Van Staden, J. G.Pretorius, J. L.Alston, Kenningale Stewart2018-09-042018-09-042002http://hdl.handle.net/11660/9214English:South Africa has, since the early 1990s, entered a period of radical change that has transformed South Africa in respect of, amongst other things, the law and education. It is when these two aspects meet to form a new educo-Iegal setting that great uncertainty exists, particularly in respect of human rights in the school setting. It is evident that many teachers are struggling to come to terms with the paradigm shift that has already occurred. The result is a feeling of "fear" for some and, for others, an attitude of "it won't happen here". Canadian, Terri Sussel, stated that few areas of Canadian life were more deeply affected by the introduction of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms than education. The South African Bill of Rights appears to be having a similar effect. It is the above which led to this research which focuses specifically on the right to freedom of expression in the school context. This right, on which many other rights depend, is deserving of special attention. The research was undertaken by means of an intensive study of available literature and legal cases from four selected countries and South Africa. By this means it is possible to draw on the differing experiences of the other countries and relate and compare the South African situation to foreign experiences. This makes it possible to begin to highlight particular issues to which schools will need to give special attention in coming to terms with teachers' and learners' right to freedom of expression in the school. The study provides a broad canvas background to the development of human rights in general and freedom of expression in particular, with focus on the United States, Canada, Great Britain and New Zealand. The research focussed on six specific school related aspects of freedom of expression, and their effect, firstly, on the foreign schools. These aspects were namely hairstyles, dress, jewellery, press freedom, artistic creativity and academic freedom. Particular attention was paid to freedom of expression within the unique South African legal structure, with special attention to application, interpretation and limitations. The same six elements were then examined in the South African context with reference to what effects have already been seen and the possible implications in the future. The comparative study made of the five countries enabled the identification of similarities and differences, both in terms of the legal contexts and the effects of the six aspects of freedom of expression.The research provides a critical examination of issues previously taken for granted by many schools and reveals that certain previously "sacred cows", such as hairstyles and dress, are no longer sacred. Further the research has led to a different approach to academic freedom, as being not confined to universities, but stretching as a continuum from early years at school to post-doctoral research. The right to freedom of expression of learners and teachers is constitutionally protected. This study is aimed to assist the school community in coming to terms with not only allowing, but, as they are required to do by the Constitution, encouraging and promoting the responsible access to freedom of expression. This will enable all to develop their potential in an atmosphere that respects the right to dignity evident in being able to be true to oneself in thought, word and deed, with equal respect for the rights of others, and without disruption to critical educational processes within the school.Afrikaans:Suid-Afrika het sedert die vroeë 1990's 'n periode van radikale verandering betree wat Suid-Afrika getransformeer het ten opsigte van, onder andere, die reg en die onderwys. Dit is wanneer hierdie twee aspekte ontmoet om 'n nuwe onderwysregsopset te vorm dat groot onsekerhede ontstaan, veral ten opsigte van menseregte binne die skoolopset. Dit is voor die hand liggend dat baie opvoeders probleme ondervind om vrede te maak met hierdie paradigmaskuif wat alreeds plaasgevind het. Die resultaat is 'n gevoel van "vrees" vir sommige en ander openbaar 'n houding van "dit sal nie hier gebeur nie". Die Kanadees, Terri Sussel, het gemeld dat daar min areas van die Kanadese lewe meer diepliggend geraak is deur die instelling van die Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as onderwys. Dit blyk dat die Suid-Afrikaanse Handves van Menseregte 'n soortgelyke uitwerking het. Bogenoemde het gelei tot hierdie navorsing wat uitsluitlik fokus op die vryheid van uitdrukking binne die skoolopset. Hierdie reg, waarvan talle ander regte afhanklik is, verdien spesiale aandag.Die navorsing is gedoen deur middel van 'n intensiewe studie van beskikbare literatuur, asook regsake van vier gekose lande en Suid-Afrika. Deur middel hiervan was dit moontlik om te put uit die verskillende ondervindings van ander lande, verbande raak te sien en vergelykings te tref tussen die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie en buitelandse ondervindings. Dit het dit moontlik gemaak om sekere vraagstukke uit te lig waaraan skole spesiale aandag sal moet gee op hul weg na die aanvaarding van opvoeders en leerders se reg tot vryheid van uitdrukking in skole. Die studie verskaf 'n breë agtergrond van die ontwikkeling van menseregte in die algemeen en vryheid van uitdrukking in die besonder met verwysing na die Verenigde State van Amerika, Kanada, Groot-Brittanje en Nieu-Seeland. Die navorsing het op ses spesifieke skoolverwante aspekte van vryheid van uitdrukking gefokus, met eerstens hul gevolge op die buitelandse skole. Die aspekte wat aangespreek is, is die volgende: haarstyle, drag, juweliersware, persvryheid, kunssinnige kreatiwiteit en akademiese vryheid. Besondere aandag is geskenk aan vryheid van uitdrukking binne die unieke Suid- Afrikaanse regstruktuur, met spesifieke aandag aan toepassing, interpretasie en beperking. Dieselfde ses elemente is binne die Suid-Afrikaanse skoolkonteks ondersoek met verwysing na die gevolge wat alreeds sigbaar is, asook die moontlike toekomstige implikasies daarvan. Die vergelykende studie van die vyf lande het die identifikasie van ooreenkomste en verskille moontlik gemaak ten opsigte van die regskonteks, asook ten opsigte van die gevolge van die ses aspekte van vryheid van uitdrukking vir die skoolgemeenskap. Die navorsing verskaf 'n kritiese ondersoek na sake wat voorheen as vanselfsprekend deur skole aanvaar is, asook die blootlegging van die kwesbaarheid van sommige "onaantasbare" sake soos haarstyle en drag. Die navorsing het ook gelei tot "n verskillende benadering tot akademiese vryheid wat nie net tot universiteite beperk is nie, maar aaneenlopend strek vanaf die eerste skooljare tot op post-doktorale navorsingsvlak. Die reg van vryheid van uitdrukking van leerders en onderwysers is in die grondwet verskans. Hierdie studie is daarop gemik om die skoolgemeenskap te help met die aanvaarding van die vryheid van uitdrukking, nie alleen deur dit slegs toe te laat nie, maar, soos wat die Grondwet vereis, verantwoordelike vryheid van uitdrukking aan te moedig en te bevorder. Dit sal almal in staat stelom hul potensiaal te ontwikkel in 'n atmosfeer waarin hul menswaardigheid gerespekteer word deur getrou te blyaan hulself in gedagte, woord en daad, met ewe veel wedersydse respek vir die regte van ander en sonder die ontwrigting van kritieke opvoedkundige prosesse binne die skool.enSchool disciplineComparative educationCivil rights -- South AfricaThesis (Ph.D. (Comparative Education and Education Management))--University of the Free State, 2002ThesisUniversity of the Free State