school discipline

The 8-year-old boy, a member of the Wyandotte Nation, started growing his hair out after attending the Nation's annual gathering. School officials at a Gerard elementary warned his family that his hair needed to be cut to comply with the dress code, which the ACLU says violates his religious freedom.

Standardized test scores have become a hot-button issue in this year’s school board races in Kansas. But experts say test scores don't paint a full picture of whether a student is succeeding or failing.

Poor classroom behavior is pushing some teachers out of the profession. The Missouri state education department wants to implement learning standards that include self-awareness, respect and empathy.

The non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch gave Missouri an "F" grade for its compliance with international child rights standards. Missouri still allows 16-year-olds to be married, and allows corporal punishment in public and private schools.

School districts across the country, including in Missouri, have begun punishing students by forcing them into online classes, sometimes indefinitely. Critics charge that these punishments can deprive students and their families of due process rights.

The case centers around two parents, both of whom were sentenced to jail time because their six-year-old children missed too many days of school. Attorneys for the parents argue the state's rule mandating children attend school "on a regular basis" is vague and misleading.