Wednesday, 7-21-10

Education

The educational system in my opinion should be changed based on helping students bring up their need for improving their potential, knowledge, and their character. Though I don’t believe there can be a perfect educational system, because it wouldn’t be the same if I had the chance to change it. Education right now seems decent, the only problem I believe include the budget cuts and the lack of interested children not taking advantage of a great opportunity. The purpose of education is to basically to set goals and prepare for the future. But the students have to want it, and work hard to earn it by listening, studying, and participating. I believe the teachers also have to act as equal partners to the students, the teachers should challenge the students to show them their best potential, and the students should want to learn and take that advantage. Education can bring the best of people and make the world a better place. As Obama said in his speech, “ for every good job comes education.”

As to everything there always seems to be problems, one problem I would change would be to have more challenging classes. For example, the classes that do challenge students are honors and AP courses. But I think why have those separate courses only to bring potential in the students. The regular classes should be taken more seriously and help prepare students by bringing up the class a level. School should be fun by having that place to learn different subjects, and get involved. But most students don’t take that and use it to improve themselves, mentally, morally, and their personal best. Do schools need more money per person? I don’t believe the schools should have more money for each student, there are many students that lack interest and don’t even care for their education. Why should they help those that don’t want to help themselves, if the opportunity is handed out to them all they need to do is to take it and work hard. Many refuse. And as said in “stupid in America”, the more money they spend on the schools the less they improve. It brought more low test scores, I agree money doesn’t teach kids. Some say that we don’t need the classes we are being required to take, because it wont be relevant to them in the future. It just might, it might not but I do believe that these classes are to open us up to new things, and besides students can take classes in college that would be relevant to them in their future careers. Overall, we do all learn the same thing but that doesn’t always bring us success. Its what we know that’s different, our own unique quality that gives us a new experience in knowledge that brings the good things in life.

arguments over SB 1070

I believe there are negative and positive aspects to SB 1070. Therefore leaving me undecided about the whole situation. Having this law go into effect might bring racial profiling, and cause people to be angry that they would be seen as if they were some sort of suspected criminal. Having many businesses relying on illegal immigrant labor or customers, shrinking the immigrant population will interfere with the businesses in general which was stated in “Will SB 1070 help or hurt economy”. “ The businesses could grow more slowly, and consumers could face higher prices for some goods“ (Hanson, 2010).Seems that having this law pass it would affect the economy greatly, since we depend on illegal immigrant workers greatly. Having the spending of public and private schools be in loss. . “Latinos...are a highly flexible, highly exploitable work force, a buffer to economic downturns,” he says. “Many of the industries here – agriculture, service industries, low-end manufacturing, construction – are massively dependent on undocumented workers (Haq, 2010). We rely on immigrants to do certain jobs such as farming, and they help us produce any products. Sending them back can also mean we are separating families and friends.

There are also reasonable arguments in which support the SB 1070. Having many illegal immigrants can leave us over populated. Which would cause difficulties to find jobs, since they would take the jobs of many. There could be the fear of them smuggling in drugs into the U.S, or bringing in new infection scares. And for the argument over whether they will pursue racial profiling they set a fair solution. "If the law, for whatever reason, happened to go into effect," the attorney general said, then "six months from now, a year from now, we might ... look at the impact the law has had and ... see whether or not there has been that racial profiling impact (Sheridan, 2010). And if so they set racial profiling they can do something to solve that problem. People also fear the thought of having enemies cross over easily, because of the poorly secured borders. “So many people are willing to give a portion of their money to defend Arizona, against the dangers of illegal immigration (Gibson, 2010). Which brings them to gather and give some of their money, going to the process of building a better and reliable border. "We feel very, very confident that we stand on good ground," she said last week. Which also leaving so to give this law a chance and hope that it comes out for the best. Gov. Jan Brewer saying, "We will push forward, and believe from our heart that it is constitutional and is the right thing to do."

Work cited:

- Michael Sheridan. “Arizona's illegal immigration law SB 1070 is not constitutional, argues Attorney General Eric Holder”. The New York Daily News. Sunday, July 11th 2010, 2:22 PM. Web. 13, July.

