Posts for July 6, 2015
These are the posts that are accumulated in our
newsletter which goes out every 4-6 days during the school year. The posts are
organized by the major units in our Con Law (5th ed.) student textbook.
Can We Fix Poor Schools Without Fixing Poverty? [EdLaw Profs Blog, 7/6/15]: An article
in the Atlantic, drawing on the
research of Pamela Cantor, says we can. Cantor frames the problem as one
of childhood trauma. She finds that poverty has effects on brain and
other development that mirrors that of other types of childhood trauma.
I.
Introduction to Law, the Constitution, and the Supreme Court [See TOPICS 1-10 in the 5th edition of Constitutional
Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to
this unit:
II.
Defining the Political System: Federalism and Checks and Balances [See TOPICS 11-15 in the 5th
edition of Constitutional Law] Here are recent articles that are
relevant to this unit:
The wrinkle in the Affordable Care Act decision [George Will in the Wash Post, 7/5/15]: In the ACA case, the court denied the power of the IRS — and,
inferentially, the power of the executive branch — to be the final word on
statutory interpretation. Instead, the court, in the
act of deference to Congress’s objective in enacting the ACA, asserted its
power to render the final, if properly deferential, word in interpreting what
Congress does. Thus did judicial aggression against one branch come cloaked in
the cloth of deference to another. Only time will tell whether this has
implications down the road. (See Marbury.)
The
American Presidency
[TOPIC 15]
Judge
not: GOP blocks dozens of Obama court picks; The standoff could diminish the
stamp that Obama leaves on the judiciary [Politico, 7/5/15]: The GOP-controlled Senate is
on track this year to confirm the fewest judges since 1969, a dramatic
escalation of the long-running partisan feud over the ideological makeup of
federal courts.
Judge
not: GOP blocks dozens of Obama court picks; The standoff could diminish the
stamp that Obama leaves on the judiciary [Politico, 7/5/15]: The GOP-controlled Senate is
on track this year to confirm the fewest judges since 1969, a dramatic
escalation of the long-running partisan feud over the ideological makeup of
federal courts.
III. The Political System: Voting and
Campaigns [See TOPICS 16-20 in the 5th edition of Constitutional
Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:
The city on the hill(s)
for Obama alums [Politico,
7/5/15]: San Francisco and its tech
firms are a prime destination for aides leaving the administration.
Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)
Returning from holiday
break, Congress faces busy agenda, looming deadline to fund government [AP, 7/5/15]: Members of Congress return
Tuesday from July Fourth fireworks and parades facing a daunting summer
workload and an impending deadline to fund the government or risk a shutdown in
the fall.
IV. Criminal Law and Procedure (4th,
5th, 6th, and 8th amendments) [See TOPICS 21-28 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent
articles that are relevant to this unit
V. 1st
Amendment (Speech, Religion, Press and Assembly) [See TOPICS 29-33 in the 5th
edition of Constitutional Law] Here are
some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:
State of the First
amendment—2015 [Newseum Institute, 7/3/15]: The State
of the First Amendment survey, conducted each year since 1997 by the Newseum
Institute’s First
Amendment Center, tests Americans’ knowledge of their core freedoms and samples
their opinions on First
Read the
full report:
Here’s the
info graphic to share with students:
The 1st Amendment and the
Power of Fear
[Newseum Institute, 7/3/15]: This year’s survey results —
based on phone interviews with 1,002 adults nationwide in mid-May — offers more
proof that fear can put at risk our most cherished freedoms to believe, say and
write what we will, and our ability to seek change in how our government
operates.
New Thought on “The Flag” and a New
Lyric Line for “Dixie” [Newseum Institute, 7/3/15]: Amid
all the discussion and debate over public display of the Confederate flag,
where do Americans actually agree or disagree?
Survey Shows Support for Students’
Off-Campus, Online Speech [David L. Hudson at the Newseum Institute, 7/3/15]: The most pressing question in student speech (K-12) law is
“When are school officials allowed to exert authority over students for
off-campus, online speech?”
VI. 14th
Amendment, Discrimination, Privacy, Working, Citizenship & Immigration [See TOPICS 34-41 in the 5th edition of Constitutional
Law]
Here are some recent articles that are
relevant to this unit:
The next
front in battle over gay rights [The
Hill, 7/5/15]: The Supreme Court’s ruling on gay marriage opens the
door to host of new benefits for same-sex couples, but claiming them means
coming out of the closet to employers who may not share the court’s
opinion.
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