Education policy is a complex and constantly evolving field. Chris Thomas, J.D., Ph.D., is working to enhance legal literacy for the next generation of educational leaders through his contributions to the most recent edition of “The Principal’s Legal Handbook.” The book was co-edited by Thomas in collaboration with five other education law experts and features contributions from 52 different authors on subjects ranging from student rights to school governance.
“This book is a comprehensive introduction to the legal issues that school leaders navigate in their daily work,” Thomas explains. “The core audience is practicing or emerging school leaders, along with students in educational leadership programs. Lawyers and other legal practitioners can also use it as a resource to help inform their practice or research focus.”
Thomas plans to use it as a textbook next semester in his courses on school law and advanced school law within the educational leadership and policy graduate program at UF. The handbook’s first edition was published in 1989 and has undergone several updates over the last three decades to accommodate for fluctuating education and legal environments.
Chris Thomas, J.D., Ph.D.
“This is the seventh edition,” Thomas comments. “We made updates on contemporary issues – those are always changing – but we also made a concerted effort to highlight issues of equity. Additionally, there is an enhanced focus on teaching tools, such as how educators could use this as a resource in the classroom, with their staff, and for their own personal development.”
Having been a member of the Education Law Association for several years, Thomas knew he wanted to contribute to the most recent edition of the professional organization’s publication. The assistant professor drew from a range of professional experiences to inform his contributions to the book, having worked as both a high school teacher before attending law school and as a lawyer representing school districts. This unique confluence of professions allows him to approach education law from multiple angles and enhance his expertise in the field.
“My research focuses on issues of democracy and education – how different groups participate and experience educational policy,” Thomas says. “Students’ rights, parents’ rights, teachers’ rights – all of these shape how these groups can participate and engage in educational policy. So, one of my big contributions to the book was in the first several chapters about students and the law.”
The educational leadership and policy professor notes that he was not the only UF-affiliated contributor to the handbook. Kelley Taksier, a doctoral student in the School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies, was the book’s layout editor, completing the layout design, typesetting, and indexing.
Thomas hopes the book helps educators feel empowered within the law, giving them a framework to navigate complex legal issues confidently to advance their educational mission. He also co-hosts the “Chalk and Gavel” podcast, which focuses on similar topics, breaking down complex legal issues impacting the educational landscape one real-world case at a time.
“The Principal’s Legal Handbook” was released on October 20th and is available on Amazon.
