The New Role of the Courts in Developing Public Welfare Law

Three years ago it could be said that the federal courts played virtually no role in shaping the rules which determine whether an individual is eligible for public assistance under federally financed programs. The intervening period has seen a dramatic change. Whereas until January 1967 the federal courts had finally adjudicated but one action on welfare grants under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the provision most readily invoked for such action, the Commerce Clearing House today publishes the Poverty Law Reporter to inform practicing attorneys of pending litigation and court decisions in this rapidly developing field. This article will attempt to examine both the reasons for and the significance of this burst of welfare litigation activity. Before doing so, however, it is necessary to outline briefly the statutory structure of public welfare in the United States and the mechanisms by which welfare rules were developed before the courts were projected onto the scene

Oceanography Professional Development in Virginia Via Collaboration, Field Integration, and Inquiry

Seventy-nine in-service teachers completed one of six sections of a grant-funded, graduate-level, summer course entitled, Oceanography, that was offered at four different locations in Virginia between 2005 and 2007. The majority of the teachers enrolled with the objective of obtaining their add-on earth science endorsement through the Virginia Earth Science Collaborative (VESC). Oceanography was designed to integrate the following: 1) the ocean science disciplines of geology, chemistry, physics, and biology; 2) inquiry-based learning strategies, quantitative activities, and technology; and, 3) Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) field experience with classroom experiences. These design themes were informed by ocean science content standards and science education best practices, and supported the goal that, upon completion of the course, teachers would be confident and competent in their abilities to teach oceanography concepts to grades 6-12 [1-3]. Learning outcomes, instructor feedback, and participant feedback suggest that the VESC’s Oceanography can serve as an instructional model for teacher professional development in oceanography. A collaborative instructional framework (marine educators, master teacher, and university faculty), small class size, and end-of-course field synthesis projects are additional elements that contributed to positive learning outcomes in course sections. The primary challenge in the course was the compressed, two-week time frame of face-to-face instruction

The Tragic Results of Abortion in England

Norman St. John-Stevas has been a member of Parliament since 1964. He was educated at Radcliffe College. Cambridge, Oxford and Yale Universities. He is the author of a number of books. Among them are: Life, Death and the Law: Obscenity and the Law; The Right to Life; The Agonizing Choice. Mr. St. John-Stevas is a widely traveled lecturer both here and in Europe. He led the unsuccessful fight against liberalizing England\u27s abortion law. From his viewpoint as a Member of Parliament, Mr. St. John-Stevas analyzes the effects of England\u27s abortion law and draws on his experience to offer suggestions for those involved in the right to life campaign ill the United States

Selection, Orientation, and Development of the Professional Staff

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