Special issue 1, 2010
Journal for Juridical Science - Special issue 1, January 2010
Special issue 1, January 2010
Source: Journal for Juridical Science 35 (2010)
The editorial board of the Journal for Juridical Science is delighted to put this special edition of the Journal before its readers. It is dedicated to issues related to education and the law, conveniently referred to as "education law".
The best interest of the child : a United States and South African perspective
Authors: R.D. Mawdsley, J.L. Beckmann, E. De Waal and C.J. Russo
Source: Journal for Juridical Science 35, pp 1 –23 (2010)
This article examines the different approaches taken in the United States (U.S.) and South Africa with regard to the best interests of students / learners. The U.S. has a tradition of invoking a best interest standard for certain kinds of decisions involving children, but that tradition has generally been limited to divorce decrees, while the emphasis in school-related matters has been on rights of parents grounded in the U.S. Constitution and in federal and state statutes. On the other hand, South Africa has enshrined the best interest of the child in its Constitution and it is of paramount importance in all matters pertaining to the child. How these two approaches differ and what the future of the parent-child relationship should be in influencing decision-making regarding learners at schools is the object of this article. The article also considers the relevant U.S. federal constitutional and state statutory interpretations as they differ from the South African constitutional language. This article asks whether the long U.S. constitutional tradition of framing children&apos;s best interests in terms of parental decision-making on behalf of their children needs to be reconsidered. Conversely, in South Africa the most important question is whether courts could very well expand the concept of a parent, while at the same time considering whether the best interest of the child standard is a fundamental right or a rule of construction.
&apos;n Kind se beste belange : &apos;n Amerikaanse en Suid-Afrikaanse perspektief
Hierdie artikel bestudeer die verskillende benaderings wat die Verenigde State van Amerika (VSA) en Suid-Afrika tot die regte van leerders huldig, aangesien die twee lande &apos;n gedeelde belang het in die beskerming van kinderregte. Die VSA beroep hulle tradisioneel op die beste belange-standaard vir sekere tipes besluite waarby kinders betrokke is, maar die tradisie is tot dusver oor die algemeen beperk tot egskeidingsbevelle, terwyl die klem in skool-verwante sake op ouers se regte soos gegrond in die VSA Grondwet en in federale staatswette geplaas is. Aan die anderkant het Suid-Afrika die beste belange van die kind in sy Grondwet verskans as van die heel belangrikste belang in sake waarby die kind betrokke is. Hoe hierdie twee benaderings verskil en wat die toekoms van die ouer-kind verhouding behoort te wees by die beïnvloeding van besluitneming rakende leerders op skool, is die doel van hierdie artikel, terwyl daar terselfdertyd standpunt ingeneem sal word wat betref die VSA se federale grondwetlike and staats-statutêre interpretasies soos hulle verskil van die Suid-Afrikaanse grondwetlike taalgebruik. Hierdie artikel vra ook of die lang VSA grondwetlike tradisie om &apos;n kind se beste belange te beoordeel in terme van sy ouers se besluitneming namens hom in heroorweging geneem behoort te word. Aan die anderkant van die muntstuk is die heel belangrikste vraag in Suid-Afrika of howe die konsep van ouerskap sou kon ontwikkel terwyl hulle ook terselfdertyd oorweging skenk aan die vraag of die beste belange van die kind &apos;n fundamentele reg of &apos;n konstruksie-reël is.
Human rights, juridical forms and the crisis of values in education
Source: Journal for Juridical Science 35, pp 24 –44 (2010)
Though critical of, but nonetheless employing Habermas&apos;s notion of systems and lifeworld (which forms part of his reconstructive theory of law), I argue that rights-related values in South Africa have taken on a juridical form at the expense of substantive public deliberation. This brings about the assimilation of values into the systems world, which impedes deliberation about values in the lifeworld. The development of normative standards by means of deliberation in the lifeworld has been hindered by the juridification of values related to human rights, and this, I argue, has contributed to the crisis of values in education. I suggest that we utilise the lifeworld space more substantively and purposefully to engage with the crisis of values in education as a way of foregrounding "nonlegal mechanisms of cooperation".
Menseregte, juridiese vorme en die waarde-krisis in die onderwys
Alhoewel ek krities staan teenoor Habermas se begrippe van stelsel (system) en leefwêreld (lifeworld) (beide vorm deel van sy rekonstruktiewe regsteorie), argumenteer ek dat waardes wat aan regte gekoppel is &apos;n juridiese aard ten koste van substantiewe openbare debat ingeneem het. Dit lei tot die assimulasie van waardes in die stelselwêreld (system world), wat &apos;n beperking op gesprekvoering ten opsigte van waardes in die leefwêreld plaas. Hierdie beperking dra by tot die sogenaamde waardekrisis in die onderwys. Ek stel voor dat ons die ruimte in die leefwêreld meer doelgerig moet gebruik om hierdie waardekrisis die hoof te bied as &apos;n wyse om "nonlegal mechanisms of cooperation" te bevorder.
Furthering national values through religion in public school education : comparing the United States, Australia and South Africa
Authors: E. De Waal, R.D. Mawdsley and J.J. Cumming
Source: Journal for Juridical Science 35, pp 45 –70 (2010)
Changing support, rejection or indifference to religion has shaped the relationship between government and religion in the United States, Australia and South Africa. The place of religion as moulder of national values in education has been determined by judicial interpretation in the United States, by legislature in Australia and by legislation, administration and constitutional interpretation in South Africa. These countries have faced the challenges of whether and how to permit the propagation of religious values into public education. Having a more accommodationist interpretation, Australia has well nigh furthered Christian values at public schools, which would not be allowed under the United States Constitution. South Africa has evolved its own legislative, judicial and administrative approach to addressing religion at schools from a perspective of impartiality, while aspiring to urge learners to achieve higher levels of moral judgment. The three approaches imply fundamental constitutional, political and judicial differences that allow little commonality. The varied legal mechanisms used by the three countries namely reflect differing historical and legal developments.
