Tom Homann LGBTQ+ Law Association’s Post

One of my favorite parts of my 3L year was working with Natalie Beckerink, J.D., LL.M. to create and publish student-written articles on the Samford University Cumberland School of Law Center for Children, Law, and Ethics' new blog. Check out this great piece by Angela Whitlock and Jordan Smith, MBA!

Perceptive & Insightful as always from Professor Norrie . 

For goodness sake, judges are nominated at the federal level and in many states because of their known and perceived biases and their lack of character and integrity to keep them in check. All six Republican appointed Supreme Court justices, for example, were nominated and confirmed because, among other reasons, they hold deeply ingrained misogynistic beliefs, which includes sexual prejudice against LGBTQ+ people. The reason Black people tend to vote Democrat in such high percentages is not that they tend to be particularly liberal; rather, it’s because the Republican Party tends to be racist. So, I guess my point is how is this newsworthy? “So much for getting to the bottom of the story of Crystal Clanton, the judicial law clerk accused of sending racist texts. And so much for all the talk about having Supreme Court justices abide by the code of conduct that covers other federal judges. In this case, at least, the mechanism to enforce that code turned out to be toothless. The judicial discipline system is better at self-protection than self-policing. 
To review: Clanton is a protégé of Justice Clarence Thomas and Ginni Thomas. She met Ginni Thomas while working at the conservative youth group Turning Point USA. Her employment was terminated in 2017 after the New Yorker’s Jane Mayer unearthed texts apparently sent by Clanton: “I HATE BLACK PEOPLE. Like f--- them all … I hate blacks. End of story.” Clanton told Mayer in an email that “I have no recollection of these messages and they do not reflect what I believe or who I am and the same was true when I was a teenager.” (Clanton was 20 when the texts were sent in 2015, and evidence suggests that this was not an isolated episode)…. Pryor and Maze checked with Thomas and others who knew Clanton; they assured the judges she was no racist; problem solved…. A woman who by credible accounts sent racist texts is serving as an officer of the court. How does a Black litigant in a case that she is handling have any confidence in the fair administration of justice?” https://lnkd.in/g3kz_AK8

Emphasising the bottom line: Commercial success thrives in inclusive organisations, which are twice as likely to meet or exceed financial targets. Companies with strong female representation at the top experience profits nearly 50% higher. Diversity isn't just a moral imperative; it's a strategic advantage for sustainable business growth. #InclusiveLeadership #BusinessSuccess"

A provision in HEA 1447, related to school libraries, is in effect as of Jan. 1 2024. This legal lesson, prepared by Séamus Boyce and Keith Butler, covers everything educators need to be aware of to be compliant with the new law. Keith and Seamus discuss the definition of obscenity, the procedural policy requirements for community members, and cataloging procedures for school; among other related topics. https://lnkd.in/gNTpaQXE #kgrlaw #edlaw #Indiana

We are delighted to share that Ms. Vaasawa Sharma, an assitant professor and research scholar in field of law has recently written 2 blogs for Jurists' Junction. Following is the latest blog, in which she has explained the ongoing debate of UCC while balancing the equality between all the sides. #justice

LAW SCHOOL...Yes We Can celebrates... Women's History Month 2024! "We women have come a long way from the days when we were considered the property of our husbands and had no right to enter into contracts on our own because we were considered too simple-minded to handle our own affairs. We have every right to celebrate the progress we have made. However, we should never take this progress for granted. We need to keep championing the next generation (both women and men) to ensure that we are never again relegated to an inferior status in society." - Honorable Christine M. Arguello, LAW SCHOOL...Yes We Can Founder, est. 2014 #LAWSCHOOLYESWECAN #LSYWC #womenshistorymonth #mentoringmatters #mentorship #community #futureleaders

I think “weapon” might be a little strong, but the 19th century civil rights law, as interpreted by SCOTUS more than 100 years after ratification, created a powerful (v. a deadly) tool for the modern-day, anti-DEI contingent. Check out the article - it’s a great read! #DEI #diversity #equity #inclusion #SCOTUS #MessagingMatters #EqualProtection #RaceNeutral #StrictScrutiny  https://lnkd.in/dc4Q-54c

Professor Driver asserts "The article that coined the term “interest convergence” ended with the suggestion that “awareness” is “always the first step toward overcoming still another barrier in the struggle for racial equality.” Although the preceding pages have offered many theoretical criticisms of the interest-convergence thesis, this Article heartily endorses that conclusion. Indeed, this Article has been animated by the proposition that advocates of racial equality, who demonstrate intimate familiarity with the theory's virtues, would benefit from an increased awareness of the theory's vulnerabilities. Beyond the racial context, moreover, my broader hope is that legal scholars and other individuals who have incorporated the insights of interest convergence wholesale into various legal and political arenas will critically examine both the theory and its applications. The interest-convergence theory can offer valuable and formidable insights into the way that change occurs; it should not, however, be viewed as either flawless or all-encompassing. Instead of adhering to any unified theory, reformers seeking change would do better to think of the interest-convergence thesis as but one weapon in the fight for progress rather than as the entire arsenal. Advocates for change, moreover, should be particularly circumspect of attempting to implement the interest-convergence strategy when doing so may further the very inequalities that they seek to erase. Initiating this conversation about the frailties of interest convergence, then, may well help to advance the nation's continuing struggle for equality?not only regarding race but along the many stubborn dimensions of inequality."