Education Law

Chemerinsky: Supreme Court once again moves the law significantly to the right

In the last days of the October Term 2022, the court, in a series of 6-3 decisions, moved the law significantly to the right. But unlike the prior term, there also were some significant surprises from the conservative court.

Jul 13, 2023 1:45 PM CDT

Harvard legacy admissions challenged in Education Department complaint

Lawyers for Civil Rights filed a complaint with the federal government Monday that challenges Harvard’s practice of giving a boost in admissions to children of alumni and wealthy donors.

Jul 5, 2023 1:26 PM CDT

Weekly Briefs: Decision overturning skirts-only rule survives; ‘Hurricane Carter’ judge dies

SCOTUS lets stand decision overturning skirts-only rule The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday let stand a federal appellate decision holding that a public charter school in North Carolina violated the equal protection clause when it required girls to wear skirts. The case is Peltier v. Charter Day School. (American Civil…

Jun 30, 2023 3:30 PM CDT

Supreme Court strikes down student loan forgiveness; Roberts warns of ‘disturbing’ feature of some opinions

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plan, holding that it was not authorized by a law allowing modification of student-aid programs during national emergencies.

Jun 30, 2023 9:56 AM CDT

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson makes her mark during first term on the Supreme Court

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson “has hit the ground running,” says Ralph Richard Banks, a professor at Stanford Law School and faculty director of the Stanford Center for Racial Justice. “She seems to have already found her voice, both literally in oral arguments and in her opinions.”

Jun 29, 2023 10:12 AM CDT

SCOTUS strikes down race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard, University of North Carolina

Citing the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday struck down race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.

Jun 29, 2023 9:36 AM CDT

Disability rights advocates challenge California’s bar exam accommodation process

Updated: Two disability rights groups have filed a U.S. Department of Justice complaint against the State Bar of California alleging that the agency “consistently” violates the Americans With Disabilities Act regarding bar exam accommodation requests.

Jun 13, 2023 8:52 AM CDT

We ‘live on a pro se planet;’ 5th Circuit allows parents to sometimes represent children without lawyers

A federal appeals court is giving a pro se parent a chance to persuade a federal judge that she may represent her minor children without a lawyer in a federal lawsuit filed against a Texas school district.

Jun 6, 2023 12:39 PM CDT

If SCOTUS rules against racial preferences, this 4th Circuit decision presents next issue

If the U.S. Supreme Court restricts the consideration of race in college admissions, there is another looming issue: whether schools can use race-neutral tools that boost diversity.

May 31, 2023 11:59 AM CDT

Brown v. Board of Education should be renamed, group plans to tell Supreme Court

A lawyer in Camden, South Carolina, plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to rename Brown v. Board of Education for the first case taken to federal court in a quest to eliminate the separate-but-equal doctrine.

May 31, 2023 9:50 AM CDT

So far this term, Supreme Court opinions aren’t splitting strictly along ideological lines

None of the U.S. Supreme Court decisions issued so far this term has split strictly along ideological lines, even with two decisions decided by 5-4 votes and three by 6-3 votes, according to the Empirical SCOTUS blog.

May 16, 2023 2:12 PM CDT

Plans for cutting admissions test requirement paused by ABA Legal Ed council

After receiving letters from various law school deans with concerns about cutting the Law School Admission Test requirement, the council of the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar on Friday walked back plans to go forward with the proposal in August.

May 12, 2023 2:28 PM CDT

2 ‘Varsity Blues’ convictions overturned, partly based on faulty honest-services fraud theory

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Boston on Wednesday overturned mail and wire fraud convictions of two fathers accused of paying bribes to gain admission to top colleges for their children.

May 12, 2023 9:51 AM CDT

After School Satan Club must be allowed to meet at school, federal judge says

A federal judge has ordered the Saucon Valley School District in Hellertown, Pennsylvania, to permit the After School Satan Club to meet in school facilities.

May 2, 2023 9:53 AM CDT

Chemerinsky: Expect momentous decisions from the Supreme Court as term ends

Unless there is an emergency matter to be heard, the U.S. Supreme Court completed oral arguments for the October 2022 term April 26. The court is expected to hand down decisions by the end of June in all of the argued cases, with a flurry of decisions in the most high-profile cases expected at the very end. What are likely to be the most important rulings from the October 2022 term?

Apr 27, 2023 8:51 AM CDT