THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME, SAINT MARY’S AND HOLY CROSS ESTABLISHED 1966
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2025 | VOL. LX, NO. 10
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Editorial: Political violence is an affront to free speech
By Observer Editorial Board The Observer abhors political violence in all its forms, especially as extremists have increasingly relied upon it to silence their opponents. Slaying political figures is repugnant to the most basic principles of democracy. The assassination of Charlie Kirk was an egregious and monstrous act. Regardless of his political beliefs, which members of this board have varied views on, Kirk advocated for political dialogue on college campuses and was killed engaging in this very activity. People are free to
disagree with Kirk’s politics and even think him a horrible person. But attempting to justify Kirk’s death in any way is wrong. The Observer has published different perspectives on Kirk’s legacy in the past week. Without endorsing any one of these perspectives, we stand by our columnists’ right to share their opinions. If our readers disagree with any column we have published, we encourage them to write their own response, rather than attacking our decision to publish. Freedom of expression is a value that has defined this newspaper since its inception and one that we continue to hold to. Our
duty as an independent student newspaper is not necessarily to present our own opinion on every issue, but rather to provide a forum for open debate to take place. We will exercise this right to its fullest, even in the face of criticism or controversy. With America’s mounting polarization, it can be difficult for some to understand and humanize the political “other.” Like the rest of American society, college campuses have not been immune to this trend, with one study showing 34 percent of college students are open to the use of violence to stop speeches they disagree with. The Observer finds this troubling, and we seek to protect
Supreme Court rules against religious charter school
free speech on this campus, in our pages and beyond. Political violence and the condoning of such have no place in the tri-campus community. In the wake of Kirk’s murder, the assasination of Minnesota legislator Melissa Hortman in June and two assassination attempts on President Donald Trump last year, we must turn down the temperature and find some common ground with our neighbors. The tri-campus is rich with political diversity and has numerous forums where political beliefs can be discussed. We encourage students to engage actively in these forums and have the courage to disagree
ND awards Oxford professor medal By Mayte D. Mendez News Writer
MEGAN CORNELL | The Observer
In a split decision, the Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s ruling against St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, a charter school whose case was supported by ND Law School’s Religious Liberty Clinic.
By Megan Cornell
arguments began on April 30. The central issue of the case rested on whether or not charter schools function more like public or private schools. The clinic argued that charter schools are similar to private religious schools that receive publicly funded vouchers, which has been enabled by the Supreme Court’s ruling in “Carson v. Makin.” The Oklahoma Charter Board disputed this logic,
respectfully with others. We must be willing to speak to and learn from others to avoid falling into the bottomless pit of echo chambers and personal narratives. Political violence corrodes the very foundations of our democracy. No one deserves to be killed for exercising their right to free speech. Although Kirk’s legacy can and will be debated, all should affirm his conviction that college campuses should be places where students should be free to speak their minds and engage in constructive debate. At The Observer, we will continue to be an institution where this important work can take place.
Oxford University’s James A. Maynard, a leading figure in number theory, was honored with the prestigious Carrier Medal at a ceremony held Monday in Jordan Hall of Science from at 5:30 p.m. The Carrier Medal, established by the University of Notre Dame in 2022, recognizes scientists “whose work has transformed their disciplines and whose discoveries inspire future generations.” The Carrier Medal was named in honor of Rev. Joseph Celestine Basile Carrier, C.S.C., who became the first director of the science program at Notre Dame in 1865. Maynard’s work spans some of the most puzzling unsolved problems in mathematics, including the famous Riemann Hypothesis, which offers a $1 million reward for proof. “I’m motivated by big, famous problems,” Maynard said. “Nobody says, ‘I am going to sit down and solve X Hypothesis.’ It’s a
mixture of working alone and collaborating with colleagues, testing models and different ideas.” In his lecture, Maynard highlighted how prime numbers, while deeply theoretical, have surprisingly practical applications. For example, cryptography — the science of encrypting and decrypting information — relies on primes for secure online transactions. Without it, online banking, private communications and digital commerce would be vulnerable to cyberattacks. “While many applications to prime numbers are different, the least theoretical application of prime numbers is buying things online, which affects billions of people daily,” Maynard said. Additionally, Maynard highlighted the importance of “internet security, maintaining that all transactions are kept secure” which in turn is completed through “the encryption of the number so that it is hard for a hacker to
In late April, Notre Dame Law School’s Lindsey and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic represented St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School before the United States Supreme Court. This highly publicized case centered around St. Isidore, a state-funded Catholic virtual charter school in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Charter Board denied the school’s application, arguing
that a Catholic school using state funding violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The Religious Liberty Clinic, alongside defense firm Dechert LLP and Notre Dame alumnus Michael McGinley, represented the school in its legal fight against the charter board. After losing at the Oklahoma Supreme Court, the clinic filed a certiorari petition asking the United States Supreme Court to hear the case. The court accepted the case in March and oral
NEWS | PAGE 4
OPINION | PAGE 5
SCENE | PAGE 7
SPORTS | PAGE 12
SPORTS | PAGE 12
The Saint Mary’s Student Diversity Board hosted its 10th annual event honoring diversity.
Columnist Oliver Ortega writes about a study space formerly for graduate students.
The popstar’s new album, “SWAG IT,” is a bland reinvention.
The Fighting Irish begin their seven-game homestand with a 3-1 win against Omaha.
Notre Dame hosts Duke in a top-10 showdown on Thursday in their first ACC home game.
Associate News Editor
Mosiac Night at SMC
RIP grad lounge
see “Law” on page 4
Bieber underwhelms
Men’s soccer
see “Lecture” on page 2
Women’s soccer