The Federal Role in School Reform: Obama\u27s Race to the Top

An essay is presented on a critical review of federal education policy of the U.S. which focuses on improving educational opportunity of economically disadvantages children. The objective and strategies of the educational policy and imposition of accountability on the states with reference to the educational agenda of the U.S. President Barack Obama is discussed. The evaluation of teachers and the Race to the Top initiative is also discusse

The Federal Role in School Reform: Obama\u27s Race to the Top

An essay is presented on a critical review of federal education policy of the U.S. which focuses on improving educational opportunity of economically disadvantages children. The objective and strategies of the educational policy and imposition of accountability on the states with reference to the educational agenda of the U.S. President Barack Obama is discussed. The evaluation of teachers and the Race to the Top initiative is also discusse

Choosing Equality: Religious Freedom and Educational Opportunity Under Constitutional Federalism

On August 25, 1995, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued an order temporarily enjoining the implementation of those portions of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program that would allow parents to use a state supported voucher to send their children to sectarian schools. Petitioners argued that the program, scheduled to begin within weeks, violated federal and state constitutional standards for the separation of church and state. This case represents one of the most significant constitutional conundrums in American jurisprudence and is poised to make its way through the state and federal judiciaries at a time when the United States Supreme Court appears to be undertaking a thorough reexamination of the meaning of the First Amendment. It also signals a new chapter in legal and political discourse that will continue to unfold as school choice programs gain increasing support among governors, state legislators, and members of Congress

Municipal Home Rule and the Conditions of Justifiable Secession

This Article suggests a uniform standard by which domestic legislatures may decide current and future secession cases. Part I discusses the philosophical and legal foundations of the Home Rule principle and its relationship to secession. Part II considers secession as a political and legal concept, its underpinnings and the moral arguments on both sides of secession debates. Part III suggests a unified standard by which legislatures may consider secession attempts; and Part IV applies this standard to our prototypical Staten Island case. The article concludes that if the New York State legislature were to apply these uniform criteria to review the Staten Island case, it would approve secession