Girls are mean!

From a young age I was told at every opportunity that girls are mean, and on many levels this is a very true statement.  Growing up I never went to a school for more that 2 years, this made making friends difficult at times.  Being the new kid I was often the target of very mean and hurtful rumors and comments.  At one school in the 6th grade, in the course of a day I went from being the new kid that everybody liked and wanted to help show around, to a slut of the worst kind.  

Bullying is not an easy thing to deal with but its even harder when you don't know what form it will come in.  Bullying is nothing new and we have been dealing with it as a culture since the beginning, the invention of the Internet has both helped and hurt the efforts to shut down bullying.  On one hand bullies also know how to use the Internet as well if not better than most parents, which is where the problem of cyber bullying comes in.  On the other hand there are now support pages and pages with types on how to sight and prevent bullying.

On one bullying support page says that "Recent bullying statistics admit that half of all bullying incidents go unreported." Which in my experience is true, I never told anybody that I was being picked on at all, I just learned to deal with it myself.  Not everyone has the same view of the world as me, and not everyone lives with the knowledge that in 2 years they will probably be going to a different school.  This leaves bully deception up to parents and teachers.  I believe that this is the only way to stop bullying.  Some kids are going to be to scared to come forward and a lot of times those are the kids hurt worse.  Bully prevention needs to be a community project, and the symptoms of bullying need to be watched for and action must happen when they are seen.  I think if bullies were more afraid of being caught and of the punishments than maybe it would help prevent it more.  Kids can't deal with bullying on their own and with their innate trust of the adults around them could benefit from being watched a little more closely.

Bullying changes children's lives

A second grader was in school one day and had to go to the bathroom. The teacher let him go and two other boys went after him; they were in fifth grade. The two boys held him by his shirt, pushed him up against the wall, and bullied him. If the second grader ever told, they would kill him. The second grader was my brother. “Bullying includes a wide variety of behaviors, but all involve a person or a group repeatedly trying to harm someone who is weaker or more vulnerable,” says firstfamilyaid.org. The major questions are: does getting bullied change a person and what should be done about bulling? “Bulling can have devastating long term effects on its victims,” says bullystoppers.com. Bullying helped my brother start drinking in sixth grade, chew tobacco in eighth grade, along with taking pills, and smoking pot. When I asked him about being bullying when he was younger, he said he had to grow up and be stronger and cooler than everyone else; he had to be the one picking on others. About 90 percent of people from fourth grade to eight grade report being bullied. This does not say about younger children because these go unreported many times. Schools are becoming more aware of bullying and trying to prevent children from getting bullied. Teachers are now telling students about bullying and making a social norm to stop this act. When adults become aware of what’s going on, rather than look the other way, they help the children. Schools are also starting groups where they pledge not to bully and when they see a child left out, they go play with that child. Although bullying will always be around, the awareness will change children’s lives and they can have a better childhood.

Bullies

“How the hell did you make the cheerleading squad? You’re ugly”. Those are words that I will never forget. That was just one of many emotional blows I received during my years at school. It hurt like hell. It warped my self-image. It is something that still lingers behind my confident smile.

Sadly, this is something many children experience every day by certain peers. In every school you have them, on every playground they lurk – bullies.

The word bully may bring an image of a physical attack or the stealing of lunch money - which those certainly fall into the category. But it is the day-to-day emotional abuse that makes this problem not only hard for adults to spot at times, but also create long-term damage.

According to the government website “Stop Bullying Now!”, the most common form of bullying comes in the form of mental abuse. From name-calling to rumor spreading to isolation of the target. This sort of mental attack can have an affect on a child’s academic achievement, physical health and emotional stability. They are found to have higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.

So what can be done about it? Many schools have prevention programs for bullying. This is something that should be incorporated in all schools. In these programs teachers are trained to identify and respond to bullying situations, prevention is incorporated in classrooms, and one of the most important strategies is parental involvement.

My heart goes out to those who are tormented by their peers. I know what it does to you. Somehow, I made it out ok. But it has the ability to destroy. Bullying can’t continue to be swept under the rug. It must be known for what it is and all those involved need to be educated on how to prevent it. It may just save a life.

Schools need to be more involved in preventing bullying

Many children and teenagers wake up every morning and dread going to school. This anxiety is not because of a test or project they have to do, but because they are endlessly harassed and tormented by their peers.  Recently, bullying has gotten worse with all of the new technology available. Now, bullies are not just limited to hallways and schoolyards; they can also act viciously from the comfort of their home computer.   

Although schools make an effort to prevent bullying, it is still not enough. Many schools claim to have a "zero tolerance" policy on bullying and even have guest speakers come in to speak out against bullying. However, these programs do not always work. In my high school, there were many issues related to bullying, so the school had people come in to talk about bullying. The lecturers were people who either had been bullies or victims of bullying in the past. Their stories were inspirational; however, many of my peers sat there yawning and rolling their eyes. The students who appeared unhappy to be there and were outwardly disrespectful. Obviously, the programs are not having an impact on children and teenagers who are bullies.  

Many times, bullying incidents go unreported because the student is afraid his or her tormenters will seek retaliation. This is why schools need to put in place a system where students can anonymously report anything that happens. Also, harsher punishments need to be enacted to set an example so that students will be discouraged from bullying. Schools should also try to monitor the online activities of students. Even though it is often difficult for schools to punish students for that type of issue, schools should still look into it to make sure nothing happens in the school from that incident. If schools take these steps, it will decrease the chances of students feeling so helpless about bullying that they commit suicide.

Bullying in Schools

Bullying in school is a very delicate issue, as a set of rules are not enough to contain it. Solving the problem of bullying is far more complicated, considering that a true solution involves a profound education in children from the part of teachers and parents, rather than instructing them with policies and laws.

The National Youth Violence Prevention Center reports that over 5.7 million children in the United States are directly involved in bullying, either as victims or as bullies. These events can lead victims to extreme acts, such as suicide. Bullying is mainly experienced in grades 6 to 10, and it can have a lasting effect even as adults; according to the National Youth Prevention Center, 60% of children who were bullied in grades 6-9 had at least one criminal conviction by the age of 24.

Bullying occurs during the ages in which children develop their character, and I believe this is a factor to be taken advantage of; as children mature and begin relating with their peers, adults should shape them by teach them respect and social skills. Bullying should not be left to mere rules or norms, young children cannot learn the severe consequences of their actions through punishments; teachers and parents must be directly involved, developing a personal relationship with the child and informing them about the wrongness of these actions, and what damages they could cause.

Getting Out of Hand

Bullying. About 30 percent of today’s youth experience it at school. Young children are committing suicide because of this serious problem. It’s getting out of hand and it’s going to take a group effort to put a stop to it. Parents, teachers and the entire school system will have to work together to ease the problem.

According to safeyouth.org, children and teens whose parents provide little emotional support are at greater risk for engaging in bullying behavior. Studies have shown that children who were the targets of bullies at a young age are more likely to suffer from higher levels of depression and lower self-esteem than others as adults.

