On the heels of a dodgeball ban in New Hampshire, we now have a school district in Washington State trying to ban the game of tag. Recognizing their mistake and hoping to quell the outcry, the Mercer Island School District reversed the ban within days. The reversal, written by Superintendent Gary Plano, claims that there is no ban on tag—the principal was simply talking about a “hands-off expectation at recess.”
As recreational marijuana becomes legal in state after state, a movement is afoot to clear the records of those convicted of pot offenses prior to decriminalization. Inevitably, this movement has put the spotlight on a broader question: How do we—and should we—clear criminal records of offenses that are no longer crimes?
A 2014 International Labor Organization parental leave report shows that 70 countries have national paternity leave entitlement laws (most of which provide paid leave), while the United States leaves it up to private enterprise, with no federal law mandating leave for new fathers. In hopes of bringing us in line with the rest of the developed world, more and more men are suing their employers, demanding paid time off to take care of their families.
If you’re looking for a rumble with nationwide implications for public-employee unions—as well as election-year intrigue—keep an eye on the Supreme Court as it debates Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association in the Court’s new term starting in October.