Posts for January 13,
2016
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.
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:
Justices seem divided over Iran terror-related appeal [AP, 1/13/16]: The
Supreme Court on Wednesday struggled with whether to put a new roadblock in the
way of terrorism victims trying to obtain nearly $2 billion in judgments
against Iran.
Argument preview: The
Indians vs. the settlers, a modern sequel [SCOTUS blog, 1/13/16]: A thirsty resident or visitor to the small town of
Pender, Nebraska — a community of 1,006 people in the state’s far northeast
corner — has a rather wide variety of choices. Liquor is available at
Smitty City West, a convenience store; Pender Lanes, a bowling alley; three
bars (Shriebs, Welsh’s and the Other Side); a veteran’s club; and Twin Creeks
Golf Club. But the prices that these outlets charge may depend on whether
Pender is located within an Indian reservation and whether they have to
pay a tax levied by the Omaha Indian tribe.
The cas is Nebraska v. Parker:
More on the
Natural-Born Citizen Clause [Gerard Magliocca in Concurring Opinions,
1/13/16]: The professor makes some observations on Ted Cruz’s eligibility to
serve as President.
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 American Presidency [TOPIC 15]
Obama gives upbeat assessment of his presidency, and aims
to have a say in who follows him [LA Times / CNS, 1/13/16]: But more than anything, the nearly hourlong
speech was Obama’s effort to have a say in who follows him into the Oval
Office. The next election could help cement accomplishments like his signature
healthcare program, a nuclear deal with Iran and moves to stem climate change,
or fell them in a single blow.
Fact checking the 2016 State of the Union address [Wash
Post, 1/13/16]: A State of the Union address is often difficult to fact-check,
no matter who is president. The speech is a product of many hands and is
carefully vetted, so major errors of fact are relatively rare. But State of the
Union addresses often are very political speeches, an argument for the
president’s policies, so context is sometimes missing.
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:
Ted Cruz is not eligible
to be president [Wash Post, 1/12/16]: Donald Trump is actually right about
something: Sen. Ted Cruz is not a natural-born citizen and therefore is not
eligible to be president or vice president of the United States.
The, read this: “Yes,
Ted Crus is a ‘natural born citizen’” [Wash Post, 1/12/16]:
The Brutalism of Ted
Cruz [David Brooks in the NY Times / CNN, 1/12/16]: “Ted Cruz is now running strongly among evangelical
voters, especially in Iowa. But in his career and public presentation Cruz is a
stranger to most of what would generally be considered the Christian virtues:
humility, mercy, compassion and grace.”
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
In Florida, Only
Seven Jurors Can Put You to Death [The Marshall Project, 1/13/16]: The other quirk in the state’s death penalty
system.
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:
What’s Wrong with the
1st Amendment? [Concurring Opinions, 1/13/16]: The main problem with the First Amendment . . .
is that it overprotects speech.
The Supreme Court
Could Hear a Third License Plate Case
[Justia, 1/13/16]: Professor Dorf comments on a case involving free speech on
license plates that may reach the U.S. Supreme Court in the near future. As
Dorf points out, if the Court agrees to hear the case, it will be the third major
license plate case it has decided.
Obama administration meets with social media to fight
online terrorists [FAC, 1/13/16]:
The Obama administration is trying to
enlist the tech industry in obstructing Islamic extremists use of social media
to incite violence and to recruit. Representatives from Apple, Google,
Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and Linkedin were among those attending a meeting
in San Jose last week.
Limitation on Tattoo Parlors Unconstitutional, Federal
Appeals Court Rules [Newseum,
1/13/16]: The City of Key West, Florida, cannot ban tattoo parlors from opening
in its historic district without running afoul of the First Amendment, a
federal appeals court has ruled.
Illinois high school
paper’s article on bell schedule results in censorship, threats to cut
journalism program [SPLC, 1/13/16]: High school reporters at Steinmetz College Prep had
spent weeks working on a story about a change in the school bell schedule, even
sifting through hundreds of surveys. Little did they know their story would
initially be censored, even resulting in a threat from Steinmetz Principal
Stephen Ngo to eliminate the 81-year-old school paper entirely.
High school student
in New Jersey faces bullying charges for politically-charged anti-Israel tweets
[SPLC, 1/13/16]: A New Jersey high school
student is being investigated by her school district for possibly violating the
state’s anti-bullying law for a series of anti-Israel tweets.
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:
My Right to Die: Assisted
Suicide, My Family, and Me [Mother Jones, Jan/Feb 2016]: Every
story has a beginning. This one starts in late 2001, when my father-in-law
fractured three of his ribs. Harry was a retired physician, and after a
thorough workup that he insisted on, it turned out that his bone density was
severely compromised for no immediately apparent reason. Further tests
eventually revealed the cause: He had multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone
marrow.
Some students feel
targeted as terrorism fears tick up
Feds Urge Schools to Shield
Muslim Students From Harassment [Ed Week, 1/12/16]: As public fears
about terrorism hit their highest levels in a decade and anti-Islamic sentiment
surges, schools should take extra steps to ensure that Muslim, immigrant, and
refugee students feel safe and free from discrimination, the U.S. Department of
Education said last week.
Schools are always obligated under federal civil rights laws to respond to harassment and bullying of all students, regardless of their
race, ethnicity, or national origin, the agency said in a "Dear
Colleague" letter.
Read the “Dear Colleague” letter:
Supreme Court
Declines to Take Up Case on Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse [School Law Blog, 1/12/16]: The justices refuse to
hear a case on the legal protections for teachers, school administrators and
others required under state laws to report suspected child abuse.
No comments:
Post a Comment