Posts for November 17, 2015 (update)

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 (5^th ed.) student textbook.

How L.A.'s teachers are talking about Paris [LA Times, 11/17/15]: By the time teachers understood the magnitude of Friday’s terror attacks on Paris, school was over, or close to it. So students throughout Southern California came to school Monday morning with a few questions: Who were the people being killed in Paris? Who was doing the killing? Why did they hear about France so much, but not about the tragedies that happen in other countries, like Lebanon?

http://www.latimes.com/local/education/community/la-me-edu-teachers-paris-20151116-story.html

I. Introduction to Law, the Constitution, and the Supreme Court [See TOPICS 1-10 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

Ginni Thomas: “I Am Proudly Endorsing Ted Cruz for President in 2016” [YouTube, 11/17/15]: After mentioning that her husband is on the Supreme Court, Ginni Thomas endorses Ted Cruz.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qzj_4S-eeHg

A Conversation with Sonia Sotomayor [Univ. of Richmond School of Law, 11/17/15]: Watch the conversation at this site:

http://law.richmond.edu/sotomayor/

Anthony Kennedy's Right to Choose [Slate, 11/17/15]: The justice who cares about dignity and autonomy should vote against Texas' abortion law.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2015/11/kennedy_and_supreme_court_should_vote_against_texas_abortion_law_in_cole.html

II. Defining the Political System: Federalism and Checks and Balances [See TOPICS 11-15 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

Texas law leads to more attempts at self-induced abortions – study [Reuters, 11/17/15]: A Texas law aimed at restricting abortions, which took effect in 2013, has led to more women trying to end a pregnancy on their own, while the number of clinical procedures in the state has declined, according to a study released on Tuesday. The study showed that poor women bear the brunt of the law.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/17/texas-abortion-idUSL8N13C4C820151117#bJsWAMSyrI0vLIvb.97

III. The Political System: Voting and Campaigns [See TOPICS 16-20 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

Exclusive: After Paris, Americans see Trump, Clinton as most able to address terrorism [Reuters, 11/17/15]: American voters are evenly split between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as their top choice to address the issue of terrorism following the Paris attacks, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found. 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/17/us-france-shooting-usa-poll-idUSKCN0T62DO20151117?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews#M0v5DfWZbcveCTJH.97

IV. Criminal Law and Procedure (4^th, 5^th, 6^th, and 8^th amendments) [See TOPICS 21-28 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit

V. 1^st Amendment (Speech, Religion, Press and Assembly) [See TOPICS 29-33 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

VI. 14^th Amendment, Discrimination, Privacy, Working, Citizenship & Immigration [See TOPICS 34-41 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

International Law, Citizenship and Immigration [TOPIC 40-42]

UN rights expert: Paris attacks may be crimes against humanity [Jurist, 11/17/15]: The UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, Karima Bennoune, said, "[t]hese attacks may constitute a crime against humanity and certainly one which viciously and deliberately targeted sites of arts and leisure where people come together to enjoy their cultural rights." 

http://jurist.org/paperchase/2015/11/un-rights-experts-paris-attacks-may-be-crimes-against-humanity.php