal problems, make informed decisions about legal situations, and determine when professional legal representation is warranted.