As-modifier In Noun Phrase Near Beginning

Question

I am continuing to explore the troublesome "as"-modifier. Up to now, I have used the as-modifier on a noun phrase near the end of a sentence. In this question, I am using the as-modifier in a noun phrase near the beginning of a sentence. I have two as-clause sentences here:

1. The law as it currently exists does not affect this school.
2. The law as it applies to education curriculums does not affect this school.

In the first sentence, "as it currently exists" translates loosely to "in its current form". So, the first sentence loosely means:

The law in its current form does not affect this school.

I don't know how to translate the second sentence though. The modifier "as it applies to education curriculums" is very troublesome.

Answer 1

There is no difference in the meaning of an as clause in this position.

The law as it applies to education curriculums does not affect this school.

As in the other examples you have brought forward, the as clause restricts the sense of the NP it modifies, the law. The law may or may not affect the school in other respects—for instance, it may have provisions governing who may be employed as a teacher or what textbooks may be used or what may be served for lunch in the school cafeteria. But this sentence excludes those aspects of the law from the discussion, and restricts the law to a narrower concern: those respects in which it ‘applies to’ curriculums—that is, has something to say about curriculums. In those respects the law does not affect this school.

We are not told why the school is not affected; perhaps the law says nothing about the sort of curriculums this school employs, or perhaps it specifically exempts schools in the category to which this school belongs, or perhaps the school is already in full compliance with the law and need not change anything.