Archives for December 2018

By Mark Satta* Last month, Aaron and Melissa Klein, a couple who owned a bakery in Oregon, asked the Supreme Court to review a ruling from the Court of Appeals of the State of Oregon, which held that the Kleins had violated Oregon state law by discriminating based on sexual orientation when they refused to bake a custom cake for a same-sex wedding. The Kleins, like the baker in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, argue that such a ruling violates their First Amendment rights. The Supreme …

Continue Reading about Masterpiece Left Me Optimistic; Kavanaugh Leaves Me Unsure →

By Gina Schouten*   I want to argue for a shift in focus in conversations about justice in higher education. Because meritocratic admissions cannot meaningfully promote egalitarian justice, I argue that we should consider using weighted lotteries in admissions decisions, and that we should reform the culture of colleges and universities to make it likelier that students will conscientiously use their education to promote projects of social value. Before the argument, two matters of …

Continue Reading about Justice in Higher Education: Why We Must Move Beyond Admissions Policy →

By Shanna Cleveland* When faced with an investigation by the New York and Massachusetts attorneys general over whether or not they misled investors, consumers, and regulators on the impact of climate change, Exxon went on the offensive.  It filed a federal lawsuit arguing that the investigations into potential violations of securities and consumer protection laws was a pretext to prevent Exxon from exercising freedom of speech. Courts have roundly rejected Exxon’s attempts to cloak its …

Continue Reading about Exposing Exxon’s Ham-Fisted Attempts to Wield a Weaponized First Amendment →