By Taylor Osborne, Staff Member Vol. 20 On September 9th, 2021, the Texas Legislature passed a law making it illegal for social media platforms to ban users based on their political viewpoints. The law is an apparent response to what legislators, including Governor Greg Abbott and Senator Bryan Hughes, felt was a dangerous move by … Continue reading Social Media Regulations v. The First Amendment
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Banning Reality: Attempts to Restrict Books with Anti-Racist and Anti-Cop Views in the Wake of 2020 Protests
by Sydney Welch, Staff Member Vol. 20 This post is dedicated to Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and the thousands of other Black Americans who have been unjustly murdered by police. During the summer of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was raging, presidential election campaigns were in high gear, and public attention turned to racial … Continue reading Banning Reality: Attempts to Restrict Books with Anti-Racist and Anti-Cop Views in the Wake of 2020 Protests
Fulton and the Future of Religious Liberty
By: Megan Coates, Staff Member, Vol. 19 Introduction The Supreme Court recently heard oral argument in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. In this case, a Catholic foster care agency resisted the City’s policy requiring agencies to certify same-sex couples as foster parents. Before reaching the Supreme Court, Fulton was heard at the Third Circuit, where … Continue reading Fulton and the Future of Religious Liberty
Is Trump Really Guilty of Incitement?
By: Hannah Simmons, Staff Member, Vol. 19 On February 13, 2021, former President Donald Trump was acquitted of the impeachment charge alleging that he incited the United States Capitol riots. Even though the Senate did not reach the two-thirds majority needed to convict Trump for his role in inciting the mob to attack the capitol, … Continue reading Is Trump Really Guilty of Incitement?
A Teacher, A Minister: What’s the Difference? (Quite a Lot, Actually)
By: Andrew Coyle, Staff Member, Vol. 19 Teachers as “Ministers” In its recent opinion in Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrisey-Berru, the U.S. Supreme Court changed the “ministerial exception” of the religion clauses of the First Amendment. The ministerial exception is a judge-made doctrine that a religious organization can use to bar a … Continue reading A Teacher, A Minister: What’s the Difference? (Quite a Lot, Actually)
Teacher Speech Outside of the Classroom
By: Elise Jamison, Staff Member, Vol. 19 “OnlyFans,” a subscription-based platform that allows influencers to monetize their content, has been the subject of significant publicity and contention. The site, known mostly for pornographic content, allows users to publish content to paid subscribers. Some people rely on the site as a primary source of income, while … Continue reading Teacher Speech Outside of the Classroom
First Amendment Implications of Curfews During Black Lives Matter Protests
By: Elizabeth Ernest, Staff Member, Vol. 19 Since last May, protests have taken place across the country in response to police brutality against Black Americans. In response, many cities implemented city-wide curfews. In Raleigh, North Carolina, Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin implemented a preventive curfew in anticipation of the response to the shooting of Jacob Blake. Although … Continue reading First Amendment Implications of Curfews During Black Lives Matter Protests
Offense-Free Education in a Virtual Education World
By: Shauna Baker-Karl, Staff Member Vol. 19 Introduction A college student is asking the Supreme Court to decide whether he has a First Amendment right to be offensive in a virtual classroom. The Second Circuit recently held that a professor at a public college could delete a student’s message board post without violating the student’s … Continue reading Offense-Free Education in a Virtual Education World
Johnny Mac v. The State of California: A Pastor’s Battle to Feed His Flock Amid COVID-19
By: Luke Maher, staff member Vol 19 “We will obey God rather than men… We’re going to leave the results to Him”. These are the words of Grace Community Church head pastor John MacArthur. The person sometimes affectionately referred to as Johnny Mac by his followers has made it clear that he does not plan … Continue reading Johnny Mac v. The State of California: A Pastor’s Battle to Feed His Flock Amid COVID-19
Militarized Policing Tactics Tread Upon First Amendment Rights
By Dreshawn McFadden, Staff Member Vol. 19 Free Speech and the Chilling Effects of Police Tactics During my first year of law school, I was reintroduced to the renowned First Amendment to the US Constitution, which states, “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right … Continue reading Militarized Policing Tactics Tread Upon First Amendment Rights
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