Revisiting Parents Involved v. Seattle School District: Race Consciousness and the Government-Speech Doctrine

Professor William M. Carter, Jr.’s trailblazing work, Affirmative Action As Government Speech, first examined the relationship between government speech and race-conscious measures. According to Professor Carter, the United States Supreme Court “has come to view race-conscious government action as a form of prohibited government speech.” This Article takes a different approach from that of Professor Carter; specifically, the Article reviews the majority, dissenting, and concurring opinions in the Parents Involved case for language indicating the Justices’ parameters for viewing voluntary race-conscious measures as government speech. This is important, given that Parents Involved is the landmark Supreme Court decision on race-conscious measures at the K-12 school level. Part I of this Article describes the government-speech doctrine. Part II describes the Equal Protection Clause jurisprudence (the traditional weapon of choice for those challenging race-conscious measures, due to the potency of the strict-scrutiny test). Part III presents the facts of the Parents Involved case. Part IV examines the opinions of the United States Supreme Court Justices in Parents Involved in light of the government-speech doctrine. The Article concludes that the government-speech doctrine would provide schools needed leeway to pursue race-conscious measures

Revisiting Parents Involved v. Seattle School District: Race Consciousness and the Government-Speech Doctrine

Professor William M. Carter, Jr.’s trailblazing work, Affirmative Action As Government Speech, first examined the relationship between government speech and race-conscious measures. According to Professor Carter, the United States Supreme Court “has come to view race-conscious government action as a form of prohibited government speech.” This Article takes a different approach from that of Professor Carter; specifically, the Article reviews the majority, dissenting, and concurring opinions in the Parents Involved case for language indicating the Justices’ parameters for viewing voluntary race-conscious measures as government speech. This is important, given that Parents Involved is the landmark Supreme Court decision on race-conscious measures at the K-12 school level. Part I of this Article describes the government-speech doctrine. Part II describes the Equal Protection Clause jurisprudence (the traditional weapon of choice for those challenging race-conscious measures, due to the potency of the strict-scrutiny test). Part III presents the facts of the Parents Involved case. Part IV examines the opinions of the United States Supreme Court Justices in Parents Involved in light of the government-speech doctrine. The Article concludes that the government-speech doctrine would provide schools needed leeway to pursue race-conscious measures

Teacher Cell Phone Searches in Light of Ontario v. Quon

Technological innovations permeate almost every inch of society. From the government and corporate workforce to family and social settings, technology seemingly knows no boundaries. Technology’s limitless reach has even crossed into the realm of public schools, where, according to teacher Lyn Newton, “[s]chool principals are witnessing more and more cell phone use by their teachers.” Teachers, like other cell phone users, use cell phones not only for making phone calls, but also for taking pictures and texting, which has landed some teachers in trouble for inappropriate communications. Indeed, the sexting wave has not eluded teachers

Room Temperature Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of New Sulfonamides Containing N,N -Diethyl-Substituted AmidoMoieties

Sulfonamide drugs which have brought about an antibiotic revolution in medicine are associated with a wide range of biological activities. We have synthesized a series of α-tolylsulfonamide, 1–11 and their substituted N,N-diethyl-2-(phenylmethylsulfonamido) alkanamide derivatives, 12–22 in improved and excellent yields in aqueous medium at room temperature through highly economical synthetic routes. The chemical structures of the synthesized compounds 1–22 were confirmed by analytical and spectral data such as IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR, andmass spectra. The in vitro antibacterial activity of these compounds along with standard clinical reference, streptomycin, was investigated on two key targeted organisms. It was observed that 1-(benzylsulfonyl) pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid, 2 emerged as the most active compound against Staphylococcus aureus at MIC value of 1.8 μg/mL while 4-(3-(diethylamino)-3-oxo-2-(phenylmethyl sulfonamido) propyl)phenyl phenylmethanesulfonate, 22 was the most active sulfonamide scaffold on Escherichia coli at MIC value of 12.5 μg/mL

Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of N,N-Diethylamide Bearing Benzenesulfonamide Derivatives

Sulfonamides are known to represent a class of medicinally important compounds which are extensively used as antibacterial agents. Hence, a series of new N,N-diethyl amide bearing sulfonamides (2a-k) were synthesized via amidation of easily prepared benzenesulfonamide precursors (1a-k). The chemical structures of all synthesized compounds were substantiated using spectroscopic means such as IR, Mass spectra and 1H-NMR as well as analytical data. The antimicrobial activity of these compounds along with streptomycin, was investigated on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that this skeletal framework exhibited marked potency as antibacterial agents. The most active antibacterial agent against both targeted organisms was N,Ndiethyl-1-(phenylsulfonyl) piperidine-2-carboxamide (2b)

Contextualization of the Information Literary Background in Nigeria Education Sector

Information literacy is a concept that has attracted the attention of a considerable number of renowned scholars, governments and international organizations the world over. Regardless of the overwhelming exposure and deliberation surrounding the notion of information literacy, it is important to note that it is an evolving and developing concept that is applicable to all human endeavors. This paper illuminates the context of the research location which is Nigeria. A relative analysis was carried out with the intention of bringing out the status, trends, challenges and opportunities in information literacy and how it will strengthen the education system in Nigeria. The article embarked on vibrant narrative of the contextual setting by concentrating on the concept of information literacy as it influences teachings and learning in Nigeria; The status of information literacy revealing the extent, condition and present situation in Nigeria was enumerated; The trend of information literacy presenting what is in practice in information management and other significant issues in information literacy skill in Nigeria were highlighted; Challenges allied to information literacy in Nigeria were presented and different opportunities that were abound in information literacy in Nigeria were discussed with the aim of bring out whatever is novel, by cataloguing gaps and options in available for teachers in pursue of information literacy skill to better their career in Nigeria