Research has also found that bullying is more likely to occur in schools where there isn’t much adult supervision during breaks and in situations where teachers and students don’t really acknowledge the fact that there’s bullying, according to safeyouth.org.

Teachers and parents need to get involved. When there is a school-wide commitment to end bullying, it can be reduced by up to 50%. Adults need to be doing more. Parents should talk to their children and teachers should be proactive. One approach that has proven to be effective is raising awareness about bullying, increasing teacher and parent involvement, forming rules, and providing support and protection for all students.

The only way any method can work is if everyone is involved. All faculty and staff of the school, as well as everyone in the homes of the children have to be involved to see results. Parents, teachers, and students will all have to communicate with each other in order to cut down on this problem. It won’t change overnight, but if everyone works together, the situation can be improved.

Not so innocent anymore.

Across the country hundreds of thousands of kids are playing in the playground during recess. Jaheem Herrera is not one of them. Jaheem hanged himself in his closet after coming home from what seemed like an average day at school. Just came home, showed his mother his report card with A's and B's and went upstairs. Later that night his mother called him down and received no answer. When she went to his room to investigate she saw her 11 year old son hanging in the closet. He was only 11 and it seemed like life has just began.
Jaheem isn't the only one to end his life early because of bullying. Teens and pre-teens across the country tragically end their life while dealing with depression caused by bullying. Between 1995 and 2004 more than 3,000 children between the ages of 10-14 committed suicide, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Children seem to get get meaner every year. Children get made of fun of for the simplest things, being overweight, not wearing brand name clothes, or looking different.
And it doesn't stop here. Kids across the nation are being cyberbullyied. They no longer have to deal with just insults at school, but insults on the internet. The internet age is a beautiful things and it keeps us connected. But not for Megan Meler. After multiple insults from who she thought was a boy she committed suicide. The person that posed to be this boy was a mother of one of Megan's peers. She was only 13 and had great things going for her. Where does it stop?
I had my share of being insulted and through the years I learned to ignore them over time. But not everyone deals with their troubles that easily. Kids get pushed around, insulted, and put down in front of others. After looking through many cases of teen suicide most kids have been physically abused and most have been labeled as being 'gay'.
Although the schools try to prevent these actions, most either fail or just try to ignore the problem. What we need is heroes. People in those classrooms that will stop this from happening. I, along with almost every other student that has been in high school, can safely say that we have seen someone being bullied, insulted, and being prayed on for being different. But almost never has anyone stepped in and said stop. We just stood along and maybe laughed or just pretend it isn't happening.
We need the average day hero. We need our peers to step up and end this. It would be impossible to eliminate all the bullying in every school but through proper education maybe one day we can all feel somewhat safer that our kids or siblings are not living in fear from day to day.

The Bullying Problem

Being as small of a child as I was, I was a prime target for bullies. At that time there were no classes or seminars to help prevent bullying, I just learned to cope with it. I found out early on that if I pay no attention to what people say about me, it's really hard to get mad at a joke that is made about me. By laughing at what bullies said and keeping a level head, I found that bullying was just a waste of time. Yet there are kids in the world that are not able to handle bullying as so. Many times kids don't mention the entire facts to there parents about the bullying, so the parents can't help to their full capability. This is when kids begin to believe that maybe no one can help them with their situation and turn a minor bullying problem into a spell of depression which has caused suicide. In many seminars today lectures often just tell parents to take your child seriously or gather facts. Which may often leave stories with a hole due to the tentativeness of the child. Also in those same seminars the lectures just tell kids to stay in groups or laugh the problem out, as if telling a 13 year old child that is going to stick in his mind day through day. I don't think specialist are trying hard enough to regulate these situations troubling our youth today. Possible if there was more punishment at the begging threats of bullying. By taking away the problem away at an early stage, their is less chance for the problem to spread. But until that day I think the best way to get through these situations is to have an open, honest relationship with our child. If a child can tell the full problem to a parent, there should be no reason why a parent can't tell the whole truth to school officials or where ever the bulling is taking place, and take care of the problem before someone losses a life.

Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will scar me for life.

Every morning just before leaving for school, I would always take a long glance in the mirror at myself. I would stare for a few seconds, long enough to ask myself, "what's so bad about me?" Mom would drop me off at school and I would sit anxiously in class waiting for recess, not because I wanted to play, but because I didn't want to face my fears. When I was in elementary school, I was an outcast because my parents were divorced. I had two separate families. To my peers, I wasn't good enough to be "liked by both parents at the same time" or so they would say. Sounds crazy, right? When I was younger, bullying seemed horrible at the time, but now, it has become that much worse.
Today, more than 5.7 million of America's youth are estimated to be involved with bullying. Whether it is being a bully, being a target of a bully, or both, 30% of teens experience what I experienced everyday. Children that come from families with little to no emotional support tend to lash out at other children resulting in bullying. Research done by the Youth Violence Prevention Center shows that the number one reason for bullying is that kids just "don't fit in." This meaning anything from a child's clothing, to their physical features, to even family situations like I dealt with. Bullying has appeared in schools in several different forms such as physical contact, verbal threats, and spreading gossip. Studies show that most bullying takes place during recess or at times when adult supervision is not around. In that case, we need to keep a closer watch on children not just at school, but at playgrounds, parks, and even on the internet. Like me, children are scarred by their peers far too often. Incidents that happen in their childhood and teen years will remain a part of them for the rest of their lives.

Assignment due Wednesday, April 29

Bullying among children is not new, but it has been in the news recently. An 11-year-old boy in Atlanta committed suicide, apparently after being teased by schoolmates over a long period of time. What do you think can be done to prevent tragedies like this one from occuring? You can use personal experiences if you want to. You must do research on the problem, and what experts think can be done about it.

Learn Young

Remember when you were little and in third grade you would sing “My Body’s Nobody’s Body but Mine”, and when you reached fifth grade you learned about the body? This is sex education and is taught in public schools around the United States. Elementary school is the most curtail time to teach a child about sex education. The song needs to be learned because children don’t know why their bodies are telling them to do certain things sexually. With the song they remember the song it helps them remember they are only supposed to touch their own body. Fifth grade is when girls and boys are separated in Gwinnett County Public Schools and taught about their body. My friends and I would laugh being immature, but we really didn’t know what we were going to discuss. A poll by NPR says only 7 percent of American’s disagree with sex education being taught in schools. The rest of Americans agree sex education is taught in the correct grades accordingly. Without elementary school’s teaching sex education, when children went to middle school, they would be clueless.

Let's Talk About Sex Ed.

The goal of sex education is to educate teenagers on how to avoid pregnancy and STDs. However, the fact that teen pregnancy rates have significantly increased in 26 states, according to a January study by the Center for Disease Control. The CDC also reports that one in four teens contracts an STD each year. Obviously, the sex ed. programs currently in place are not working.  

