School Law for South Carolina Educators
About the Author Thomas R. McDaniel is Senior Vice President and Professor of Education at Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina.  A magna cum laude graduate of Hampden-Sydney College, he holds three graduate degrees, including the Ph.D., from The Johns Hopkins University.  From 1971 to the present he has served Converse in a variety of positions, including Chair of the Department of Education, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Acting Dean of the School of Education and Graduate Studies, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost, and Interim President.  In 1984 he was named the Charles A. Dana Professor of Education.  He has taught a graduate course in School Law for over 40 years at Converse. Dr. McDaniel has published over 250 articles and essays, many on school law and public education policy, in such journals as Phi Delta Kappan, Educational Leadership, American School Board Journal, Educational Forum, Teaching for Excellence, and American Secondary Education.  He is an Executive Editor of The Clearing House and a consulting editor for Academic Leader; he has written, co-authored, or edited seven previous books, including The Teacher’s Profession, The Teacher’s Dilemma, Improving Student Behavior, Public Education in South Carolina, and At Home in South Carolina (with wife Suzanne and colleague Sandra Thomas).  In addition to his academic work, Dr. McDaniel has served as Chairman of the Spartanburg County Board of Education, President of the Charles Lea Center Board of Directors, Chair of the South Carolina Center for Teacher Recruitment (now CERRA) Policy Board, President of the Spartanburg-Greenville Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, and President of the Piedmont Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.  He has also served on the Human Relations Commission and as Chair of the Children’s Advocacy Center Board in Spartanburg.  He is listed in Who’s Who in America.  Active as a leader of workshops on school law, discipline, and motivation, McDaniel speaks to educational and civic groups in South Carolina and nationally on a variety of educational topics.  He and his wife Suzanne (Nan), Director of Secondary Instruction for Spartanburg District Seven, have two children, Robb and Katy, both of whom are college professors. Dr. McDaniel can be reached at Tom.McDaniel@Converse.edu.