SCHOOL LAW WGU D017 FINAL EXAM 2026/2027
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Role of state government in Schools - ✔✔holds primary responsibility of education;
can exercise authority over the local school board
✔✔14th Amendment - ✔✔Declares that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens and are
guaranteed equal protection of the laws
✔✔separate but equal doctrine - ✔✔the doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson
(1896) that African Americans could constitutionally be kept in separate but equal
facilities
✔✔De Jour Segregation - ✔✔segregation by law
✔✔de facto segregation - ✔✔segregation by unwritten custom or tradition
✔✔Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education - ✔✔Approved busing and
redrawing district lines as ways of integrating public schools
✔✔Lemon v. Kurtzman - ✔✔The 1971 Supreme Court decision that established that aid
to church-related schools must (1) have a secular legislative purpose; (2) have a
primary effect that neither advances nor inhibits religion; and (3) not foster excessive
government entanglement with religion.
✔✔Wallace v. Jaffree - ✔✔Moments of silent prayer at school are unconstitutional---
moments of silence are not.
✔✔Good News Club v. Milford Central School - ✔✔Religious clubs that engage in
religious activities can meet after school.
✔✔Lee v. Weisman - ✔✔Public schools may not have clergy lead prayers at graduation
ceremonies
✔✔Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe - ✔✔students may not lead prayers
before the start of a football game at a public school
✔✔Emerson v. Board of Education - ✔✔1947-- Under the Establishment Clause,
neither the federal government nor a state may "aid one religion, aid all religions, or
prefer one religion over another"
✔✔ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) - ✔✔A major piece of federal
legislation that provides federal direction to education and federal funds for schools, first
passed in 1965.
, ✔✔NCLB (No Child Left Behind) - ✔✔Legislation championed by George W. Bush
which mandated sanctions against schools that failed to meet federal performance
standards; part of his campaign pledge to end "low expectations".
✔✔ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) - ✔✔- Replaced no child left behind act
- Ensures opportunity for all students
✔✔Plyer v. Doe - ✔✔States can't deny education for illegal immigrants
✔✔Lau v. Nichols - ✔✔equal vs. equitable treatment for LEP students. Supreme Court
ruled that schools were to provide LEP students with support to learn English and
content
✔✔Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986) - ✔✔Gave public school officials the authority
to suspend students for speech considered to be lewd or indecent
✔✔Morse v. Frederick - ✔✔A student at a local high school hung up a banner saying
"Bong Hits 4 Jesus" which advertises the use of marijuana. The principal ordered that
the banner be taken down and the student be suspended. Result: School officials can
prohibit students from promoting the use of drugs and does not violate the student's 1st
A rights. A decision was not reached about whether Morse was immune to being sued,
being a school official. Case is similar to Hazelwood.
✔✔4th Amendment - ✔✔Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures
✔✔Horton v. Goose Creek Independent School District - ✔✔Before school officials can
search a student, they must have a reasonable suspicion. Dogs can sniff the lockers
and cars, but not the students. The courts ruled that the dogs could sniff the lockers and
cars without violating the students' Fourth Amendment rights because the lockers and
cars were unattended and in public view, therefore it was not technically a search. They
ruled that it was unconstitutional, and unreasonable, for the dogs to sniff the students
because the officials did not have an individual suspicion that the student or students
were carrying an illegal substance.
✔✔Vernonia School District v. Acton - ✔✔Random drug testing of athletes does not
violate the search and seizure clause of the fourth amendment
✔✔5th Amendment - ✔✔The Right to Remain Silent/Double Jeopardy, right to due
process
✔✔Dixon v. Alabama State Board of Education - ✔✔end of doctrine that colleges and
universities could act in loco parentis to discipline and expel their students
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Role of state government in Schools - ✔✔holds primary responsibility of education;
can exercise authority over the local school board
✔✔14th Amendment - ✔✔Declares that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens and are
guaranteed equal protection of the laws
✔✔separate but equal doctrine - ✔✔the doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson
(1896) that African Americans could constitutionally be kept in separate but equal
facilities
✔✔De Jour Segregation - ✔✔segregation by law
✔✔de facto segregation - ✔✔segregation by unwritten custom or tradition
✔✔Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education - ✔✔Approved busing and
redrawing district lines as ways of integrating public schools
✔✔Lemon v. Kurtzman - ✔✔The 1971 Supreme Court decision that established that aid
to church-related schools must (1) have a secular legislative purpose; (2) have a
primary effect that neither advances nor inhibits religion; and (3) not foster excessive
government entanglement with religion.
✔✔Wallace v. Jaffree - ✔✔Moments of silent prayer at school are unconstitutional---
moments of silence are not.
✔✔Good News Club v. Milford Central School - ✔✔Religious clubs that engage in
religious activities can meet after school.
✔✔Lee v. Weisman - ✔✔Public schools may not have clergy lead prayers at graduation
ceremonies
✔✔Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe - ✔✔students may not lead prayers
before the start of a football game at a public school
✔✔Emerson v. Board of Education - ✔✔1947-- Under the Establishment Clause,
neither the federal government nor a state may "aid one religion, aid all religions, or
prefer one religion over another"
✔✔ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) - ✔✔A major piece of federal
legislation that provides federal direction to education and federal funds for schools, first
passed in 1965.
, ✔✔NCLB (No Child Left Behind) - ✔✔Legislation championed by George W. Bush
which mandated sanctions against schools that failed to meet federal performance
standards; part of his campaign pledge to end "low expectations".
✔✔ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) - ✔✔- Replaced no child left behind act
- Ensures opportunity for all students
✔✔Plyer v. Doe - ✔✔States can't deny education for illegal immigrants
✔✔Lau v. Nichols - ✔✔equal vs. equitable treatment for LEP students. Supreme Court
ruled that schools were to provide LEP students with support to learn English and
content
✔✔Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986) - ✔✔Gave public school officials the authority
to suspend students for speech considered to be lewd or indecent
✔✔Morse v. Frederick - ✔✔A student at a local high school hung up a banner saying
"Bong Hits 4 Jesus" which advertises the use of marijuana. The principal ordered that
the banner be taken down and the student be suspended. Result: School officials can
prohibit students from promoting the use of drugs and does not violate the student's 1st
A rights. A decision was not reached about whether Morse was immune to being sued,
being a school official. Case is similar to Hazelwood.
✔✔4th Amendment - ✔✔Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures
✔✔Horton v. Goose Creek Independent School District - ✔✔Before school officials can
search a student, they must have a reasonable suspicion. Dogs can sniff the lockers
and cars, but not the students. The courts ruled that the dogs could sniff the lockers and
cars without violating the students' Fourth Amendment rights because the lockers and
cars were unattended and in public view, therefore it was not technically a search. They
ruled that it was unconstitutional, and unreasonable, for the dogs to sniff the students
because the officials did not have an individual suspicion that the student or students
were carrying an illegal substance.
✔✔Vernonia School District v. Acton - ✔✔Random drug testing of athletes does not
violate the search and seizure clause of the fourth amendment
✔✔5th Amendment - ✔✔The Right to Remain Silent/Double Jeopardy, right to due
process
✔✔Dixon v. Alabama State Board of Education - ✔✔end of doctrine that colleges and
universities could act in loco parentis to discipline and expel their students
