01:758 School Administration and the Law (NET)

             

Course Description:  

This course is designed to inform graduate students of the legal context in which education in Canada finds itself.  As the legal responsibilities and roles of those in education become more complex in today’s school environment, it is imperative that educators acquire a sound knowledge and understanding of the legal parameters affecting education today.  This course will examine the impact of common, statutory, and case law on education and schools.  An exploration of the legal context of school administration will provide an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of students, parents, teachers, administrators, and employers. 

Instructor: Dr. Tom Skinner

Winter 2019

Reflection:

To me, this was by far the most interesting course out of all my courses.  Once I started reading the articles and links to case law provided by Tom, I could not stop reading.  I think I had read almost all the required case study reading by the end of the first week of class!  WOW!  Hard to believe all these things really happen. Once I found out how to search for case laws on Canlii I spent hours reading article upon article on a variety of topics. 

This course should be required for every school administrator whether in a Master program or not!  It was definitely an eye-opener for me.   Once it sunk in that these case studies we were “real”, I felt a huge weight added to my shoulders.  I knew that I had great responsibilities as a principal, but I had no idea how many things could go wrong in so many ways.  One of my greatest takeaways was to make sure that I knew my stuff (divisional policies, Manitoba statues, Public Schools Act, etc…).  I now keep these references bookmarked for easy reference.  Another learning piece was to be certain to complete my Workplace Health and Safety walk-throughs with a much more critical eye.  Some of those Tort Law case studies were scary!  It is so easy for accidents to happen.  I realized that I must do my due diligence to ensure that learning opportunities are always offered in a safe space.  It is also my job to ensure that my staff are aware of these expectations. 

I found the cases related to religious diversity particularly interesting since my school has just started to become very multi-cultural.  It is important to honour and recognize diverse cultures while finding a balance of with school academic and safety requirements. The case laws regarding Exposure to Differing Views and Wearing of a Kirpan in school were a reminder of how important it is to be informed about religious diversity. 

I must admit that my teachers weren’t exactly thrilled with my new knowledge.  I began asking many more questions about field trips and became relentless about making sure that staff were outside on time for their recess duties and continually circulating.  There is no room for error when we are entrusted to care for other people's children. 

 01:758 Chosen Assignment: Case law - Negligence

I chose this article Tort Law – Negligence because it was something that could so easily happen in my school, or any elementary school.  Everything seemed innocent enough, but there were some missteps and a child lost vision in one eye while at school.  This case gave me the opportunity to work with my office staff to ensure that we have the proper steps in place to ensure that we don’t end up with a situation like this.