Chapter 7 and 8: The Politics of American Education and Education and School Law

The federal government, state government, intermediate agencies, and the local government play various roles in education. These governments play a vital role as far as governance and finance is concerned. Then the individual schools are governed by principals, assistant principals, administration, and the board of education who are responsible for implementing state regulations and policies, as well as implementing local policies. The principals and assistant principals are responsible for resources as well as supporting teachers and students. Then there are the teachers who manage the students and classroom. Teachers will continue to work collaboratively with the management of the principals and assistant principles in efforts to promote a better learning environment for the students, and to be able to adapt and accommodate as needed as it states in the INTASC standard 9:

The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects
of his/her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals
in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow
professionally.

It is also important for current and future teachers to be aware of the legal rights and responsibilities as a teacher, know students' legal rights, and know parents' legal rights and responsibilities. The four sources of law are also important to know because of issues that may relate to freedom of speech, religion, desegregation, and discriminatory practices. These are the U.S. Constitution, Federal Laws, State Constitution and Laws, and Federal and State Court Decisions. Today's schools are integrated with different races and ethnic groups, it is important for teachers to know students are diverse in culture and in learning. Therefore, the teacher must be aware of INTASC standard 3:

The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning
and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.