Die bevordering van landswaardes deur middel van godsdiens in openbare skoolonderwys : in vergelyking van Amerika, Australië en Suid-Afrika
Veranderende ondersteuning, verwerping of ongeërgdheid teenoor godsdiens het aan die verhouding tussen die regering en godsdiens in die Verenigde State, Australië en Suid-Afrika vorm gegee. Die plek van godsdiens as vormgewer aan nasionale waardes in die onderwys is bepaal deur regsvertolking in die Verenigde State, deur wetgewing in Australië en deur wetgewing, administrasie en grondwetlike vertolking in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie lande het die uitdaging getrotseer van óf en hoé die bevordering van godsdienstige waardes in openbare onderwys toegelaat moet word. Aangesien hulle &apos;n meer tegemoetkomende vertolking het, het Australië Christelike waardes op openbare skole bykans bevorder, iets wat nie onder die Verenigde State-Grondwet toegelaat sou word nie. Suid-Afrika het sy eie wetgewende, juridiese en administratiewe benadering tot die hantering van godsdiens op skole ontwikkel vanuit &apos;n perspektief van onpartydigheid, terwyl hulle daarop mik dat leerders hoër vlakke van morele oordeel moet ontwikkel. Die drie benaderinge veronderstel grondwetlike, politieke en juridiese verskille wat min in gemeen het. Die verskillende regsmeganismes wat deur die drie lande benut word, weerspieël naamlik verskillende historiese en regsgeldige ontwikkelinge.
Dignity : the missing building block in South African schools?
Author J.M. Reyneke
Source: Journal for Juridical Science 35, pp 71 –105 (2010)
There is a dire need in South Africa to build a strong education system to meet the needs and expectations of its people. Unfortunately, education is currently in an unacceptable state, with, inter alia, escalating school-based violence, deteriorating matriculation results and standards, high absenteeism rates among educators, strikes, and a lack of proper facilities and infrastructure. Lack of respect for the right to dignity of stakeholders will be investigated as an underlying contributing factor to this unfortunate situation. First, the concept of dignity will be discussed. Secondly, certain conduct, actions and decisions on the part of the different stakeholders will be considered with specific reference to the impact thereof on the different dimensions of the right to dignity of other stakeholders. It will be argued that all stakeholders in education infringe, to some extent, the right to dignity of others and that they should be sensitised to these infringements.
Menswaardigheid : die ontbrekende bousteen in Suid-Afrikaanse skole?
Om &apos;n gesonde onderwysstelsel te bou is een van Suid-Afrika se grootste behoeftes om te kan voorsien in die behoeftes en verwagtinge van die mense. Ongelukkig is onderwys tans in &apos;n bedenklike toestand met onder andere toenemende geweld in skole, dalende matriek resultate en standaarde, hoë afwesigheidskoerse van onderwysers, stakings en &apos;n gebrek aan voldoende toerusting en infrastruktuur. Die gebrek aan respek vir die menswaardigheid van mede-aandeelhouers sal ondersoek word as een van die onderliggende bydraende faktore tot die onbehaaglike situasie. Eerstens sal die reg op menswaardigheid as konsep bespreek word. Tweedens sal sommige van die gedrag, aksies en besluite van die verskillende aandeelhouers bespreek word met spesifieke verwysing na die impak daarvan op die verskillende dimensies van die reg op menswaardigheid van ander aandeelhouers. Daar word aangevoer dat al die aandeelhouers tot &apos;n sekere mate inbreuk maak op die reg op menswaardigheid van ander aandeelhouers en dat hulle gesensitiseer moet word ten aansien van hierdie aantastings.
Do South African HIV / AIDS educational policies and praxis promote the best interest of learners?
Authors: W.J. Van Vollenhoven and C.J. Els
Source: Journal for Juridical Science 35, pp 106 –122 (2010)
An estimated 25 percent of the general South African population will be HIV positive by the year 2010. With no cure to date, the best HIV / AIDS prevention is responsible sexual behaviour promoted through education. In 1999, the National Policy on HIV / AIDS for Learners and Educators in Public Schools, and Students and Educators in Further Education and Training Institutions (Government Notice 20372 of 10 August 1999), was published in terms of Section 3(4) of the National Educational Policy Act (No. 27 of 1996). The publication of this policy is a major step in the war against HIV / AIDS, but it is uncertain how this policy is being implemented on ground level in accordance with the Constitutional rights of learners. This theoretical paper investigates whether South African HIV / AIDS educational policies and praxis promotes the best interest of learners. The underlying causes of the HIV / AIDS epidemic are briefly explored, followed by an exposition of the learner&apos;s rights in terms of the Constitution and HIV / AIDS educational policies, and existing HIV / AIDS educational strategies and programmes. Recommendations are made for further HIV / AIDS policy and educational implementation.
Die statutêre raamwerk van taalbeleid in openbare skole en die implikasies van die twee Ermelo-uitsprake : kroniek
Authors: Paul Colditz and Jaco Deacon
Source: Journal for Juridical Science 35, pp 123 –139 (2010)
Tale is die stambome van volkere. Hierdie woorde onderstreep die diep gewortelde emosie en sterk standpunte oor taal. Met hierdie agtergrond en binne die raamwerk van &apos;n land met 11 amptelike landstale en &apos;n grondwetlike bedeling met fundamentele regte, is die tafel gedek vir een van die mees omstrede aspekte binne onderwys: taalbeleid binne skole.