Blog 8 "the last one"

This post is in response to Lissa’s post entitled “Freedom of Speech or Just a Case of Senioritis.” Lissa, good post, I understand where you are coming from, and also agree with a sum of what you said. Personally, I don’t think that the t-shirt is that big of a deal, it’s not that big of a distraction, and could have said something a lot worse. The whole t-shirt said “HHS seniors 2010” on the front, and the “well that sucked” was on the back. Come on… that’s a little amusing.
What the school faculty doesn’t realize is that pulling students out of class is more of a distraction than the t-shirts themselves. They are just angry that a student expressed himself in a way that made the school look bad. And what students don’t realize is that when they are in the public school system they don’t have any rights. Remember, school districts are their own little governing bodies, and they make the rules. If a student/parent doesn’t like the rules…. Tuff! If a parent of one of the student’s doesn’t like it they can take it up with the school board, and that’s about it. The only place that democracy shows up in the school district is when someone runs for the school board.
The only problem I had with your post is the last sentence. “Adam’s is a direct representation of today’s adolescent and young adults who have taken the constitutional meaning of “liberties” to the extreme; resulting in a moral, educational, and cultural declination.” First, “extreme” was a poor choice of words, yes he pushed some buttons, but did anyone get hurt? No, besides some of the faculty’s feelings, he is just being a teenager. Second, “resulting in a moral, educational, and cultural declination” Education has been on the decline for some time now, it was going down the shitter when we were in high school. But morals, and culture are not declining….they are just changing. Our grandparents thought the same thing about our generation; do you think that they were right? That’s what happens, throughout the course of history, when times change older generations think it’s always declining, and it’s not declining, just changing.

Arizona.... Really?

Well I honestly don't think that it will be but a few years, and Arizona will be changing their immigration laws again. Do they really think that the immigration bill was a good idea? Now Arizona police will have the right to pull anyone over and ask them for their papers. Hmm... Racial profiling... Do they really think that that is right? Yes, there U.S. immigration laws which are basically the same as Arizona's laws, but they don't get enforced stringently enough. But making it as easy as saying... Look, there's a person with brown skin, let’s see if he is legal? That will get annoying really quick to both the police and the Latinos.

Second, do they really think that their economy will survive long? I don't think so. Like it or not, illegal immigrants do the jobs that Americans don't want. They do what they have to do to survive, and our economy survives because of their help. I was listening to the radio a few days ago, and they were talking about a city up north, (in Iowa or Indiana.... somewhere up there) and they passed the same sort of bill. Know what the end results were? The cities economy went down the shitter and didn't recover. So let me ask this again, Arizona, do you really think that that was the best decision that you could have made?

I just hope Texas won't make the same mistake? I personally don't think they will.

Look I've said this in other posts, I don't have a problem with immigrants coming over to make better lives for themselves, but do it the legal way! Now because Arizona has decided that racial profiling is legal, more illegal immigrants will be trying to come to Texas to find work in an already shitty job market.

In closing, congratulations Arizona! In my opinion you guys look like idiots on this one.

Blog #6

This post is a response to Blog #5 from Kelya’s blog.
Well done. Your blog was very good. I wasn’t a fan of the standardized tests that I had to take both here in Texas, and in Oklahoma where I’m from. I thought that they (the tests) were, to be honest B.S. Now after reading your blog, I’m convinced that I was right! Not only should the TAKS tests be re-evaluated, they should be discontinued! For the TEA to tell your friend (who moved here from Russia, learned English in a year, and doing upper level math), that she is not “qualified” to graduate is just absolutely retarded! She is obviously smart enough to graduate, and excel in college.
The reason you go to school is to learn, not to be taught curriculum. Teachers should have the freedom to teach in their own way, and not be critisized for it. Teachers should not have to worry about their jobs being on the line if they don’t teach the standardized material. You are right; you can’t base a person’s intelligence off a stupid test. Yes those tests should show where a student is at academically, but that same test shouldn’t decide if that student should graduate or not.
I think the TEA should really re-evaluate their policies on which students should be able to graduate, on a more personal level. If someone who has excelled in school but doesn’t do well on the TAKS test should still be allowed to graduate. As opposed to someone who is slacking off in school and failing most of their classes they shouldn’t graduate. Maybe the schools should have the say in who graduates and who doesn’t. They would know the students on a more personal level. But that’s just an idea. Again, well done on your blog.

http://kelyagovt2306.blogspot.com/2010/04/blog-5.html

Immigration

Immigration has been a heated debate for the past five years, and with all of the stuff happening down in Juarez I'm sure most of you have a chosen a side, so to say. Well state Rep. Leo Berman says that the state pays too much to provide services to undocumented immigrants and their children. So Berman filed a proposal that would deny state services to undocumented children and their American-born children.

Now, is this the right thing to do? Deny services, basically to children? Honestly, I'm on the fence with this proposal. No, because children who can't be taken care of because their parents can't take care of them for some reason or another needs help. But that's kind of where my sympathy stops.

Look, I'm all for people, no matter where they are from, coming to America to make a better lives for themselves, but for god sakes, do it legally! Don't come to America to work, get paid under the table, not pay taxes, send your money back to Mexico, and not contribute a single thing to society! But most of all learn at least some English! At least enough to get by. If you are not going to do that, then good riddance! You or your children don't need to be taken care of! Leave the money for the people who do contribute.