- Dave Gibson. “Americans showing their support for SB1070 with their wallets”. examiner.com. July 9, 10:24 PM. Web. 13, July.

- Husna Haq. “Hispanics abandon Arizona, fleeing economy, immigration law”. The Christian Science Monitor. June 10, 2010. Web. 13, July.

- Ronald J. Hanson. “Will SB 1070 help or hurt economy”. azcentral.com. Jily. 11, 2010 12:00 AM. Web. 13, July.

Monday, July 12

Conversation about Afghanistan war

Everyone has a different view and opinion about the war in Afghanistan, and iv asked my friends and relatives what they thought about it. My cousin had said she’s against it of not only being pointless, leaving us deeper in debt, the loss of people, and un winnable. But she thought we are being to forceful, by trying to force democracy on them. She didn’t know much about the war, but what she did know was that we are in economic debt. Having most of the money going to weapons, and such things used for the war. Instead of using the money to help the afghan people, we need to use it on our economy and put it into helpful use. Which leaves us with large unemployment rates, and difficulties on finding or keeping a job. Iv asked her how this interferes with her personal life. She had said in her own experience she had been fired from three jobs and had been recently laid off. She stated that, “we should instead focus on our own domestic problems, then help others in need.”

My other friend had other similar arguments yet both against the war. He thought of it that we had no business being there in the first place. He said, “ we should focus on helping the afghan people fight and defend themselves, rather then to have us fight the war for them”. Instead were losing our people and innocent lives from Afghanistan as well. It isn’t worth fighting for since it’s a waste of our resources and lives, and doesn’t defend America of immediate threats. As for example, still having terrorist threats in our country. He then mentioned, that we should help them because of the human rights problems such as the oppression of woman that the Taliban promotes. We should help them organize and fight the resistance themselves. He suggests that we should pull out as soon as we train the afghan people to handle their problems, and go on dealing with our own. I then asked him what about defending us from terrorists attacks. He told me that we have good domestic terrorist security, and that we wont need to be having our men killed for something we have control over. Overall, I go for there opinions and I also am against the war. I didn’t find much surprises about what I had heard though I did learn more.

- andrea llamas

Tuesday, July 6

The most important economic issue facing the united states right now in my opinion would be national dept, and the school budget cuts putting education in a rough spot. As saying the Treasury Department, “National Debt has increased over $2 trillion since President Obama took office“. But is it really obamas fault? I don’t believe it is, he is facing a lot on his job with many uncovered issues. "I walked into office facing a massive deficit, most of which was the result of not paying for two wars, two tax cuts, and an expensive prescription drug program," Mr. Obama said. Today’s dept has left many unemployed, thus having difficulties in finding a job or even maintaining one. Though I personally haven’t experienced the loss of a job, iv quit searching for one since there is no chance I would be able to find a job, having to apply to more then twenty stores and not even receiving one phone call. Even having experience in the work area my cousin is also finding it difficult to hold a job. Currently for example my brother not having enough money to pay for college himself he has only been able to take few classes at a time, and not being able to take all the classes he chooses. I find this important because it interferes into peoples lives, giving them difficulties on having a job to provide for themselves, their education, and for others such as their families.

Another issue that I believe is important right now would be money, which is heading to the wrong places such as war instead of it given to schools or other needs. I personally don’t see why we are still in war. Having the money going to other issues not seeing as important, it leaves the school boards such as Oceanside to cut off following, “…temporary teachers, program specialists, a district administrator, secretaries, custodians and a security officer--in the middle of the year“. I think of how these individuals handle the cuts and if they are ok on finding another job to provide themselves with. If I was left on that spot, it would be a terrible feeling, not having that security that money would bring, or just the fact of many having trouble to find a stable job anywhere.

- andre-uh :]

Work cited:

“Budget cuts put education in crisis“. Reprinted from the Feb. 13, 2003, issue of Workers world newspaper.

Mark knoller. “National Debt Up $2 Trillion on Obama's Watch”. March 16, 2010 5:13 PM.