Q&A Hero

Q: Which of the following statements best reflects the beliefs of James Coleman?A."The answer to improving the quality of education in America is to adopt a marketplace-driven idea. Competition will save public schools."B."The key to improving public education in America is to invest in charter schools."C."High schools are obsolete. They are preparing students for the world of 1960."D."When we carefully analyze private schools, we can clearly see that they do a better job than public schools. Perhaps private schools are the way to fix education."

Q: In the context of the report from the consulting firm McKinsey & Company, titled The Economic Impact of the Achievement Gap in Americas Schools, identify an accurate statement.A.The slow pace of educational reform has in many ways saved taxpayers dollars and prevented an early economic recession.B.According to one author of the report: We save 3 to 5 billion dollars a day by not closing these achievement gaps.C.Interestingly, the report concluded that no identifiable gaps exist between white students and Latino students.D.The nations gross domestic product would be $1.3 to $2.3 trillion higher if achievement gaps did not exist.

Q: Which of the following is a characteristic of charter schools?A.Charter schools carefully select their students through admissions tests.B.Charter schools can be closed down if they do not meet expectations.C.Charter schools must conform to all the state laws and rules applicable to traditional schools.D.Charter schools do not receive public funding.

Q: At a recent school board meeting, a group of parents spoke out on the issue of the poor quality of the district's schools. They demanded the formation of charter schools that emphasized a rigorous, traditional curriculum and teacher-centered classrooms. These parents most closely resemble:A.zealots.B.reformers.C.entrepreneurs.D.ideologues.

Q: Full-service schools:A.have become increasingly common.B.have been strongly opposed by educator and community advocate, Geoffrey Canada.C.remain open most of the day and 11 months a year.D.are parochial schools that emphasize religious instruction.

Q: Discuss the two broad categories of sexual harassment recognized under Title IX. Mention at least one example of each category in a school environment? As a teacher, how would you handle the issue if you found out that a colleague was sexually harassing a student?

Q: Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once said, "Ethics is the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do." Explain what you think Justice Stewart meant by this statement. How does this statement apply in a school environment? Be sure to provide specific examples to support your discussion.

Q: Many people believe that the most important issues facing U.S. schools are ethical. To what extent do you agree with this statement? Why do you think people are concerned with ethical issues in schools? Mention some examples of ethical issues in education? Be sure to provide specific examples to support your answer.

Q: Imagine that you are a teacher, who wishes to reduce the growing practice of plagiarism among your students. What sort of steps would you take to accomplish this goal? What are the reasons that schools fail to curb the menace of plagiarism? How does plagiarism affect learning and adversely impact students?

Q: Increasingly, teachers are using social media such as Facebook and Twitter as instructional tools. To what extent is this a good or bad idea? As a teacher, would you utilize social media as an instructional tool? Why or why not? Be sure to use specific examples in your discussion.

Q: Describe some of the ways teachers can protect themselves if they decide to use e-communications and social networking as part of their educational plan.

Q: As a teacher, what are some of the ethical challenges posed by social networking and the digital world? As a teacher what would you do about it? In your opinion, what would be a better way to handle the situation?

Q: A student arrives in your class with extensive bruises for the second time this year. She explains that she fell down a flight of steps. What would you do, and why?

Q: Which statement would most likely be made by a critic of schools' efforts to transmit culture?A.It is not the schools' responsibility to transmit culture; this is the responsibility of the students parents and family members.B.When schools transmit culture, they tend to transmit a narrow perspective about other cultures and chauvinistic feeling of cultural superiority.C.Taxpayers cannot pay to have schools transmit culture. Schools need to stick to the basics.D.Teachers are not trained to transmit culture, so it is not fair to task them with such a responsibility.

Q: According to the author, "educators believe that fewer laws would reduce their legal concerns and improve the quality of education." Do you think that reducing the number of laws would improve education? Why or why not? Are there any laws that you feel should be repealed in order to improve education? Explain how eliminating such a law or laws would make education better.

Q: What are some of the questions that employers are not allowed to ask during the course of a job interview? If you were to be asked one or more of these inappropriate questions during an interview for a position that you truly wanted, how would you handle the situation? In your opinion, what would be an appropriate way to answer such questions without jeopardizing your chances of being selected?

Q: How much academic freedom should teachers be allowed to have in teaching their students? Should all teachers have the same amount of academic freedom, or should it vary by factors such as grade level, subject taught, teacher effectiveness, etc.? Who, if anyone, should have the ability to limit academic freedom? Be sure to provide specific examples to support your analysis.

