January 2021 – Sinoe Multilateral High School is the largest government school in Sinoe County. When we first visited in 2015 only one-third of the classrooms had desks. Trash was everywhere. Groups of boisterous students roamed the hallways and gathered in empty classrooms. Today every classroom was occupied with students seated in desks and teachers teaching. The grounds were clean and free of litter. 131 seniors took the WASSCE national exam in October and 100% passed! The principal gave credit to the SmartBox and our team’s efforts. It is gratifying to see what can happen over five years. Our program is making a difference!

2017 WAEC Results – IEL helped Sinoe County jump from #11 to #1 on the West African Examination Council exam. We started with eight Sinoe County schools in 2015 and within a year were engaged with the SmartBox in 11 of the 14 secondary schools in the county.  Hundreds of students learned how to use the computer and began improving in math and other subject areas.  The WAEC (now WASSCE) exam is given every year to 12th grade students. A passing mark is required to graduate from high school. In 2014 Sinoe County placed #11 out of the 15 counties with a passing rate of 23%. In 2017 Sinoe County placed #1 with an 88% passing rate!

• 2013 – 25,000 students took the University of Liberia entrance examination and none passed!
• 2016 – IEI tested over 600 high school students in 10 public & private schools and 85% scored below the 3rd grade level in mathematics.
• 2018 – 33,979 12th grade students from 600 schools took the WASSCE national examination and 65% did not pass any of the 9 subject areas.
• Only 17% of teachers in Liberia have a tertiary degree-level qualification.
  Percentage of children missing out on primary school:
  * Liberia – 62%
• South Sudan – 59%
• Eritrea – 59%
• Afghanistan – 46%
• Sudan – 45%

Did the judge really rule that racially discriminatory contracting is expression protected by the First Amendment? Can’t be, that goes against the entire body of law, and if true, would eviscerate a wide range of civil rights laws. So I awaited the written Order and decision before writing about this, surely he would correct that error when it came time for a formal ruling.

But the Order Denying Prelminary Injunction did not correct the error, it memorialized the error //

Section 1981 bans all racial discrimination in contracting—public and private, no matter which race is harmed. See 42 U.S.C. §1981. Defendants run the Fearless Strivers Grant Contest. Contests are contracts—submissions for prizes—and here Fearless admits that its contest’s rules “ARE A CONTRACT.” Yet the contest is open only to black women. Whites, Hispanics, Asians, and every other race are barred from entering. A more blatant violation of §1981 is hard to imagine. //

Fearless claims the right that those cases all deny: a right to discriminate in contracting because §1981’s mandate of race neutrality might have an incidental effect on the communicative effect of their conduct. In other words, they seek First Amendment protection for the discrimination itself. While they want to deliver their message that businesses owned by black women are important, Fearless remains free to express this message by donating money, encouraging others to support businesses owned by black women, and through mentoring and networking. But the First Amendment gives them no right to discriminate by race in contracting, even if that discrimination might deliver some message. //

That a federal court would say the Civil Rights Act of 1866 likely violates the First Amendment is alarming. And it’s indefensible given the many Supreme Court precedents saying the opposite. //

The district court said discriminatory contracting itself is protected speech. That line is one the Supreme Court has always been careful not to cross, as it would destroy the whole enterprise of antidiscrimination law.

Use simple utilities to install Windows 11 on any PC.

Changing Education Around the World

This is No Ordinary Box!

SmartBox® solves 6 challenges faced by schools in developing countries:

1. Lack of Internet - The SmartBox® provides students a vast collection of content sent wirelessly to the Chromebooks.
2. Limited Electricity - Runs on battery power for 12-16 hours; recharges in 5 hours with generator or solar system.
3. Textbook Shortage - Students have access to a myriad of books, videos and learning resources.
4. Teacher Shortage - Students can learn in the absence of a qualified teacher, and teachers can also learn!
5. Messy Wiring Runs - Gone are the days of the traditional computer lab with its tangle of cords.
6. Security - Can be securely locked and stored each evening.

• 20 Chromebook laptops
• 20 headsets - can be shared by 40 students
• Loaded with educational resources including Wikipedia, Khan Academy, textbooks, encyclopedias, beginning readers, and more!
• Click here to view the Menu including the NEW Biblical Resource Library
• Provide your own content and curriculum on a USB stick
• Can be configured in English, Spanish or French
• Portable waterproof, shockproof case with wheels
• Charges with either 110v or 230v
• Over $1 million invested in Research & Development
• Powered by Internet-in-a-Box technology