Defamation

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ED 089 463

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EA 006 050

Nolte, M. Chester, Ed.

School Communications: Duties and Dangers. A Legal

Memorandum.

National Association of Secondary School Principals,

Washington, D.C.

Apr 74

Sp.

National Association of Secondary School Principals,

Dulles International Airport, P.O. Box 17430,

Washington, D.C. 20041 ($0.25, Quantity Discounts.

Payment must accompany order)

MP-$0.75 HC Not Available from EDVS. PLUS POSTAGE

*Administrative Personnel; Administrator Guides;

Communication (Thought Transfer); *Court Cases;

Educational Administration; Elementary Schools;

*Freedom of Speech; *Legal Problems; Secondary

Schools; *Student Rights

*Defamation

ABSTRACT

School administrators face increasing risks in the

field of school communications. While a school administrator acting

in the line of duty and without malice is protected by conditional

privilege against libel and slander, it is easy to step outside this

protection, and become liable for false or misleading statements,

Knowing the results of the cases cited herein can hopefully prevent

some wrong steps. Additionally, in recent years, a constitutional

dimension has been added to the administrator's need to know more

about the law of communications. The U.S. Supreme Court, in Tinker

and subsequent cases, has held that neither teachers nor students

shed their right to freedom of expression at the schoolhouse gate.

What this new dimension will grow into is still open to conjecture.

(Author/JP)

PtAY 1 3 1974

6Memorandum

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS

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