Q: According to the decision in the case of Pickering v. Board of Education, teachers may speak out on matters of "public concern." How would you define "public concern"? What sort of topics might be of public concern? What might not be matters of public concern? How can an educator discern whether or not a topic is one of public concern before he or she speaks out?

Q: At times, teachers can misinterpret their fundamental right to freedom of speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment and in some cases may not have a clear idea of what is permissible and what is not. Can understanding the boundaries of freedom help in avoiding legal issues? To what extent do you feel teachers should be allowed to exercise freedom of speech while on the job? What are the important concerns about freedom of speech for a teacher? What is your personal assessment and opinion on this subject? Be sure to support your answer with examples and analysis.

Q: Consider the statement that, "law and reality do not always coincide", according to you, what does it mean? Mention some examples in education, where law and reality do not always align? Be sure to provide clear explanations for your examples.

Q: Frequently, schools conduct random searches of lockers, cars, classrooms, and even strip- search students in the name of school safety. Do you think that there are better ways for schools to guarantee school safety, but still respect student privacy? Be sure to use specific examples in your discussion.

Q: Which of the following is an accurate statement with reference to the term in loco parentis?A.School authorities have similar restrictions as do police in search-and-seizure activities.B.A school official can search a students locker if there is reasonable suspicion that it contains something illegal and dangerous.C.In the larger interest of all students, school authorities can legally conduct a random strip search of students.D.School authorities have a legal right to randomly conduct spot-checking of lockers for drugs, weapons, or other illicit materials

Q: Alyssa was a senior at Local High School (LHS). Although she was a brilliant student, Alyssa had a mischievous streak that frequently landed her in the principal's office. In order to get into the college that she wanted to, she needed a recommendation letter from her counselor, Mr. Todd. On the day that she went to see him to ask for the letter, he told her to close the door. "Ever since you came here as a freshman, I've had my eye on you. It's amazing just how pretty you've become. I'll be glad to discuss your letter over dinner at my apartment, around eight tonight. Be sure to wear something really pretty. And let's keep our little date to ourselves. After all, we wouldn't want something to happen to that letter, would we"? Based on the dialogue, Alyssa is experiencing:A.quid pro quo sexual harassment.B.hostile environment sexual harassment.C.inadmissible sexual harassment.D.procedural sexual harassment.

Q: The Supreme Court Case Franklin v. Gwinnett County Public Schools was important because it:A.extended the reach of Title IX, so that students could sue a school district for monetary damages if they were sexually harassed.B.made it more difficult for students to collect monetary damages from schools in cases of sexual harassment.C.established the standard of "deliberate indifference" in determining whether or not sexual harassment took place.D.characterized sexual harassment as quid pro quo and hostile environment sexual harassment.

Q: A new principal is concerned with the increasing incidents of cheating and plagiarism occurring in her school. She wants to take effective measures to reduce such incidences. Which of the following actions might be the most effective?A.Students who are caught cheating or plagiarizing will be suspended from school for five days.B.Students who are caught cheating or plagiarizing will receive a grade of "zero" for each infraction.C.Teachers will make a report of all such incidents and repeat offenders will be expelled .D.Teachers will help students to develop the skills to synthesize and summarize information, use citations properly, and develop their own insights.

Q: A teacher who suspects that a child is the victim of child abuse:A.can lose teaching credentials and face prosecution, if he or she reports suspected abuse and the charge cannot be proved.B.should immediately contact the child's parents or directly approach the police department.C.should wait for concrete proof before filing a report or contacting the school authorities.D.has an ethical and legal responsibility to report the suspected abuse.

Q: Gina teaches at the middle grade. Joey is her student. She has noticed that Joey comes to school wearing the same clothes every day: a T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops. He wears this outfit even on days when it is very cold outside. Recently, Joey seems to be more withdrawn, he keeps to himself and avoids eye contact largely ignoring his friends. Based on Gina's observations, she should:A.leave the matter alone. After all, everyone knows how "teens" can be!B.do nothing right now, but continue to observe to confirm any concerns she may have.C.immediately file a report with her principal or counselor, since Joey could be suffering from abuse or neglect.D.do nothing, since what Joey wears or does is really none of her business as long as he does not disrupt the class.

