Law Commons^™

Dreams Deferred – Why In-State College Tuition Rates Are Not A Benefit Under The Iirira And How This Interpretation Violates The Spirit Of Plyler, Laura A. Hernandez

Laura A Hernandez

A legal barrier to education. The concept is distinctly un-American. We are well acquainted with the narrative. No matter how humble your childhood circumstances, if you studied hard, dreamed big and worked even harder, access to the United States’ finest universities would be yours. A college degree would provide employment opportunities, the chance to form bonds with scions of the privileged and well connected, and with any luck, a direct entree into that world of financial security.

Because this particular tale of manifest destiny has such a strong hold on the American psyche, it is understandable why the number of …

When The Wise (Latina) Judge Meets A Living Constitution - Why It Is A Matter Of Perception, Laura A. Hernandez

Laura A Hernandez

At the time of Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings, much was made of a statement she made in a 2001 lecture at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law concerning a judge’s approach to the cases that come before her. “. . . . I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life.” The resulting backlash and condemnation caused Justice Sotomayor to apologize for her endorsement of the idea that a wise Latina would, and should, …