By Ann Rostow–
Kids Say the Darnedest Things!
Here’s a situation that reminds me why I enjoy legal news. On the surface, it’s a made for TV movie, a little girl in South Carolina who has a GLBT grandfather writes a short essay about trans rights for a school project. The mean teacher won’t include it in the booklet, and the girl’s mother sues in federal court on First Amendment and other grounds.
What’s not to like?
Earlier this month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled in favor of the school censors in a decision that, frankly, makes sense to me. Much as I find this little girl’s story charming and touching, I also think public schools must have the ability to control the content of their sponsored communications. After years of reporting on school issues, I can tell you that, for every sweet GLBT-supportive ten-year-old, there is an adorable antigay eight-year-old out there trying to spread The Word on campus.
Biden fires EEOC general counsel for protecting religious rights
Joe Biden has fired EEOC general counsel Sharon Fast Gustafson. At least, he has tried to. I’m not sure he can.
Nominated in 2018, Gustafson, a respected attorney, was finally confirmed by the Senate in August 2019
for a term of four years. However, Biden asked her to cut short her tenure after only about a year and a half. When she refused, he ordered her firing.
To my knowledge, a changeover in administrations has never led to the firing of an EEOC general counsel. The first general counsel under whom I served at the EEOC, Abner Sibal, was appointed by Gerald Ford but continued to serve until December 1978, half way into the Jimmy Carter presidency.