The problem is that many schools teach abstinence-only sex ed. classes. This type of program simply tells teens not to have sex, and does not take into consideration that many of them have been sexually active for years by the time they take the class. This is why it is important to teach methods of preventing pregnancy and STDs, and at an early age. If middle schoolers are having sex, then they need to be given a sex ed. class that teaches them how to be responsible about it. A sex ed. program would not be promoting kids to have sex, as some might say. Teenagers will do continue to have sex, even if there is a class telling them not to. But by instructing them on being safe and responsible, the teen STD and pregnancy rates will drop dramatically.

Not so Casual Results

Sex – it’s every where you look these days. It’s on the cover of magazines, it laces movies, and it often radiates throughout teen conversation. In schools today, depending on what state you live in, children are taught either comprehensive sex education or the abstinence-only approach. Comprehensive sex education, which consists of body image, masturbation, STDs, etc., begins as early as kindergarten with age appropriate material and progresses each year. Abstinence doesn’t cover all of the physical aspects, it simply instructs you not to do it.

While both approaches are good to cover, I believe that that educators are missing a crucial point - children need to be aware the emotional and psychological consequences.

Sex is so often misused, and more often than not, someone ends up devastated when left standing alone after an intimate encounter. STDs do not seem real until it happens. Pregnancy seems like a distant nightmare, until it happens. But the heartache and emotional scars left after casual sex are immediate, real and can last a lifetime. Doctors Joe McIlhaney and Freda McKissic, authors of Hooked: New Science on How Casual Sex is Affecting our Children, show that casual sex can actually alter the development of the brain in adolescents often impairing the ability to maintain lasting relationships later in life.

Awareness of the physical consequences of sex should be taught, as well as the fool-proof approach of abstinence, if practiced. But the emotional consequences should be heavily focused on; after all, it is emotion that often drives teens to sex. Teens may not think twice about abstaining from sex if they don’t get a STD or pregnant the first few times. However, if they are scarred emotionally, perhaps they will look back on the lessons taught in sex education and realize that, for once, the adults had a very good point.

Who is really teaching our kids?

I have moved all over the country and have never attended a school for more than two years.  Now this does not make me an expert on America's sexual education classes, but it does mean that i have experienced my fair share of them.  The classes that I attended ran the board from if we don't really talk about it you wont figure it out, to telling us absolutely everything, especially the parts we didn't want to hear about.  And the one sad thing I found to be true in my experience, the school that avoided the subject the most, was the school with the most pregnancies.  This doesn't mean that the whole school went out to have sex and get pregnant, just most of them. 

In and article for MSNBC by Molly Masland, the problem becomes a little more clear   "Sixty-six percent of American high school students have had sex by their senior year...According to the Centers for Disease Control and the Kaiser Family Foundation, approximately 65 percent of all sexually transmitted infections contracted by Americans this year will occur in people under 24. One in four new HIV infections occurs in people younger than 22."  So where is the disconnect?  

The schools tell us not to have sex, our parents tell us not to have sex, the media tells us to have sex, our friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, strangers on the street, all tell us to have sex.  And I have to admit, I learned more about sex from the people telling me to have it than any where else.  So if I'm getting the most information from those telling me its a good thing, whats to stop me? 

 I had one course at Lassiter High were I actually learned more about sex, I was already a senior in high school and didn't think that there was anything left for me to learn on this subject, I was proven wrong.  The school hired someone form out side to come in and teach the course, and the first words out of her mouth shocked us all, " sex is the best experience you will ever have in you life, if you do it right."  We couldn't believe the person who had come to tell us not to have sex was for it, before I had just kind of assumed the people teaching me sex ed had lived like nuns or something, this lady however, clearly hadn't.  She talked about everything and by the end of the class even the people who were already having sex were reconsidering, it was the best sex ed class I have ever taken, yet many times during the class I found myself wishing that this knowledge had been given to me sooner, because you see the knowledge didn't lead me to wanting to be a freewheeling whore, it lead me to confidence.  Confidence in an area and about a subject that I hadn't been confident before.  

We have to watch out for who is giving information to our kids.  When all they are hearing is the good wonderful side of sex then what is truly out there to stop them?  And if they don't know how to have safe sex, than what prevents them from catching a decease, or getting pregnant.  It has been said so many time it has become cliche, but still it is true, knowledge is power, and in this era, kids need all the power they can get to avoid the temptations surrounding them.

Teen Awareness

Teen pregnancy has been a major controversy in the United States for some time and according to resent studies, the United States has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the western industrialized world. Now I know there is sex education in schools, I've taken the course, but are they doing enough to get the point across. Some thirty-four percent of women get pregnant before the age of twenty, or basically during or right after high school. Is it the lack of commitment by the teacher or is it this new badass attitude found in high schools. Maybe what the educator should do is scare the fear of not only teen pregnancy but STDs by visual aid's. Not the pictures which have only managed often times to make young adults laugh but real life people living with these real life situations. After asking a fellow student what he thought about the situation he stated that information alone is not enough, they need to develop their habits by seeing, touching and experiencing. There is also the possibility that no matter what age and how often an educator pounds the facts of STDs and teen pregnancy in young adults skulls, they are still going to behave like they want with disregard to consequence. Should we have sex eduction in schools, why of course, then at least that way the kid knows what he or she is getting themselves into and they can't blame anyone but themselves. Take the responsibility of your own actions.     

      

When is the right time?

The teenage pregnancy, abortion, and birth rates have been slowly declining since 1991 according to advocatesforyouth.org. But still every year there are around 750,000 to 850,000 teenage women experience pregnancy, and 74-95% of those are unintentional. Although these numbers went down in the last couple of decades the number of teenage pregnancies is outstanding.
Sex Ed. has been a debate between schools over the years. In my high school we were taught Health in the 9th grade. It was partially Sex Ed. and partially facts on the human body. Although this was a required course you didn't actually had to take it your 9th grade year. When it came to the athletes they went and worked out while getting an A credit for the course. Some students got this partial information 9th grade, some eventually, and some not at all.
Most of us learn most of these facts from friends, family, and media. But some facts are not widely know. The record low for teen pregnancies was 43 out every 1000 women in 2002. That is almost 1 out of every 20 teens in the United States. The decreases in these numbers are not the product of the Sex Ed. classes but because of better contraceptives. So the reason teens are having less pregnancies are because of better ways to prevent it not because schools are teaching kids not have sex. Although nothing is going to stop people from having sex a proper education might prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. A study by the CDC reported the an astonishing 1 in 4 teen girls has an STD.
So how early should we start Sex Ed.? There is not really an exact answer for that but it definitely should be sooner than high school. As I went through middle school kissing a girl was a big deal. When I graduated high school I learned that you get to become popular in middle school by sleeping with older guys. A girl in 6th grade at a local elementary school had a child. In 6th grade I was thinking about the new PlayStation games and what was for lunch and not how I am going to take care of a child.

