What free speech rights does my child have with respect to the school?

  Student’s rights to free speech in a public school depend on the circumstances. If the child is make a statement that could potentially be construed by the public as being “blessed” by the school, or under the auspices of the school, then the school has the right to know, ahead of time, what the […]

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What rights do children have under the NJ anti-bullying statute?

  New Jersey’s anti-bullying statute is limited to a particular kind of bullying: the bullying must be based on some special characteristic of the child who is the target of the bullying. Characteristics could be nearly anything, such as race, religion, nationality, weight, acne, a disability, being slower in school, the smallest child in the […]

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Can a school search my child or her belongings without my permission?

Parents need to understand that once a child enters school property, by law the school has certain rights that are similar to parental rights. If there is a serious disciplinary problem, or if there is a reasonable suspicion that the child might possess drugs or weapons or other contraband, the school has the right to […]

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Can I sue my school District because my child was harassed or abused by a student?

Whether or not a parent can hold a school district responsible for the actions of another student against their child depends on certain key conditions. Schools cannot guarantee that no harm will come to your child at the hands of another child when he/she enters school property. However, they CAN be held responsible IF they […]

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Can I sue my school District if my child was harassed or abused by a teacher or employee of school?

If your child is abused or harassed by an employee of a school district, you definitely do have the legal right to sue the district and hold them accountable. You need to consider how harmful the behavior was, the nature and extent of damages arising from that behavior, and how much suffering your child has […]

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