Q: Which of the following is an argument used to support character education programs?A.Students should be allowed to evolve and develop core moral attributes by themselves.B.The core attributes of a moral individual should be directly taught as part of the school curriculum.C.Today's complexities can be reduced through independent analysis and evaluation.D.Adult guidance and supervision are counterproductive in developing core moral attributes.

Q: School teachers who participate in strikes are:A.not legally entitled to do so, even for matters of larger public interest.B.usually prosecuted or penalized, as organized strikes are against the law.C.prohibited from doing so in over 30 states, but are rarely prosecuted or penalized.D.prohibited from doing so in all states; they can be severely penalized for it.

Q: Identify an accurate statement about the Buckley Amendment.A.Student grades do not become private and part of students educational records until they are recorded in a teachers grade book.B.Announcing student grades in a classroom violates the privacy act, test scores must only be disclosed to the student.C.A teacher can share student educational records with the parents of other students.D.The Family Rights and Privacy Act contradicts the Buckley amendment.

Q: Cases such as Goss v. Lopez that deal with the proper procedures involving the disciplining and suspension of students would fall under the:A.First Amendment.B.Fourth Amendment.C.Fourteenth Amendment.D.Fifteenth Amendment.

Q: Which of the following statements regarding zero-tolerance policies is true?A.Zero-tolerance policies have been highly effective in reducing school violence.B.Suspensions and expulsions reduce the risk of long-term social and academic problems.C.Students who are removed from school are at increased risk for low achievement and of becoming permanently entangled in the schools-to-prison pipeline.D.Suspensions and expulsions can bring an improvement in school climate and improve discipline.

Q: A child who is expelled for bringing a penknife to school is probably feeling the consequence of:A.corporal punishment.B.a zero-tolerance policy.C.the Buckley Amendment.D.nonfeasance.

Q: According to the Fourteenth Amendment, which of the following is an accurate statement in case of suspension of a student for indiscipline or misbehavior?A.The school administrator is legally bound to inform the student of the rule broken, but no evidence is required.B.The student is entitled to tell his side of the story in self-defense.C.A students constitutional rights are not clearly established.D.The Fourteenth Amendment does not guarantee due process rights to a student in case of a suspension greater than ten days.

Q: Which of the following examples of student expression would be protected under the First Amendment?A.A student protesting the war in Afghanistan wears a black armband to his classes and refuses to speak during the course of the day.B.A high school newspaper runs a feature story about the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among students in the school. The paper includes the names of the students interviewed to ensure credibility for the story.C.A student who is running for student government office puts up campaign posters that are of doubtful taste. His campaign slogan also contains sexual innuendo.D.A campus closed-circuit TV station runs satirical election commercials using the names and pictures of certain teachers and administrators. Many of the students think the satire is funny, but several of the teachers are upset.

Q: Which of the following cases best demonstrates the U.S. Supreme Court's position on the "separation of church and state"?A.A teacher decides to offer a course on Christianity. She points out that most students in the school are Christian, but do not get an "adequate" Christian education at home. Her desire is to supplement that instruction and promote moral citizens. The community and the parents are all very supportive.B.A teacher is very upset when a Jewish child begins to say a Hebrew prayer in the cafeteria before he eats. The student explains that observant Jews are instructed to say such prayers before eating, and he offers to say the prayer quietly. The teacher points out that in a public school such religious demonstrations are not acceptable and instructs him to save his prayers for home.C.The principal announces that specific Christian, Jewish, or Muslim prayers will not be conducted over the school public address system each morning, since such prayers violate the Supreme Court decision on prohibiting specific religious prayer in school. Instead, a non-sectarian, common prayer will be said each morning so that all students feel included.D.A student decides to start a Christian club that will meet on school grounds and is given permission by the school administration, which also offers space on school grounds for non-religious clubs and other student groups to meet.

Q: A. Yes, because he violated the cumulative effect criterion of the fair use policy. B. Yes, because he violated the spontaneity criterion of the fair use policy. C. No, because he can do so under the fair use policy for up to nine instances per class per semester. D. LO 8.2: Recall the legal rights and responsibilities of teachers and students.

Q: What was the significance of the Serrano v. Priest (1971) ruling of the California Supreme Court?A.It struck down the states financial system as unconstitutional.B.It declared that education was a fundamental right under the California constitution.C.It stated the property tax system upholds equal protection of right to education.D.It implemented steps to increase the amount of tax collected by the state.