Teen Pregnancy Rates Are High, Awareness is Low

American teenagers have more pregnancies, births and abortions than teens in other industrialized countries. Approximately 4 million teens contract a sexually transmitted disease each year. About 820,000 girls become pregnant before they turn 20, 80 percent of which are unmarried, according to Grace Chen in her article “Teen Sex.” Teens are having sex. There is no doubt about that, so does it help that the government will not fund a sex education program teaching safe sex? 75 percent of parents say they would like for their children to be taught both abstinence and safe sex, though one third of U.S. high schools are teaching abstinence only sex education, while some others avoid the subject altogether. If sex education began in middle school and involved the topic of safe sex, the rate of teen pregnancies and STDs might be lower.

Like I said before, teens are having sex. Nothing can be done to stop it. According to the Center for Disease Control, 46.7 percent of U.S. high school students say they’ve had sex at least once during high school. Many middle school students are also admitting to engaging in oral sex.

Teaching safe sex would not be encouraging students to have sex, but rather to be safe if they do choose to so. Perhaps the rate of teen pregnancies and STDs would not be so high if teens knew how to use a condom, or better yet, what a condom is. In middle school the only sex education I got was watching disgusting slides of STDs and hearing that if I have sex I’ll get pregnant. Everyone in the school got the same classes, yet girls were still getting pregnant in middle school. The scare tactic did NOT work. Teaching safe sex will not solve the problem of teen pregnancy and STDs, but I do think it will lessen it. If teens are aware of the risks of having sex, as well as how to be safe, they are more likely to be smart about it.

Sex-Ed in Schools

Sex education is simple, yet complex. Knowing what sex is and how it can effect you is the simple part. The "birds and the bees" conversation covered just about everything I needed to know at the age of ten. The hard part seems to be the unsaid; the fact that not enough teenagers realize the emotional and psychological effects that come with having sex. So when should we begin to teach sex-ed? When we teach it, what exactly should be taught? I was taught the basic anatomy of males and females in the seventh grade. Then, I was taught basic health in ninth grade. After that, it was left up to the television, radio, and my peers to teach me the rest. I still find myself a bit naive and uneducated sometimes because I was not taught earlier on in my life. According to NPR, the Kasier Family Foundation, only seven percent of Americans think that sex education should be taught in schools. Fifteen percent think that only abstinence should be taught and that information on safe sex should be prohibited. Parents are discouraged by sex education because most believe that it provokes the thoughts of sexual intercourse. Forty-six percent say that abstinence should be taught, but safe sex should be taught as well. Though some teenagers do not abstain, they should know their safest options. The same poll asked the parents of seventh through twelfth graders what concerned them the most about their children partaking in sex. Thirty-six percent of the parents said that they fear that their children are having sex before they are psychologically and emotionally ready. It seems as if most parents want their children to know what they need to know before they step out into the great unknown. In all actuality, with what is on the television and by what their peers already know, children and teens are going to find out whether their parents approve or not. In other words, the best way to teach sex-ed would be to teach all aspects of sex including abstinence, safe sex, STDs, pregnancy, and the emotional and psychological attachment.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1622610

Assignment Due Wednesday, April 15

This blog's topic is sex-ed in public school. Do you think it should be taught? If so, at what grade level? And what content do you think should be included in the curriculum? This subject has been studied extensively. Make sure you do your research.

Internet is Great

Have you ever seen someone pulling out their phone to get on the internet? We have the best technology invented where news is with us all the time. Internet was first used in the Department of Defense for the military to find advanced research. Internet lines were sold in 1995 which was the generation of a new era. Internet was funded by the government; therefore, only education and government information could be accessed. Now with internet, anything can be accessed by typing in words. Our society and new generation is teleological; we’re a new thought. The internet is very useful in writing or researches or anything needed. It has given us a way to connect faster to information and in no way is bad. Why does it matter we are technologically dependent? I shouldn’t; the information is there for us. News faster is a good way for people in the world to know what’s going on with the rest of the world. All we can do is keep inventing new and better technology.

Technology: good or bad?

Its hard to believe with all the help that we get from technology that it could be bad for us.  Technology helps hundreds of people everyday.  It can help deaf people hear and lame people walk, it also place the world at the finger tips of out students; giving them the ability to learn about any thing they want and form their own options of the world with out just relying on their parents.  Technology is every where we now live in a world were it is hard to avoid it.   In an article for the New York Times about the dark side of technology Barnaby J. Feder states: "the catch is that any technology powerful enough to improve life radically is also capable of abuse and prone to serious, unanticipated side effects.  We have plenty of examples of this in our everyday society, take nuclear energy for example; was discovered in 1896 and in 1945 was used to cause mass destruction in Japan, and is now used to create energy for everyday use.  In their book, technoStress: Coping with technology @ Work @ Home @ Play, Michelle M. Weil, Ph.D. and Larry D. Rosen, Ph.D. assert that we count on out machines to do so much that when something goes wrong with our technology we are thrown into a tailspin.  This point was proven on Piedmont campus this past weekend when the internet went down and people couldn't figure out how to do their homework.  The internet is a wonderful tool that helps us connect to any thing in a heart beat until it goes down.  We have forgotten the value of books and how to use them.  We are so used to everything being at our finger tips that we don't want to have to work to find information any more.  While many of the new developments in technology excite me, stem cell research, gene analysis, the implications and possibilities for evil scare me and leave me wondering what kind of world my children will be living in.

Coexisting with the Third Technological Revolution

Since the introduction of the internet in the ‘90s the world is undergoing one of the biggest technological revolutions since the industrial revolution. With the internet came cell phones, iPods and many other technologies that help us connect to the exterior world with better ease, or simply help us out on our daily chores. Nobody in the 18th century wanted to go back to horses after the invention of the steam engine, so it’s no surprise that in the 21st century we all can’t help relying on technology.

Technology is like wine; it’s good for you only if taken in small doses. According to a survey on NPR.Org nearly all Americans have had access to a computer; 92% of Americans under 60 have used the Internet, and 81% use a computer at home or for work. As technology has undeniably become part of our lives, these figures are a positive response to the changes occurring to our society. However there are two sides to the issue; another survey on NPR.Org shows that at least 58% of Americans say computers have led people to spend less time with their families and friends. It is true that many people’s dependence to these innovations has cast technology in bad light. However, just like alcohol, the blame is not on the object of dependence but on the consumer to make good use of it.

The technological revolution has made a radical change in our present society, and I believe it has been a positive impact. Technology was meant to assist and simplify our lives; therefore, if used in moderation, individuals can learn to serenely balance their lives with the help of technology.

The Techno-Communism

In the current society today if you are not texting, posting, blogging, or tweeting you are pretty much an outcast. But is the mobile world destroying today's youth?
As technologies improve everyday more people are getting addicted to their gadgets. People just can't put down their phones and not text or Facebook for even a minute. The new technologies keep us busy and occupied for hours but they also detracts us from other things such as homework or a job. Personally I find myself distracted from my job and homework constantly as emails and text are showing up every minute. I constantly see teachers getting on to students for texting in class and some even enforce strict rules just to make people pay attention in class.
Many technologies have good and bad effects. Video games are loved by kids and hated by most parents. Although they keep kids entertained, build hand-eye coordination, and teach them teamwork they also consume hours of time and become a dangerous addiction. Parents are finding their kids playing games for hours into the night and even refusing regular food just so they don't disappoint their teammates.
Video games, social networking, and cell phones are connecting today's society but potentially ruining family morals. We are always connected and constantly meeting new and interesting people but spending half your free time telling others what you are doing every minute of the day just isn't what the youth needs today.

