DINÉ COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE NUMBER
COURSE TITLE & (CREDITS)
SEMESTER
CLASS MEETING TIME(S)
EDU 496
School Law (2 credits)
Spring 2015
Hybrid Blackboard and face-to-face (January 14, February
12, March 4, and April 1)
INSTRUCTOR
OFFICE LOCATION:
OFFICE PHONE NUMBER:
E-MAIL:
OFFICE HOURS:
Cynthia Benally, Ed.D.
NHC 601C
928.724.6817
cynbenally@dinecollege.edu
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 am-2:00 pm and by
appointment
Email
BEST CONTACT METHOD:
PREREQUISITE (If any)
Acceptance in the Center for Diné Teacher Education B.A.
Elementary Education program. Successful completion of
courses EDU 345-478.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course explores legal actions and theories applied in Navajo Nation schools. The Navajo
language, culture, and philosophy are integrated and addressed through the course. Preservice
teachers will gain a greater understanding of how to protect the legal rights of students, teachers,
and the schools on the Navajo Nation by examining the legal system. There will be discussions
of practical guidelines to prevent litigation.
COURSE OUTCOMES
Teacher candidates will...
Nitsáhákees:
• Become aware of constitutional provisions, judicial decision, congressional
mandates, state statutes, and tribal resolutions.
• Develop understanding of the types of schools located on the Navajo Nation.
Nahat’á:
• Examine case laws affecting the operation of public schools.
Íiná:
• Relate their own experience to school law.
Siihasin:
• Assess situations as a learning process.
• Apply laws and policies to support their actions.
InTASC/NCATE STANDARDS
The course addresses the following teacher preparation standards:
Professional Learning and Ethical Practice:
9(f) The teacher advocates, models, and teaches safe, legal, and ethical use of information
and technology including appropriate documentation of sources and respect for others in
the use of social media.
9(j) The teacher understands laws related to learners’ rights and teacher responsibilities
(e.g., for educational equity, appropriate education for learners with disabilities,
confidentiality, privacy, appropriate treatment of learners, reporting in situations related
to possible child abuse).
9(n) The teacher sees him/herself as a learner, continuously seeking opportunities to draw
upon current education policy and research as sources of analysis and reflection to
improve practice.
9(o) The teacher understands the expectations of the profession including codes of ethics,
professional standards of practice, and relevant law and policy.
Leadership and Collaboration
10.h. The teacher uses and generates meaningful research on education issues and
policies.
10(l) The teacher understands schools as organizations within a historical, cultural,
political, and social context and knows how to work with others across the system to
support learners.
10(s) The teacher takes responsibility for contributing to and advancing the profession.
LICENSURE TEST OBJECTIVES
The course prepares teacher candidates to…
0010 Understand roles and expectations for professional educators, legal and ethical guidelines,
and strategies for continuous professional growth and self-reflection.
• Apply knowledge of the rights and responsibilities of students, teachers, and
parents/guardians, community members, and students.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the structure and components of the public education
system, teacher roles in various educational context, and appropriate teacher
interactions with and responses to other professionals in the system, parent/guardians,
community members, and students.
TEXTS AND RESOURCES
Readings will be provided.
COURSE AND PROGRAM ASSESSMENTS
• Attendance and participation in every meeting and online discussions. If weather or other
circumstances force us to cancel a class, we will reschedule.
• Case studies – due on VoiceThread
• Responses to VoiceThread presentations
• Reading reflections – due on Blackboard
• Attend a board meeting
• Navajo education news
•
Final project – policy manual
SCHEDULE
January 12, 2015
• Introductions
• Syllabus
• Sources of Law and the Courts
• Types of school systems on the Navajo Nation
• Executive Order
• The Navajo Sovereignty in Education Act of 2005
Discussion Board
• The Navajo Sovereignty in Education Act of 2005
•
February 11, 2015
• Lau v. Nichols
• Castanada v. Bicker
• Compensatory Education
• Lee v. Weisman
• Edwards v. Aguillard
• Good news club v. Milford Central School
• School funding
• Tribal influence on public schools
• Flores v. Arizona
Voice Thread presentations
March 4, 2015
• Legal aspects of teaching
o Contracts
o Tenure
o Teachers’ rights (unions)
o Liability
o Slander and libel
o State reporting of abuse and neglect
o Copyright
Voice Thread presentations
April 1, 2015
• Teachers’ and Students’ Rights
o Teachers’ freedom of expression
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Students’ freedom of expression
Religious freedom
Freedom of association
Due process
Professional conduct
Discrimination
Student records
Discussion board
DISABILITIES
The College provides reasonable educational support and other academic services to disabled
candidates. A candidate with a disability who wishes to enroll for classes should contact Student
Services at the Tsaile Campus or the designated representative at any other College location. Candidates
in post-secondary education are responsible for self-identifying themselves as individuals with
disabilities, providing disability documentation, and requesting accommodations. Records regarding
disability do not automatically transfer from high school to college. Such records can only be released or
transferred with the written permission of the adult candidates. In cases where the candidate is under the
age of eighteen, parent or guardian permission is also required.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Candidates are responsible for the integrity of their academic work. Examples of academic
dishonesty include but are not limited to, obtaining unauthorized assistance in any academic
work: cheating on a test; plagiarism; quoting without proper credit; modifying any examination,
paper, record, report or project without the instructor’s approval for obtaining additional credit or
an improved grade; and, representing the work of others as one’s own. Some of the penalties that
may be imposed include: warning (written or oral); reducing the grade for the assignment, test,
or project; reducing the grade for the course; assigning a failing grade for the course; dismissing
the student from the course and issuing a grade of “W”; academic probation or suspension;
expulsion; and recording the decision in the student’s academic record.