Decision Making by School Administrators in the United States and South Africa Using Two Different Standards: The Best Interest of the Child and the Right of Parents to Make Decisions for Their Children

Authors

Ralph Mawdsley, Cleveland State UniversityFollow
P.J. Hans Visser, University of PretoriaFollow
Steven B. Permuth, University of South FloridaFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Summer 2006

Publication Title

International Journal of Educational Reform

Keywords

Parent-child relationship, parent participation, children's rights, south africa

Abstract

The choice between or among parent demands requires a standard for determining which to accommodate. Although the best interest of the child seems like a natural standard to use, parents in the United States have a constitutional right to direct the education of their children. Thus, how does the best-interest-of-the-child standard align with the rights of parents to make decisions for their children, and should one of the standards take precedence where a conflict occurs?

Repository Citation

Ralph D. Mawdsley, P.J. Hans Visser, and Steven G. Permuth, The Best Interest of the Child and the Right of Parents to Make Decisions for Their Children, 15 International Journal of Educational Reform 345 (2006).

Volume

15

Issue

3