Author: Sophie Cohen

Sophie Cohen, of Falmouth, is a policy intern with the Maine Policy Institute. She is a graduate of The University of Maine where she holds a degree in Political Science. In the fall, Sophie will be attending Maine Law with the hopes of becoming a criminal and family law attorney.

The Maine Department of Education has certain requirements students must complete before they can earn a diploma. Four years of English, two years of social sciences, math, and science and one year of fine arts. What is not included is a class dedicated to basic life skills, such as teaching one how to file taxes or change a tire. This type of class is in fact so rare that when a Kentucky high school added it to their curriculum, national news picked up on it. Recently, Fern Creek High School in Louisville, Kentucky started offering an “Adulting” program to its…

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On June 21, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision in the case of NCAA v. Alston that will fundamentally change the world of sports. In a 9-0 vote, the Court ruled that benefits given to students by universities and conferences cannot be capped as long as they are tethered to education. Many are calling the decision a “significant blow” to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), but it is undoubtedly a win for collegiate athletes. The NCAA has been regulating college athletes as early as 1840. Towards the late 19th century, Harvard’s President was very concerned…

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In an 8-1 vote, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of cheerleader Brandi Levy last week regarding the First Amendment rights of students when it comes to off-campus speech. In 2017, Levy, a ninth grade student at the time, did not make her varsity cheering squad. As a result, she posted on Snapchat a post that contained vulgar language and gestures. The school suspended her from participating on the junior varsity team for a whole year.   Levy took the case to district court where she prevailed. The Third Circuit affirmed the lower court’s decision. The case then made it to…

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On April 28, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in the case of Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L., a case that could fundamentally change the meaning of a minor’s First Amendment rights. With a decision soon to be rendered, this case is one set to alter free speech among both school districts and students. Brandi Levy, a 14-year-old high school freshman and junior varsity cheerleader in 2017, did not make her school’s varsity cheering team. Posting a picture with her friend with her middle fingers raised, she captioned it: “F—school, f—softball, f—cheer, f—everything,” which resulted…

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