“On October 31st, the Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments regarding the case of Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, marking the beginning of what could be the end of affirmative action in higher education. This highly-publicized case stems from a lawsuit brought against UNC-Chapel Hill in 2014 by Students for Fair Admissions, a membership nonprofit group that advocates for ending the use of race as a factor for undergraduate admissions.”
Read More“With the recent announcement from the White House and an increasing number of states legalizing marijuana, North Carolinians are left wondering about the future of marijuana legalization in their state. While both Governor Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein have voiced their support for legalization of marijuana, the ultimate decision lies in the hands of North Carolina’s Republican-controlled state legislature.“
Read More“While this decision for voters is mainly about choosing a representative for the Tarheel state, this senate seat could be the linchpin crucial to either party gaining control of the U.S. Senate. North Carolinians could ultimately “quietly determine the balance of power in the Senate” as they enter the voting booth this November.”
Read More“In diaspora communities, the journey to maintaining cultural ties is narrow and arduous. Distanced by oceans and borders, immigrant communities – especially second and third generation-descendants – are prone to frayed ties to home. Commonly, the only window to the culture of their mother lands is through static-filled Facetime videos and phone calls. However, UNC’s Asian groups are striving – and flawlessly succeeding – in providing a connection that transcends geography. Faced with such a flourishing, I had the honor of delving ‘behind the scenes’ of UNC Ek Taal, the University’s competitive Indian classical dance group.”
Read More“Considering the forthcoming election cycle for senate and house seats on both a state and national level, an additional 55,000 ballots — approximately how many previously incarcerated persons would be eligible if CSI v. Moore is affirmed — would immensely alter voter demographics throughout the state. It is imperative for folks to keep a watchful eye on the unfoldings of this court case; not only will it dictate the extent of natural rights for a neglected group of the state’s citizenry, but it also has the power to reconfigure the political makeup of North Carolina.“
Read More“In 2021, Governor Roy Cooper, also a Democrat, proposed a budget that would have allocated $1.7 billion to fund a two-year remedial action plan for North Carolina schools, but the funding fell short. Since late 2021, Lee has again been pushing for the state to fund the Leandro plan, but the Republican-controlled legislature is reluctant to appropriate money on the basis of a court order, which they consider a constitutional overreach, as the legislature is endowed with the power of the purse, not the judicial system.”
Read More“At face value, this conflict might appear as no more than a partisan power grab at controlling the status of S.B. 824 — a frequent occurrence in our contemporary political system. Yet, the effects of this case are more pivotal and far-reaching. If a Supreme Court decision favors Senator Berger and Representative Moore, the legislature will be granted broad autonomy regarding intervention in future cases. A move in this direction might blur the lines between the roles of the Legislature and the Executive, and thus create a more nebulous governmental landscape.”
Read More“At the present moment, given its rocky start, doubts remain high about the initiative’s capacity to create meaningful change for Charlotte’s citizens.”
Read More“Janice Robinson, the North Carolina director for Red, Wine, and Blue, an Ohio-based organization that supports local moms and seeks to prevent book bans, believes that the concerns about explicit material are ‘just a smokescreen for the anti-CRT.’ What book bans are actually doing, claims Ms. Robinson, is allowing the "right wing" to push "their political agenda at the expense of our kids," as they are unable to use literature to encounter uncomfortable experiences of those outside their community, which would prepare them for life beyond the classroom.”
Read More“Many states with Republican governors have already ended the mask mandates and now some states with Democrat governors are following suit. There is evidence supporting claims that masks are not effective for young children and therefore there is no need for them. Additionally, there is evidence that shows that masks have harmed children in both educational and social development. Due to this impact, states are having to reevaluate the cost of wearing masks and if the benefits of masks outweigh the educational and social development of children.”
Read More“As public health concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic led to increased attention on jail populations and the national racial reckoning after George Floyd’s death forced communities to reconsider the current criminal justice system, pretrial reform in North Carolina has become a prominent topic of interest.”
Read More“The letter to the Commission, referenced earlier in the article, that recommended rejection of the vaccine mandate did include, however, the caveat that "the Commission could consider adding a COVID-19 vaccine to the childhood immunization schedule at a later date." But, observing the repealing of mask mandates, the plummeting daily COVID cases, the opposition from state officials on all sides of the aisle, and the objections from state health officials, it seems highly unlikely that the Commission will institute a mandate for Covid-19 vaccines for school-aged children in North Carolina.”
Read More“On January 7, 2022, Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order No. 246, titled ‘North Carolina’s Transformation to a Clean, Equitable Economy,’ and on January 31, 2022, when the Winston Weaver Co. fertilizer plant in Winston-Salem caught fire, creating the possibility of one of the worst explosions in US history due to the 600 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate inside.”
Read More“No matter your partisan preferences, in this case, it’s nevertheless imperative to assess the ramifications of gerrymandering in the United States and how manipulated districts can corrupt the integrity of American political processes.”
Read More“Cawthorn intends to fight the suit and a spokesperson commented saying the voters bringing the suit are “comically misinterpreting and twisting the 14th Amendment for political gain.” It is clear Cawthorn does not believe the suit will succeed. However, if the suit manages to succeed, Cawthorn will be disallowed from running for public office. Additionally, he could be subject to criminal charges by the federal government like many of the people involved in the riot.”
Read More“The Carolina Political Review sat down with Carolina Student Legal Services Director and Staff Attorney Fran Muse in addition to the Executive Director of Off-Campus Student Life and Community Partnerships Aaron Bachenheimer to learn about ways that Carolina students can ensure that they stay on the right side of the law during their time in Chapel Hill.”
Read More“North Carolina’s Representative Madison Cawthorn is under scrutiny from the State Board of Elections in response to a group of eleven North Carolinian voters urging the Board to disqualify his candidacy, citing his involvement in the rallies preceding the January 6th Insurrection as a violation of the Constitution.”
Read More“Despite his historic opposition to school choice, Governor Roy Cooper recently issued a proclamation naming the week of January 24-29, 2022 as “School Choice Week.” However, Cooper has not taken any further policy action to confirm a sudden switch in position to supporting school choice, nor has he spoken about his rationale for issuing a proclamation designed to increase the visibility of school choice.”
Read More“With these replacements, the Court is now a 6-3 conservative-liberal split, which is consequential as conservatives are more likely to find affirmative action unconstitutional. It is also a disturbing sign that the Court is taking a case for which the precedent involved was affirmed just six years ago.”
Read More“With the future of NC redistricting likely playing out in the states' court rooms, Governor Cooper’s veto will not be the last North Carolinians hear about changes to midterm elections. Though lawmakers on both sides of the aisle remain vocal about how the debate should be settled, all eyes now turn towards the seven justices in Raleigh to shape this coming election cycle.”
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