Q: Which of these court cases led to the advent of Robin Hood reformers?A.Serrano v. PriestB.San Antonio v. RodriguezC.Edgewood v. KirbyD.Abbot v. Burke

Q: States have used different programs to try to equalize funding. In the _____ program, the state provides funds to ensure that each student receives a minimal level of educational services.A.foundationB.tax baseC.motivationD.resource base

Q: The Abbott cases in New Jersey contributed to a new line of litigation focusing on _____.A.financial inputB.educational outcomeC.economic resourceD.student demography

Q: Title IX of the Education Amendments (1972):A.expands educational opportunities to persons with disabilities.B.bars discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin.C.prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex.D.protects the right to due process and equal protection.

Q: Molly is a recent college graduate, who is giving an interview for a job at the same elementary school where she was a student. Which of the following questions would be appropriate for the principal to ask Molly during the course of the job interview?A."Are you planning to settle down and start a family in our community?"B."I remember that your family belongs to the First Church on Main Street. If you move back here to take the job, will you transfer your membership back to that church?"C."What made you decide to major in early childhood education in college?"D."I recall that you had ADHD when you were enrolled here. Do you see your ADHD as being a potential challenge to working with students in your class?"

Q: When a teacher's private life is called into question by the courts, a governing principle that determines whether or not the teacher may be dismissed is often based on whether:A.there is substantial disruption of the educational process.B.there is documentary evidence of an illicit relationship.C.the teacher's actions in his or her private life can be considered immoral.D.the teacher is a good role model for students.

Q: Generally, courts have ruled that teachers may be fired for:A.adultery.B.using profanity and abusive language toward students.C.private homosexual behavior.D.unwed cohabitation.

Q: Courts have ruled that a teachers right to academic freedom:A.is absolute and teaching should be free of any restrictions.B.is absolute because censorship reduces a teachers effectiveness.C.is not absolute as students should learn only appropriate subject matter.D.is not absolute and teachers should avoid discussing ethnic and religious differences.

Q: Paul Pratfall was a young teacher who meant well, but could be easily led off taskespecially, when it came to afternoon hall duty. When the school dismissal bell rang, Paul's job was to make sure that the children walked safely and in a disciplined manner from the classrooms on his hall to the waiting school buses just beyond the front entrance. During Friday's duty, one of Paul's colleagues called out to him. "Hey, Paulie, come in here and check out the article in the paper about the big game tonight. You gotta see it!" At first, Paul hesitated, since he was on duty. Then, he went into his friend's classroom to read the article. After all, he figured that he would only be a minute or two. Paul had just begun to read the article when he heard a loud crash and an anguished cry. He and his colleague ran into the hall to find little Jeannie lying on the floor with her leg obviously broken. Based on this scenario, Paul would most likely be guilty of:A.misfeasance.B.malfeasance.C.malice aforethought.D.nonfeasance.

Q: Why have many courts rejected educational malpractice lawsuits?A.Only malfeasance or misfeasance on the part of school personnel can be tried in court.B.It is the responsibility of schools to make every student learn, but students are unable to provide adequate proof of malpractice.C.Many factors affect learning and the school system cannot be solely blamed for failure to learn.D.Not all schools have the resources to provide an adequate education.

Q: A teacher's right to freedom of speech as a citizen, regarding matters of public concern is protected due to the holding in the:A.Edwards v. Aguilar case.B.Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District case.C.Bethel School District v. Fraser case.D.Pickering v. Board of Education case.

Q: Which of the following examples of a teachers speech would most likely be considered a "matter of public concern"?A."I really think that the principal is out to get me. She always gives me the worst planning period and the worst duties."B."You know, I have heard that the football coach is secretly seeing someone other than his wife. I think the public needs to know this."C."I was reading some of the environmental data on the site where our new school is being built. It sits right next to a chemical cleanup zone controlled by an environment protection agency. I think people need to know about this."D."I think these dress code rules for teachers are ridiculous. I think that I'll call the media and report. Besides, this new principal needs to be brought down to size,' and this is a perfect way to do it!"

Q: In funding schools, urban areas struggle the most, suffering not only from lower property values but also from the need to use those limited resources to fund more police officers, hospitals, subways, and other services than their suburban counterparts. This phenomenon is known as _____.A.urban overloadB.municipal overburdenC.economic stabilityD.urban overreach

Q: Activists who took funds from wealthy districts and redistributed the monies to the poorer districts were called _____.A.Adequacy AdvocatesB.Equal OpportunistsC.Robin Hood reformersD.Captain Cook reformers

Q: Which of the following was an outcome of the San Antonio v. Rodriguez (1973) ruling of the Supreme Court?A.The court stated that educational funding through the property tax was a highly effective system.B.The court declared education as a fundamental right under the U.S. Constitution.C.The court declared that it will change the way education systems in the U.S. were funded.D.The court stated that preserving local control was a legitimate reason to use the property tax system.

