Anatomy of a Lawsuit: What Every Education Leader Should Know about Legal Actions

Dr. Robert J. Shoop is a professor of Education Law, senior scholar in the Leadership Studies program at Kansas State University, and the recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Professor and the Outstanding Undergraduate Professor Awards. He has served as a teacher, community education director, school administrator, and as Ohio State Evaluator of Students Rights and Responsibilities. He is the author or co-author of fifteen books including: Sexual Exploitation of Students: How to Spot it, and Stop It (2003), A Principal's Quick Guide to School Law: Reducing Liability, Law Suits, and Other Potential Legal Tangles (2002), Sexual Harassment on Campus: A Guide for Administrators, Faculty and Students (1996) (co-edited with Dr. Bernice Sandler), How To Stop Sexual Harassment In Our Schools (1994), A Primer For School Risk Management (1993), and School Law for the Principal (1992).
Dr. Shoop is the co-producer of six educational video programs including: Sexual Harassment: What is it and Why Should We Care?, Sexual Harassment: It's Hurting People, and Preventing Sexual Harassment. These productions have received national and international recognition including: First Place Award, 1996 National Council of Family Relations Annual Media Competition, 1996 Gold Award of Merit, Houston Film Festival, 1995 Golden Camera Award, International Film and Video Festival.
Dr. Shoop is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Educational Law Association and has consulted with national associations, community colleges, universities, governmental agencies, businesses, and educational organizations throughout the United States. He is a frequent guest on national radio and television talk shows including The Today Show with both Katie Couric and Matt Lauer, ABC's 20/20, MSNBC with Lester Holt, CNN, Day and Date, The Jim Bohannon Show, The Oliver North Show, The Mark Furman Show, The Mark Walberg Show, and Outside the Lines with Bob Ley. He is sought after as a speaker at national conferences and has served as an expert witness in over forty court cases. He earned a Ph.D. degree from the University of Michigan.

Dennis R. Dunklee is professor emeritus in the Education Leadership Department in the Graduate School of Education at George Mason University. During his 25 years in public schools, he served as a teacher, elementary school principal, junior high and middle school principal, high school principal, and central office administrator. During his tenure as a professor, he taught courses in education law and school leadership and served as an advisor and chair for masters in school administration candidates. He continues to advise doctoral candidates in school leadership and serves as an adjunct professor. Because of his expertise and practical experience, he is frequently called on to consult in the areas of effective schools, school law, administrator evaluation, instructional supervision, school-community relations, problem solving, and conflict resolution. In addition, he has been involved as a consultant and expert witness in numerous school-related lawsuits nationwide. As a university scholar and researcher, he published 10 textbooks, two monographs, and more than 100 articles on issues in the fields of school law, business management, administrative practice, and leadership theory. He is active in a number of professional organizations; has presented papers at international, national, regional, state, and local conferences; and is a widely sought-after clinician for inservice workshops. Dunklee was an invited participant and presenter in the 2005 Oxford (University) Round Table on Education Law: Individual Rights and Freedoms and in 2007 was recognized by Kappa Delta Pi as an educator “who exemplifies the high professional, intellectual, and personal standards our Society promotes, who demonstrates dedication to educators, students, and the field of education.”

Dunklee has written or co-written seven books for Corwin Press. His other Corwin books are You Sound Taller On The Telephone: A Practitioner’s View of the Principalship (1999); If You Want to Lead Not Just Manage (2000), The Principal’s Quick Reference Guide to School Law (2002) (with Robert J. Shoop), Strategic Listening for School Leaders (2005) (with Jeannine Tate), Anatomy of a Lawsuit: What Every Education Leader Should Know about Legal Actions (2006) (with Robert J. Shoop) and The Principal’s Quick Reference Guide to School Law 2nd Edition (2006) (with Robert J. Shoop).

He received his Ph D in school administration and foundations from Kansas State University. His major area of research was in the field of education law, and his dissertation was on tort liability for negligence. He holds a master’s degree in elementary and secondary school administration from Washburn University.