James Kent Donlevy
Affiliations
Professor
Werklund School of Education, Specialization, Leadership
Contact information
Phone number
Office: 403.220.2973
Location
Office: EDT924
For media enquiries, contact
Clayton MacGillivray
Content and Media Specialist
Email: clmacgil@ucalgary.ca
Twitter: @UCalgaryEduc
Background
Educational Background
PhD University of Saskatchewan, 2003
MEd Educational Administration, University of Saskatchewan, 1994
BEd Elementary/Secondary, University of Saskatchewan, 1989
JD University of Saskatchewan, 1984
BA History, University of Saskatchewan, 1973
Biography
Dr. Donlevy, B.A., B.Ed., M.Ed. (Thesis), Ph.D. (Educational Administration), and J.D. (University of Saskatchewan), is a retired professor of the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. He retired on October 1, 2026, following a career in teaching, research, and academic leadership. He continues to teach and provide expert opinions and litigation consulting in educational law.
At the University of Calgary, he served as Associate Dean of the Graduate Division of Educational Research, chaired the Research Ethics Appeal Board for many years, and served as Grievance Advisor for the Faculty Association. He was President of the University of Calgary Faculty Association from July 2023 to June 2025.
His teaching and scholarship focus has been on ethics, educational law, and leadership. He has lectured in the civil litigation course in the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta and has been invited to lecture and debate at its Centre for Constitutional Studies. He has presented for the Legal Education Society of Alberta and advised law firms on tort and constitutional issues arising in schools, including providing expert opinions for litigation. His work has included assisting a national Canadian law firm in preparing an amicus curiae factum in a successful appeal to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal.
Research
Areas of Research
Dr. Donlevy has published more than 64 peer-reviewed articles in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. He has co-authored guides to school law in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. His publications include a peer-reviewed article in the Supreme Court of Canada Law Review.
Projects
Publications
- Violence in Alberta’s urban schools: The perspectives of school resource officers. Abela, G., & Donlevy, J. K. Education and Law Journal. 29(1), 1–26. (2020)
- A clash of positive and negative liberty: Denying accreditation to Trinity Western Law School. Donlevy, J. K., & Gereluk, D. International Journal of Law and Education. 2, 18–31. (2019)
- Superintendents who lead for optimal learning: Nine insights.. P Hanna; D Parsons; James Brandon; L Wallace; M Mountford; James Kent K Donlevy. Information Age Publishing. pp. 53-72. (2019)
- Trigger warnings, freedom of speech, and academic freedom in higher education. Donlevy, J. K., Gereluk, D., & Brandon, J. Education and Law Journal. 28, 1–41. (2018)
- School trustees acting badly and freedom of expression under the Charter. Donlevy, J. K., Brandon, J., & Gereluk, D. Education and Law Journal. 27(2), 125–143. (2018)
- Building ethical judgement and reasoning for preservice teachers. Dianne T Gereluk; James Kent Donlevy. Canadian Association for Teacher Education. (2018)
- Constitutional Rights, Constitutional Privileges and the School Boundary Dispute . Donlevy, J.K.. Alberta Journal of Educational Administration and Foundations. (2010)
- The Ten Dimensions of Inclusion: Non-Catholic Students in Catholic Schools . Donlevy, J.K.. Sense Publications, Netherlands. (2009)
- Catholic Schools and Freedom of Conscience in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms . Donlevy, J. K.. Journal of Catholic Legal Studies (St. John’s School of Law, New York) Symposium Issue Vol. 47, 1, (St. John’s School of Law, New York) Symposium Issue Vol. 4. 69-96. (2008)
- A Guide to Alberta School Law . Donlevy, J.K., Chomos, J., & Walker, K.D. . Blitzprint, Calgary, AB.. (2008)
- Value Pluralism and Negative Freedom: The Surrey and Trinity Cases.. Donlevy, J. K. . McGill Journal of Education 39 (3) . 305-325. (2004)
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