During the course of writing this blog I conducted an experiment. I answered 22 text messages, checked my email and eBay 9 times, and checked Facebook and my PayPal account twice. I think I among many others are technology addicts with no hope.

Technology Makes Us Smarter

There is no doubt that society as a whole is dependent on technology, but is this a good or bad thing? Many of us are constantly connected to something, whether it be the internet, an Ipod, a cell phone, or television. I know I wouldn’t know what to do without my precious technology. I wake up in the morning to my cell phone, get ready to my Ipod, and depend on my computer and the Internet for school. It’s great that we have this technology, but is it good to depend on it? Yes. I think our dependence on technology has actually had a positive impact on society by making us smarter.

In his book, Everything Bad is Good for You, Steven Johnson discusses the idea of the Sleeper Curve. Basically, The Sleeper Curve is Johnson’s theory on how technology is making us smarter. He first takes a look at video games and the effects of that technology on kids. Video games are getting much more complex. Kids get bored with PacMan and instead want games that are more interactive. Many claim that this dependence children have on video games will make them become loners, or not know how to interact socially, but according to Johnson, studies are showing that the gaming population is actually more social, confident, and more comfortable solving problems creatively. The same concept applies to other technology as well.

We have to be smart enough to keep up with all the new advances in technology that we rely upon so heavily. We have to know how to use the newest IPod touch. Our dependence on technology is causing us to learn how to adapt to things faster and as a result, we are smarter. This is good for us.

So I ask again: Is our dependence on technology bad for us? No. We rely on it and we recognize that fact. It’s this dependence on technology that’s causing us to expand our knowledge and create all these new gadgets to play with. In his book, Upgrade Me, Brian Clegg talks about how we have been adapting everything to fit our needs for centuries. Everything humans depended on in the past was changed to better fit our needs. I think it’s the same with technology. We have adapted clothing to fit our every need and that’s all we’re doing with newer technologies. It’s a good thing.

Really an Addiction?

It’s not unusual today to hear about kids getting in trouble in class for text messaging . Or for sending instant messages through the computer. And when Christmas rolls around, parents are lined up to buy their kids the newest video games and electronic gadgets.

Face it; we are a society that is dependent on technology. Adults are well aware of the crucial role technology plays in our every day lives. However, if we are so dependent on it now, what will it be like for our children? More importantly, is what they are walking into an addiction?

According to a survey done by Disney, 81 percent of parents set up an email account for their kids, 59 percent have allowed their children to send IMs and 48 percent started letting their kids use a cell phone at age 5 or under.

Eight and a half hours a day – the average time a young person spends around digital technology. Dr Gary Small, author of “iBrain: Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind” says that the constant exposure to such technology as videogames and blackberries not only alters a person’s life, but their brain as well. While it can produce a positive effect on the brain and useful computer networking skills, it also can possibly worsen attention, contribute to slothfulness, decrease social skills and ultimately – evolve into an addiction.

Can it be stopped? I doubt it. It looks as though we are breeding generations of intelligent but potentially socially awkward, detached, obese members of society. But perhaps the addiction can be curbed. Parents need to encourage creativity and outdoor play. Families need to spend more time together, and books need to be read once more.

Technology can do almost everything; it connects you, gives you answers, and does your budget. It can almost even think for you. When our children are running this country, what if it finally does?

Assignment due Wednesday, April 1

Are we too dependent on technology? Now that the Internet is back up, you can do lots of research to answer this question.

Creation vs Evolution

Creation is the religious belief of how people came about on the earth. Evolution is the scientific theory that people evolved from other species. It is up to the own individual mind to believe either one, yet should we teach both in the class room? Creation is a religious belief, therefore it is taught in church. Evolution is a scientific theory, therefore it should be taught in the class room. Science is not religion. Evolution is also part of history as well as creation, but creation is religious history. Everything boils down to religion verses reason. For creation, we believe that God created the earth and man. For evolution, Charles Darwin gave us a theory of how we evolved from another creature. We teach other scientific theories, so children should be taught the evolution theory. Whether or not they believe this theory is left up to themselves. I believe it is unethical to force religious beliefs upon anyone, but I think it is also wise to teach children the difference between theory and religion. This way they can learn to think for themselves. It is not a matter of what is right or wrong, but it is a matter of faith and what the individual believes. Neither one of these beliefs have been proven with evidence, therefore we can only reside to our own faith as to how we got to where we are.

Science vs. God?

For many years now there has been the debate about what should be taught in public schools.  Evolution vs. Creation, no matter what you believe in there is no doubt that there is a time and place for everything, even the bible agrees with this, which brings up the question, are public schools the place the be teaching religion?  My answer is no.  Evolution is a scientific theory and should be taught as such is a science classroom setting.  Privet schools are allowed a certain amount of slack in many of the rules that public school need to follow and if a parent truly has a problem with exposing their child to a well rounded education than they can find a school that supports their belief and send their child there.  I believe, however, that one of the purpose of school is to expose students to different ideas and conventions that they wouldn't necessarily encounter elsewhere.  In some cases the theory of evolution is one of those ideas.   I think it is very important for people and children specifically to be exposed to many different ideas and thought processes.  I really do believe that this helps them learn to reason and think for them selves, which is what every parent wants, an independent, free thinking child that doesn't jump of the bridge just because Joe did.  If you believe in creation there are plenty of opportunities for you to explain this belief to your child, but religion does not need to be taught in a public school.

Belief or Science

In schools all across America, contraversie between teaching evolution or creationism in the classroom has occuard all to often. Just in the past few years the Kansas Board of Education reinsated evolution, the Big Bang theroy and plate tectonics to the curriculum after being removed just over a year before. But why where they removed? Was it do to their historical evidence or is it their present day relevance in everyday life. I have lived through a couple of earthquakes and I'm gonna have to say plate tectonics had every thing to do with it, not the creator of the earth. Evolution has been a credited science since the late 1800s and yet today it is still not tought to the fullest in classrooms. Something that has been proven over many years is still not seen as truth by much of the nation. Yet creationisum which basicly states something one divine creator made what we see today. Where is the proff in that. Have you ever talked to or seen this divine creator. As of now religious history can be tought in classrooms but not religion its self. I'm fine with that decision. I just don't see why evolution can't be taught as well. Give the child the choice, its their life.

