THE LEGAL ASPECT OF TEACHING

An unfortunate reality of modern education is that lawyers have had to
step in alongside educators to help sort things out, such as whether
drug searches should be conducted or what steps should be taken to
ensure safety within school walls. Attorney Barbara Goodman (right) of
Deerfield, with the Chicago firm of Kusper & Raucci, is a specialist
in school law, and she recently shared her experiences in that area.

Q. How did you get involved in school law?

A. I started my career in election law; it was something I had an
interest in, and my first job was in the Cook County clerk's office.
Through my work at the clerk's office, I became interested in local
government, and part of that includes schools.

Q. What do you like about this practice?

A. You never have the same day twice in a row. You're dealing with a
wide range of issues when you're dealing with a school district. . . .
In drafting policies, it's an expression of the community's interests.
Our firm serves as general counsel for school districts and community
colleges, and we advise them on the legal requirements of running the
district.

Q. Do you ever deal with students directly?

A. I come into contact with students oftentimes because I may
participate in a disciplinary hearing of some sort. At the community
college level, I deal with students during grade appeals.

Q. With recent news stories of students turning guns on crowds of
fellow students and teachers in schools, there has been more talk
about handling violence in schools. What are your thoughts on the subject?

A. I think that all schools have been dealing with the issue for a
long time; the newer, bigger issue is random violence and what are the
appropriate mechanisms to deal with it. When do you take (threats by)
kids seriously? Are there going to be zero-tolerance districts?

Q. What about violence in the schools that might have its roots in the
community, such as gang-related problems?

A. You have school districts adopting uniform (dress) policies as a
way of keeping the gang influence out. Schools also have statutory
authority for certain types of searches.

Q. One district you worked with came up with a way to satisfy the
community's concerns about disrupting the learning experience with the
need to have drug-sniffing dogs on campus. How was that
accomplished?

A. There was a lot of community debate, and the compromise was to
bring in the dogs at night, when the students had gone home.

Q. What are some of the big issues that face parents, students and
educators, in your opinion?

A. Overcrowding is certainly not a new issue, but it is rearing up
again. It's the flip side of the school closures of several years ago.
I think we're going to continue to see the issues of violence and
security in schools. We're going to see more security measures until
it reaches a plateau.