Posts for August 5, 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.
Law Day 2017 Theme Announced: The 14th
Amendment: Transforming American Democracy [ABA, 8/5/16]: Through its Citizenship, Due Process and Equal
Protection clauses, this transformative amendment advanced the rights of all
Americans. It also played a pivotal role in extending the reach of the Bill of
Rights to the states.
Preamble Challenge Teacher Toolkit [Civics Renewal, 8/5/16]:. Sign up your class or
school here for Constitution Day 2016 (map below), and we’ll give you
everything you need to host your own Preamble activity with our free Preamble
Challenge Teacher Toolkit! Check out Constitution Day highlights in 2015.
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:
Courtesy Counts in
Transgender Bathroom Case [Bloomberg View, 8/4/16]: You
might be surprised that liberal Justice Stephen Breyer provided the fifth vote
Wednesday to block a transgender student from using the men’s room at his high
school while his case is pending at the U.S. Supreme Court. The reason is an
obscure but important Supreme Court custom known as the “courtesy fifth”: When
four justices want to stay a lower court order pending appeal, a justice who
otherwise disagrees will provide the fifth vote.
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:
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:
Trump Admits He Was
Wrong on Iran 'Video' [CNS, 9/5/16]: Donald
Trump on Friday morning did something he's rarely if ever done over the course
of his highly unusual campaign for the presidency -- he admitted he was wrong
when he claimed this week that he saw a video of the U.S. cash payment to Iran.
Voting and Elections Resources [ABA, 8/5/16]: Resources and lesson plans….
Should 16-year-olds vote? California puts question on
hold [Sac Bee / The Nation, 8/4/16]: A constitutional amendment to let
California 16-year-olds vote in school board elections has halted for the year.
Third Parties Lose
Fight for Debate Inclusion [CNS, 8/5/16]: A
federal judge on Friday shot down the Libertarian and Green Parties' claim that
they have a legal right to participate in this year's presidential
debates.
Movement for Stricter Voting Rules Hit by Wave of
Skeptical Court Rulings [WSJ,
8/4/16]: Decisions reject GOP-backed statehouses' bids to tighten voter-ID,
other balloting procedures.
Polls: Clinton Pulling Ahead in Battleground States [Roll
Call, 8/4/16]: Hillary Clinton has widened her lead over Donald Trump in
several states, including battlegrounds like New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and
Colorado, as more voters say the business mogul is not qualified to be
president, according to polls from those states.
Trump team projects optimism amid dire poll numbers [Politico,
8/4/16]: There's plenty of time to make up ground, campaign chairman Paul
Manafort says.
The Trump University Lawsuit Continues [Justia, 8/5/16]: John Dean comments on the
recent developments in the class-action RICO lawsuit against Trump University.
Dean argues that Judge Curiel’s latest actions in the case—denying TU’s motion
for summary judgment and granting its request to keep sealed the video
depositions of Trump—show that the judge is fair and just despite Trump’s
claims to the contrary.
Clinton Lays Out Plan
for Economy in Vegas Stop [CNS, 8/4/16]: By
investing more into the U.S. economy and infrastructure than any administration
since World War II, Hillary Clinton says she'll strengthen the nation's economy
as president.
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
San Bernardino Attack Drove Spike in Local Hate Incidents
Against Muslims [Voice of OC, 8/4/16]: Hate-motivated incidents
against Muslims in Orange County and throughout Southern California skyrocketed
last year, with the terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino driving the
increase, according to organizations that track the incidents.
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:
Secular organization
known as ‘Satanic Temple’ plans to open after school programs at public
elementary schools nationwide
[NSBA Legal Clips, 8/4/16]: Doug Mesner, co-founder of the group, argues that if
Christian evangelical groups are already participating in after-school
programs, Satanic groups should be allowed to as well.
Teachers union and ACLU oppose West Virginia district’s
proposed social media policy [NSBA Legal Clips, 8/3/16]: The American
Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia and the American Federation of Teachers are
opposing language in the Kanawha County school board’s proposed social
media policy on the ground it gives school officials too much latitude to
monitor individuals’ communications via electronic devices while on school
property.
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:
Will the Supreme Court
take up transgender rights? [Constitution Daily, 8/4/16]: Lyle
Denniston, the National Constitution Center and Constitution Daily’s Supreme
Court correspondent, looks at significant legal developments in a transgender
rights debate that seems headed back to the Supreme Court in the near future.
U.S. Supreme Court
issues order blocking transgender student from using boys’ restroom at Virginia
high school until the Court has opportunity to consider school board’s petition
seeking review of Fourth Circuit’s decision [NSBA Legal Clips, 8/4/16]: An
update on the issue from the NSBA.
Grand jury recommends
California districts convert as many bathrooms as possible to unisex bathrooms
[NSBA Legal Clips, 8/2/16]: TheSan Bernardino County grand jury has recommended that the
county public schools convert their existing same-sex restrooms to
unisex ones. The grand jury’s letter, which contains its annual report,
recommends that schools “convert as many restrooms as possible to unisex
restrooms” before the start of the new school year.
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