Theory vs. Religion

Evolution vs. Creation has two sides that can be argued effectively both ways, but Evolution in the classroom always wins. Evolution is a scientific theory discovered first in 600 B.C. Charles Darwin began to observe the relationships of plants and animals around the world. Darwin’s theory states species can change and develop into other species overtime.
Genesis 1:1 says “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth”. Creation is not said to be a scientific theory but creation is a religion of Christianity. Because Christianity is a religion, does not that mean when it’s taught in public schools we are violating the Constitution? Yes, we are violating the “separation of church and state”. When Thomas Jefferson made the Constitution, he was protecting Christians from being persecuted for their religion. This also means religions can’t be brought into public schools. Evolution is a theory because it’s still not proved. Christianity should not be brought into schools because we don’t earn Islam or Atheism or any other religion. Children should know about Evolution to be well rounded students. Religions will still be taught in churches and Evolution will still be taught in schools. Then there is no violation of the Constitution.

Disagreeing with Genesis

Since the 1980s, the United States has passed laws promoting the theory of creationism and intelligent design in public education as an alternative to the theory of evolutionism, or presenting the flaws of the latter. The debate on whether creationism and evolution should be taught in public education has generated extremely separate opinions within the country. I support the education of evolutionism in public schools, and I strongly disagree in teaching creationism as an alternative to Darwin’s theory.

The theory of creationism and intelligent design establishes the Christian God as creator of the universe, while evolutionism offers a scientific explanation and the concept of natural selection. The appeal to include both theories in public education is understandable, as creationism is a firm belief for many Christians, and teaching the two theories allows students to understand separate viewpoints. However I disagree with this position of the discussion, as it presents various flaws.

The mistake within this debate is the confusion of belief with fact. Among the supporters of creationism and intelligent design in public schools was President George W. Bush; on an article on the New York Times Bush said "I think that part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought." The inconsistency of this side of the debate lays exactly in how they view the two theories; unlike creationism, which is a mere belief as it has no testimony or evidence, evolutionism is not a school of thought or an opinion, it is a scientifically proven theory on which humankind's progress is based on.

I believe the only theory to be taught at public schools should be evolutionism, as it is the only theory with scientific proof. Another issue with creationism is the Christian God’s role as the creator; including creationism in public education would not be democratic, as not all the population in the United States embraces the Christian religion, and it would be unfair to impose a single religion’s belief on the entire nation.

Crevolution

The die-hard Christians are screaming Creation in schools, while others scream Evolution. The never ending argument of a simple issue doesn't seem to want to end. Should we teach an alternate theory of man or stick to the science?

I personally think that the answer is absolutely not. I have multiple reasons for this somewhat harsh statement. When I went to high school I had science all four years. Anything from Physical Science to AP Biology. All those classes had a something in common, they were all science. That's what Evolution is, pure science.

School is meant for teaching basic subject like math and science, and not for bible class. Religion isn't a subject its a choice. If you want to learn religion you should go to Sunday School but you shouldn't have to hear it five days a week.

People don't seem to realize that religion varies from person to person but scientific fact is same from here to China. When I send my children to school I want them to know the science behind this planet. If some parents prefer theirs to be taught a different theory then there is a class every Sunday morning and Wednesday night.

It's all About Faith.

We’ve all heard the commotion that religion has caused in our school systems in past years. Moments of silence have been stamped out. The pledge is now deemed a form of worship. Religion has no place in the classroom, does it?

If you answered no, then you fail to see the reality that religion is already in the classroom -a religion based on the belief of science.

Science is an amazing and wonderful thing when it comes to understanding how this earth works. However, when it comes to the origins of this world, creation should be taught in the classroom as another explanation for life.

Science and creation both take faith to understand the origin of life. While science can prove many things by observing and testing them, it cannot prove things of the distant past beyond a doubt. They must gather many articles of evidence that are carefully pieced together like a puzzle. Yet pieces are always missing. And so, a theory is created..

However, it is always changing and nothing is proof positive.

Creationists view things from a different perspective generally, and accept that some things are beyond our explanation. The evidence to them is in nature and mankind itself.

Science often tends to leave out the fine print. What it masquerades as truth is just an educated guess. Mankind didn’t witness the birth of this universe. When it comes down to it, there are only two presuppositions one can have – a belief that life is just chance or, that God created all and science is merely commentary.

Faith. They both require faith. For that reason, they should both be taught in school. The understanding and conscious decision of what to believe should be left up to the student. Let them be the one to choose who is greater – man, or God?

Evolution is Science

It's a battle that has been going on for years and there is no end is in sight. This is the battle of evolution versus creation. By the words of the Constitution, we are not supposed to teach the theory of creationism in public schools. The theory of evolution is considered science, so it is okay to include it in the curriculum (according to the government). This is not to say I oppose the theory of creation, but I believe that public schools should stick to the facts of science and continue to teach evolution in schools.

According to his article in Time Magazine entitled "Dumping on Darwin", Michael D. Lemonick, states that nearly half of all adults in the United States reject the Darwinian theory of evolution, and favor the story of creation presented in the Old Testament book of Genesis. This poses an important question. Is half the population opposing the theory because they truly disagree with it, or because they are not well informed? Some adults cannot give a detailed description as to what the Darwinian Theory entails. For this reason, I believe students should learn the facts of evolution if for no other reason than to be informed on the scientific aspect, since that’s what we’re in school to learn.

I do not think Evolution should be taught as a fact, but rather for exactly what it is, a theory. It is important to realize that there are flaws in the theory, gaps that cannot be filled in, and occurrences that cannot be fully explained. For example, Michael Behe, a professor of biochemistry at Lehigh University argues that many of the human organs are too complex to be a product of evolution. However, there is also a strong argument against this from the scientific community stating that there is sufficient evidence to throw out this claim. Many animals have very sophisticated organ systems and ours could very easily have evolved from this. There is no doubt that humans have evolved in smaller ways over the last century, so why couldn’t they evolve in this manner over thousands of years?

In 1995 the Alabama board of Education started requiring all biology text books in public schools to include an insert. It states, “the word ‘evolution’ may refer to many types of change”, and it goes on to say, “evolution also refers to
the unproven belief that random, undirected forces produce a world of living things."

I think this is a great point to include because it suggests that there is another theory out there, but no overtly religious statements are made. It sticks to the science and the facts and that is just what we need.

Assignment due Wednesday, March 18th

For your fourth blog, you're going to step into the debate on evolution vs. creationism. The specific question you are to answer is whether evolution or creationism (or both or neither) should be taught in public schools. Before writing your blog, make sure you arm yourself with enough information so that you can understand the arguments on either side. Remember that no matter how passionate you are about your opinion, the other side will also have some legitimate points to make.

Black history month was a view made reality by a man named Carter G. Woodson. First named Negro History and Literature week, renamed Negro Achievement Week, was established in 1924. Woodson worked over nearly twenty years in order to prove that African Americans have played a crucial role in the development of this country. I believe that Woodson was in the right trying to make his dream possible. African Americans have played a tremendous role in this countries history. First with bringing diversity to and other ideas to a one sided country. Many everyday products we use today were brought to us from blacks from peanut butter to air-conditioners. Now today we have been blessed with our first African American President Barack Obama. But the question is, do we need Black History Month anymore and my answer is no. With the advancment of colored people working in government and other high power jobs, the biased and unjust desicans against Africans can now become equal. I believe now that with Whites and Blacks sitting side by side, president by vice president, the nation has showed we understand the importance of African Americans. A whole month to remined us is no loger needed.

