YOU DECIDE: School Social Media Free Speech Case
As a student, what are you allowed to say–and not allowed to say–on social media? That’s the question at the heart of a recent Supreme Court ruling. A high school student from Pennsylvania is at the center of the case. She posted her frustration on Snapchat after not making the varsity cheerleading team. Here, btw […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
A Pilgrimage in a Pandemic The Hajj is a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia that every adult able-bodied Muslim is expected to complete at least once in his or her lifetime. The Hajj journey lasts five days and follows the ancient path of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad to various locations around […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Barrett Confirmed to Supreme Court Last week, just days before the presidential election, the U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Barrett will replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed away in September. Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee boycotted the vote to advance Barrett’s nomination to the full Senate in […]
YOU DECIDE: Should Democrats Pursue a “Court-Packing” Strategy?
The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in September left a vacancy on the Supreme Court. Within days, President Trump nominated a new justice: Judge Amy Coney Barrett. The Senate confirmed Judge Barrett’s on October 26. The Court now has a 6 to 3 majority of justices appointed by Republican presidents, leading many […]
Barrett Confirmation Hearings
Did you watch Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s televised Supreme Court confirmation hearings last week? Many Americans tuned in to watch or read about the nearly twenty hours of hearings. Unlike other federal government offices, Supreme Court justices have no term limits–meaning that they can serve for life. So, whoever is chosen to take Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg seat on the Court can affect legal policy for decades, maybe even generations. Here, btw takes a closer […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
An Incomplete Count? btw and Election Central have covered the importance of the 2020 Census throughout this year. Census information is used to determine everything from how many social services resources a community receives, to how many seats a state will have in Congress. But getting a complete count of an entire nation is more […]
YOU DECIDE: Supreme Court Appointments
The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last month left a critical vacancy on the Supreme Court. With only weeks to go before the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump has nominated Justice Ginsburg’s replacement: Judge Amy Coney Barrett. While Barrett’s Senate confirmation hearings are taking place this week, Republicans and Democrats strongly disagree on whether […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump Test Positive for COVID-19 Early Friday morning, October 2, President Trump announced via Twitter that he and the First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for the coronavirus. The president planned to quarantine in the White House for two weeks but over the weekend he spent time at […]
Remembering Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Power in the Judiciary
On September 18, 2020, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away at the age of 87. Nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1993, Ginsburg was only the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court, and was a fierce advocate for women’s rights, workers’ rights, and the separation of church and state. Here, btw […]
The Electoral College Goes to Court
This week’s story update on Election Central thinks about the role of the Electoral College. You might never have thought about the Electoral College until the 2016 presidential election, when Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton despite the fact that Clinton received three million more votes than Trump did. The Electoral College is written into our […]