So to Mr. Breman, I think your proposal is a risky one, but I agree with what you are trying to do. No matter how harsh it sounds.

http://www.texastribune.org/topics/immigration/

Sex Education in Texas Schools

In this blog I will be talking about the states take on Sexual Education being taught in our public schools. I know that sexual education in our public schools is a touchy subject, but it shouldn't be. Sex is a part of what what makes us human, so why is it that the schools get to decide weather sex education is taught or not? The state’s education code requires each local school district's board of trustees to create a local school health advisory council with at least five members, including parents, clergy, and law enforcement officials. They get to decide what part/s of sex ed. is or isn't taught. That means that they can decide whether or not to teach about human sexuality, AIDS, HIV, and any other STD's. That's stupid! Why would you not teach that stuff?

Instead most school districts "preach" abstinence as the only 100% effective way to not get pregnant (and I'm not arguing with that fact) but why would you teach only that? They are teaching this to 9th. and 10th. graders. Really? They are teaching someone who just started puberty abstinence only? I'm sorry that's completely wrong. Teaching some boys and girls who are curious about their body to not do what comes natural. They should teach all aspects of human sexuality, and teach them to be responsible. This "old school" way of thinking, that "abstinence only" attitude need to be put to rest and get with more modern times. Get the clergy (that are required) out of our school boards! Isn't there supposed to be separation of church and state?

Look if you want to teach your child about the birds and bees yourself, go ahead. It's required to send a permission slip home when sex ed. is being taught, so just don't sign it.

The bottom line is this. Get rid of the local school health advisory council, and get the Texas Education Association involved to set requirements as to what will and will not be taught in Texas schools.


Austin American Statesmen, Metro and State, Sunday, March 21, 2010

Little Bagdad in Dallas

I want to start off by applauding the people who are trying to do some good in this state. I read an article entitled "Little Bagdad"; it was about refugee families from Iraq who are trying to make a life from themselves and their families. If you get a chance, read it.
Look, America use to be a nation that mint freedom, and gave people a new lease at life. What the hell happened to that? The Iraqis in this article are refugees that worked with our government either against Saddam or to help rebuild after his fall. These people have been targeted by extremist and others that found out that they were working for the United States. Their houses have been shot at and grenades had been thrown at their houses. Now the U.S. government is screwing them. Some of these people are well educated (computer programmers, doctors), and yet they can't find work. Not because they're not qualified, but because the government takes their time in processing their I-94's or it takes months to get a social security card. And I'm still sorry to say that there are still the 9-11 stereotypes. Look these people are like our troops that are over there. They sacrificed for a country that wasn't even theirs in a war that lasted too long. I'm not saying that it wasn't necessary, but the war should have been over with a long time ago. They should be treated with the same respect that we show our troops who have served. And here we are making lives hard for them. It really says something when the U.N. asked what countries they want to live in and they don't even want to put the U.S. on that list. Some had no choice, but they had a second chance at life.
I'm all for immigration control. A lot of the people migrating to the United States just want to work, not contribute a thing to society, and just be an extra person(s) that our tax dollars have to pay for. Or for that matter, what I call walking baby machines. All they do is have babies and expect the government to take care of them and their offspring. Yet we can't help the people who have contributed and want to be a valuable part of society, just so they can have better lives for their families.
The ones in this article who are trying to help those in need are a true example of what Americans should do. Help those in need especially if they deserve it. Thanks guys, hopefully others will follow your actions.



http://www.texasobserver.org/cover-story/building-little-baghdad

Money For Our Schools

Well Texas is "out of the race" when it comes to the Race To The Top Grant(Stimulus money for public schools). The Race to the Top money was an opportunity that came down from the federal level to the state, and it had to be applied from the governor's office. Governor Perry refused to submit the state's application into the government even though the Texas Education Agency spent several months putting the application together. Was this a bad thing or a good thing? I haven't agreed with Perry very much in the past, but I think he did the right thing with this one. First, the Obama administration decides to hand out $4.3 Billion nationally, and added another $1.35 Billion for the next fiscal year (like more money needs to be handed out). Perry rejected this offer, even though AISD has already received $23 million in stimulus money for economically challenged schools. Instead Perry is pursuing an Investing in Innovation Grant. This grant has nothing to do with the state or the T.E.A., instead it relies on well researched and proven education practices. What are those practices; well that has yet to be decided. A lot of people are angry at Perry for doing this, but I say good job. Look, four Austin area high schools (Reagan, Travis, East Side Memorial, and LBJ), and 5 Austin area middle schools (Garcia, Lamar, Martin, Mendex, and Pearce) all have unacceptable ratings. But is it the students or teachers fault that these schools are doing so poorly? Both. The teachers aren’t doing their jobs well, and the students aren’t doing well. I believe that when the students aren't doing well it discourages the teachers and the cycle of poor performance continues. So what should happen next? I know this might sound harsh, but close the schools down. Yes, I know this will put some teachers out of a job, and inconvenience those students and their parents, and even AISD, but I think that in the long run it's for the best.


https://acconline.austincc.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2fwebapps%2fblackboard%2fexecute%2flauncher%3ftype%3dCourse%26id%3d_29349_1%26url%3d

http://www.austintitle.com/school_ratings/2009/austin.htm