What message does Black history month really send?

Miss. Black America, Black History month, Black TV Online, what are we teaching our children with these?  I believe it is time to reunite America.  We have just elected our first African American President and I know that is not prof positive that we have changed and are as a nation completely done with the racism that has plagued us, however I believe that it is prof of progress and a willingness to change.  I believe it is time to start taking the race matter out of the spot light, maybe if we don't make such a big deal out of the fact that I'm Native American and my best friend is African American we will be able to move past the ugliness.  I think we need to study all the wonderful achievements of blacks in history but no more so than any other race.  Black History month was started in 1924 after Carter G. Woodson discovered that change could not be made just by concentrating on the academic community.  I believe that in the past it was necessary and helpful, however I don't think that is the case anymore.  We have a month of most nationalities in the country but none are celebrated like black history month, most people don't even know that the others exist.  I honestly believe that where black history month and Miss. Black America were once needed to make life fair and to bring attention to important issues, I don't believe that to be the case anymore. I think that it is time in history to take the emphasis off race and start putting back on to the character of the person.

Black History Means More Than a Month

Black History Month was originally one week that was created in 1926. One of its purposes was to ensure that students were being taught black history, seeing as how many noteworthy African-Americans were not even mentioned in most history books. It is obvious that our country has come a long way since then, especially considering the election of President Barack Obama.  

This certainly does not mean that racism has ended, but it does mean that we have come to a place where Black History Month is no longer needed. The history of an entire race of people should not just be confined to a month. In an interview with 60 Minutes, actor Morgan Freeman said, "I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history." So, every month should be Black History Month. 

Ending Black History Month would be a sign that we are ready to learn about and celebrate the achievements of African-Americans throughout the year. Not only that, but people should also take the time throughout the year to learn about many different races and cultures. 

Black History Month No Longer Needed

Black History Month started as a way to make sure Americans knew the history of African Americans who were left out of text books. Today, blacks and whites are both discussed in all American history classes; therefore, Black History Month is no longer needed. Every month Americans should embrace learning about the history of blacks, whites, and every other race on the globe. Now in America, the majority of people view all races as equal, so there is no need to segregate a single month for the learning of one races history.
Black history month started in 1926 as “Negro History Week”. It was later changed to an entire month because it gained national popularity. February was picked for Black History Month for a number or reasons. The second week of February was chosen as “Negro History Week” because it was the week that included the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglas, two pioneers in the area of African American history. February is also significant because the 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed in February 1870, giving African American men the right to vote. W. E. B. Dubois and Malcolm X were also born in February. These dates and events should be just a few of the many things that have happened in the history of blacks in every month of the year. These events should be studied and celebrated along with many other events throughout the entire year, not just limited to one month. Therefore, we no longer need a Black History Month in America.

Keep your Heads Nappy

Once, only a week long; after years of fights for equality Black history has earned a full month to be commemorated. However, the debate is open on whether it’s still relevant to maintain a month of celebration on the history of African Americans.

Black History Months was established in 1929, in order to celebrate the importance of African americans in the history of the United States, and help blacks integrate with American culture. Another reason was because blacks never gained appropriate recognition in text books until the 20th century, hoping a national celebration could help cover such a gap.

According to an article on DiversityInc, Reverend Ron Page claimed that “Without it, the young generation coming forth, the young people that are walking the road right now, would not have the wisdom or the incentive to really understand the price that was paid for them to be able to go through many of the doors that they're walking through.”
I disagree.

A national month cannot transmit the young generations the importance of their origins. Learning to understand your past and seeking your roots is a deeper process than the ones utilize during Black History Month; such as watching movies, going on field trips, or partying. Young African Americans should remember who they are every time they step out of their door, and not only during the cold month of February through fun activities.

Another recent event that could lead to the certainty that Black History Month is not needed anymore is the nation’s election of the first African American president. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, blacks and African Americans are the second largest minority in the United States. Although still considered a minority, blacks are now a fully integrated ethnicity in the country, and we no longer need to celebrate them as a minority.

Awareness or an Unnecessary Event?

Black History Month first stared as "Negro History Week' back in 1926 and later blossomed into a month long event. But for many years there has been a major controversy about the necessity of this event. In the early years of Black History Month much awareness was raised and this event seemed like a good idea but in the recent times were racism is almost non-existent many doubt the necessity of this tradition. In the current generation informing people about the history of the African-Americans is virtually pointless. Ever since we step into to school we are taught history of whites, blacks, and any other religion mashed together, organized by chronological order and not the color of their skin.

There has been some serious controversial points made even by the members of the African-American community. Morgan Freeman, an actor, considers the whole affair as a shallow ritual, and it undermines the contention that black history is American history. I can strongly agree with that statement because that the African-American culture cannot be the only one with its own history month. If you are going to make a minority history month you should include other races such as Hispanics and Native Americans.

I believe that black history is very important to our education but they should not single out the African-Americans when dedicating a whole month to them. Other minority cultures deserve to have a month dedicated to their culture, considering some of these minorities were here before anyone else.

Where's the Unity?

A little bit of Dutch. A portion of Scotch-Irish. A tad German, and a smidge of Cherokee. I guess I’m what you call a down right mutt. My heritage is scattered and thinned down. My history is vague and distant to me. There’s never been much attention focused on the different histories of my ancestors, except what I have learned in school. Right now we’re in the middle of Black History month. After seeing all the promotion for it I began to wonder – what about my history?

Many today question whether or not we should still celebrate Black History month. To me, Black History month is a month well-served. African-Americans need to know the adversities their ancestors have endured, the triumphs accomplished and all the stories that their ancestors have to tell. As do the rest of the nation. Dedicating a month and ensuring public awareness is a great way to keep it all alive. The question is, what about the rest of our heritages?

There are probably not too many people that are aware that November is National American Indian Month. Or that European Heritage Month is in April. And probably very few people know that October is German-American Heritage month. What I want to know is where are the commercials in November reminding us that it is National American Indian Month? Where are the banners on the internet or national recognition in schools?

Black History month is extremely well recognized throughout the nation. I think it’s great. However, we all need to be aware of the history of the many diverse heritages that make up our country and helped create this country. All of our ancestors have been through struggles and victories. Each heritage has its own story to tell and lessons to be learned. For those reasons we should continue to celebrate Black History Month, yet we should also start focusing on promoting the different months dedicated to different heritages. If we give equal attention to all heritages, then knowledge and appreciation of our pasts can be embraced. Differences can be more understood. And once you have understanding, the goal of unity is one step closer.

Stop Segregating History

It all started as an attempt to educate Blacks about their history and culture, as well as to shed light upon the role blacks played in American history. But, in this day and age, is it really necessary to have a whole month dedicated to the history that is now an integral part of the history curriculum everywhere?