Q: What are some positive effects of business-oriented values in schools? What are some negative effects? What can educators do to counteract the negative impacts of marketing in schools?

Q: Describe the different levels of school governance. What is the significance of school district superintendents? Describe the challenges faced by them? Would you like to be a school district superintendent? If so, explain why? Be sure to provide specific examples to support your arguments.

Q: Discuss some possible ways through which school boards can be improved.

Q: Give examples of how the hidden government operates in schools. As a classroom teacher, how can you use this information to your advantage?

Q: Imagine that you have been hired by a school that utilizes site-based management. How do you think the school would be run? What do you think your responsibilities might be? Would you like to be in a school where teachers have a say in running the school? Why or why not?

Q: What lessons could the United States learn by looking at how other countries, such as Finland, fund and govern their schools? If there is nothing for the United States to learn from these other countries, explain why? Be sure to provide specific examples to support your arguments.

Q: To raise money for schools, colonial towns and districts assessed a(n) _____ tax.A.propertyB.roadC.exciseD.income

Q: The influence of the business community in America's schools can best be characterized as _____.A.diminishingB.irrelevantC.extensiveD.illegal

Q: How were schools in Colonial America funded? How is it different from the way schools are funded currently? What is the factor that determines whether a school district will have access to sufficient educational funds?

Q: Discuss how policymakers could be persuaded to include teachers in the educational policy process. Be sure to cite examples in your discussion.

Q: Who should bear the major responsibility for financing America's schools: local, state, or federal government? Discuss the division of financial responsibility you favor and how each area should raise its revenues.

Q: What are some of the obstacles in creating an adequate education system for students? What are steps that policymakers can take to overcome these obstacles? Include specific examples in your discussion.

Q: How would you define adequate education? Based on this definition, would you say that you received an adequate, inadequate, or superior education? Be sure to provide specific examples to support your arguments.

Q: Why are so many Americans tolerant of educational inequities? What, if anything, can be done to change peoples' attitudes on the subject?

Q: To the question, "Does money matter?" the authors respond, "Trick question: It depends on how it is spent." How do you think school districts should spend their money so that it matters the most? Be sure to provide specific examples in your discussion.

Q: Why has there been such a surge in commercializing childhood? What forces have brought about this rising trend?

Q: From the following, identify the accurate statement about school superintendents.A.They are mainly responsible for relieving school boards of their administrative obligations.B.They are the most powerful education officer in the school district.C.They are not responsible for recruiting, hiring, and firing personnel.D.They are always popular and are exempted from criticism when things go wrong.

Q: According to Donald McCarty and Charles Ramsey, authors of The School Managers: Power and Conflict in American Public Education, a school board in a community dominated by a few powerful figures will seek out a superintendent who _____.A.acts as a decision makerB.acts as an adviserC.has a political styleD.has a functionary style

Q: Who is most likely to be considered part of the hidden school government?A.TeachersB.ParentsC.PrincipalsD.Students

Q: The marketing technique that involves selling things in unconventional and unexpected places is known as _____.A.aspirational marketing.B.global marketingC.guerrilla marketing.D.relationship marketing

Q: Commercialism promotes _____.A.self-esteemB.self-gratificationC.self-beliefD.self-gratulation

Q: A call for accountability in financing of schools means that _____.A.the teachers want to hold the public accountable for lack of fundsB.the public wants to see academic progress for their tax dollarsC.the public wants to hold the students accountable for their academic progressD.the teachers want to see a raise in their salaries as a result of increased funding

Q: When teachers and principals have to remedy antiquated buildings, they give higher priority to _____.A.rewiring for computer installationB.installing modems for Internet accessC.repairing lights and air conditionersD.replacing old benches and desks

Q: School boards determine educational policy, and majority of their members tend to be _____.A.whiteB.blackC.AsianD.Hispanic

Q: The chief state school officer is responsible for:A.formulating educational policy.B.performing administrative tasks.C.planning school activities.D.managing school funds.

Q: Which of the following is most likely to conduct educational research and development?A.State board of educationB.School districtsC.School superintendentsD.State department of education

Q: Most school board members view themselves as _____.A.trustee representativesB.delegate representativesC.public representativesD.elected representatives