Articles Posted in Civil Rights

Starbucks Faces Discrimination Lawsuit Based on Diversity Policies Updated: Published by:

The restaurant chain sought to boost diversity in its workforce and its contracts after the Black Lives Matter movement, but a conservative shareholder argues that these policies violated federal and state discrimination laws.

Maine Violates Federal Law Regarding Children With Disabilities Updated: Published by:

The U.S. Department of Justice found that Maine failed to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act by over-institutionalizing children with mental health and developmental disabilities, rather than providing adequate community-based services.

Supreme Court Ruling Permits Public Funding for Religious Schools Updated: Published by:

On Tuesday, June 21, 2022, the United States Supreme Court issued a ruling that requires Maine to provide tuition assistance payments to nonsectarian schools. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, dissenting, wrote that "the Court leads us to a place where separation of church and state becomes a constitutional violation."

11th Circuit Holds That Social Media Companies’ Content-Moderation Decisions Protected by First Amendment Updated: Published by:

On Monday, May 23, 2022, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of social media companies that moderate content on their platforms because "the government can't tell a private person or entity what to say or how to say it."

Supreme Court to Decide Praying High School Football Coach’s First Amendment Case Updated: Published by:

On Friday, January 14, 2022, the United States Supreme Court granted a high school football coach's petition for a writ of certiorari. The court will hear the coach's case concerning postgame midfield prayers with players and coaches.

Federal Lawsuit Filed Over Clark County School District Face Mask Mandate Updated: Published by:

On Thursday, August 12, 2021, a civil rights complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court, District of Nevada, against Nevada Governor Stephen F. Sisolak, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Darnell Ford, and the Clark County School District. The complaint seeks class action certification for alleged civil rights violations against parents…

5th Circuit Rules Texas Lawyers’ First Amendment Rights Violated by Mandatory Bar in Texas Updated: Published by:

On Friday, July 2, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in favor of three Texas attorneys who filed a civil rights lawsuit alleging that mandatory registration with the State Bar of Texas violated their First Amendment rights. The lawyers claimed that their rights were violated…

U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Student Free Speech Case Evolves Jurisprudence for the Internet Era Updated: Published by:

The United States Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in favor of protecting public school students' free speech rights on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. The ruling expounds upon Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, bringing student free speech jurisprudence into the internet era.…

U.S. Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in Off-Campus Student Free Speech Case Updated: Published by:

The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments today, April 28, 2021, in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. At issue in the case is whether the precedential case, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, applies to student speech that occurs off-campus.