I have nothing against blacks, or any other race for that matter, and I genuinely appreciate their contributions to this society, both today and in our history. Black history is a part of American history and we are learning all about this history year round, not just February. So, do we really need this month dedicated to learning black history when we’re already learning it in class? As Rochelle Riley of freep.com puts it, “it’s time to stop celebrating, learning and being Americans separately”. We stopped segregating schools 40 years ago, so now it is time to stop separating our history.

In an interview with 60 Minutes, Morgan Freeman, an African American, states that he thinks black history month is “ridiculous”. He does not want a black history month because black history is American history and should not be “relegated to one month”.

Several races and ethnic groups played a big part in American history, but we do not have a month for Hispanic, Jewish or French history. I am not trying to take anything away from the blacks, but I do not believe it is necessary to have a month dedicated to black history. It all started as a way to make everyone aware of the contributions African Americans have made to our history and it was effective. The rich cultural history of blacks is everywhere in text books now, so I think black history month has accomplished what it was established to do. Let’s stop separating ourselves and learn American history as a whole.

Not Just Black History Needs Recognition.

Black History Month has been a celebration since 1926. Since then we have had integration, the signing of the Civil Rights Acts, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Malcom X and now, President Barack Obama. I do believe that the celebration of this culture is important and should never be forgotten, however, I think a month is a little much.

John Ridley, a correspondent for National Pubic Radio (NPR) says, "Now I happen to believe that Black History Month is a set-aside. But the reason it is a set-aside is because even in 2009, most schools do a poor job of integrating black history-or Hispanic history or Asian-American history- into their yearly curriculum. Are kids really taught about the Nisei brigade or Executive Order 9066, the Trail of Tears or the National Farm Workers Association?" Ridley goes on to say, "This isn't the history of one ethnicity. It's our history. And until our history is fully explored throughout the school year, then Black History Month remains relevant."

I agree to disagree with Ridley. There is no question the black, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, Latino and all other ethnicity's should be celebrated. If we took a month to celebrate each one, however, there goes the year. Do we just cut out all the other holidays? What will we tell the kids? We, as a nation, need to realize that we need to celebrate our American History. As Ridley said "It's our history." therefore, we need to celebrate how far we, as a people have come.

Black History month celebrates one group of people, it is not the celebration of Executive Order 9066, the Trail of Tears or the National Farm Workers Association, if it was then it wouldn't be Black History Month. Instead it might be American History month or even the Month of Political and Government Decisions Month. In a perfect world, right? In the end Black History Month remains but we need also to account for all the other ethnicity's that have contributed to the building of our United States of America.

Assignment Due Wednesday, February 18

We'll blog this week in recognition of Black History Month. Do you think a Black History Month is still needed? In your research, explore the history of Black History Month itself, and find out what experts are saying on the issue.

Class Scheduling

Going to class five days a week is just beginning to become a hassle. This will be my fifteenth year reunion with this scheduling and this is a reunion I wouldn't mind having to experience again.

As of now, Piedmont offers fifty minute Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes, one hour and fifteen minute Tuesday Thursday class and night classes that last up to four hours. From my experiences these times are either to short for a class to long for a class or too long for a human attention span to keep a person awake.

Ever Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I walk into English with Dr. Almagno and by the end of ever class she states to use how we need more then fifty minutes to talk about historical writers and books we have read. I agree with her fully. But if we lengthen the class period of fifty minute classes I don't expect to be going three times a week like we are presently.

To go without a Friday class would be my favorite scenario but it is a far fetched dream. While looking up facts for Friday class I found many article from the University of Missouri that mentioned with no class on Friday, college students are more like to begin drinking earlier. You would think this would have any affect at an already dry campus but people work around it. Due to this article i find it hard to ever get ride of friday class.

Lastly are the four hour night classes. As said by Mike Peterson "Are kids even getting their moneys worth, I mean half the time the class is let out an hour early which to me isn't getting my moneys worth." Also the average attention span is close to 20 minutes for adults as said by NewsWise.com. This struck me by surprise due to the fact that I have never had a twenty minute class so how much information do I actually retain. How much information have I lost due to these class times. I guess well probably never know.

Happy Medium

Class times seem to be an issue between students and teachers. Some teachers claim that their period times are too short and they cannot get the material out to their students. I can agree with that statement because I feel that sometimes the class is cut short in a middle of an important segment and staying over to get the rest of the information down is usually not an option because of other classes that are starting in ten minutes and students sometimes have to leave immediately to make it to the next class.
So what to do? If we eliminate Friday classes and have 1 hour and 15 minute classes Monday through Thursday the class times will be extended and the teachers can get more material in to the students.
But what will the students think of this change. I personally enjoy 50 minute classes to those of an1 hour and 15 minute class. Some of the classes that I am taking are well-made for a longer class such as my TV classes. But my history class just seems too long; I would prefer a shorter history class because after an hour I feel like banging my head against the wall.
If we cannot reach a compromise I believe that core classes, such as English and History, should be offered in more convenient time slots.

Time to Sleep

Class is boring but we have to go. I’ve been in classes where my head nods and I don’t realize I’m falling asleep until I jump when I wake up and almost fall out of my chair; I’m sure I’m not the only one. This happens with the classes that are too long. Why have Psychology classes for 1 hour and 15 minutes? I can’t remember everything a professor says in that amount of time; the professor can’t even stay focused for that amount of time. Yet we have tests with information never talked about in class. Were not all genuses’s who know everything; were here to learn. Piedmont needs to look at the schedule and put classes that can last 1 hour and 15 minutes on Tuesday and Thursday. Dr. Stephanie Almagno, a professor at Piedmont, talked to Dean of Piedmont about our schedule. He told Dr. Almagno Spanish needed less time so the students can remember what they were taught for the next class, yet there are still Spanish classes that are night classes, which last up to 5 hours, and Tues and Thursday classes. How can the students remember with the class that long? I have talked to students at Piedmont, I can’t give their names, and they have told me History and English are the 2 general classes where the professor’s don’t run out of information to teach. If Piedmont keeps this schedule the way it is now, people will still be like me, nodding off in their sleep and wishing they were somewhere else.

Too long or not long enough

Are classes at Piedmont really working for all of the students or can they be better?  I don't think that a 50 min class is quite long enough.  I came from a high school with block scheduling and the classes were longer at high school than they are here.  A 50 min class is more like a tease than a real class.  You are in the room just long enough for the teacher to go over the assignment from the night before and then the assignment for the coming night and that's the class.  In my mind college classes were supposed to be more about learning and bouncing ideas off of other people and learning from your professors experiences and not just about at home do it yourself work.  In my opinion it would be more helpful to have longer classes less days a week.  Tuesday and Thursday classes are 1 hr and 15 min long and I think this is a more appropriate length for a class.  If Monday, Wednesday, and Friday classes changed to only meet on Monday and Wednesday for an hour and 15 min than I think that not only would we learn more but we would have time to really interact in our classes.  Not only that but it would probably cut down on people cutting classes.  Right now my smallest classes all happen on Fridays, if people are going to skip that seems to be the day to do it.  I really think that this would be a much better schedule for the classes and would help the students learn and retain more information rather than trying to figure it out on our own in our rooms.