(AA2) Guarunteed Freedom of Speech?

The Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of speech. It’s in the first amendment and arguably one of the most important. What happens when that right is compromised? Well, let’s see what Thrin Short, a 16 year old girl who made a pro-life demonstration on the University of California at Santa Barbara campus March 4^th. Feminism Prof. Mireille Miller-Young allegedly broke up the demonstration in a violent manner.  As of right now, there are two petitions circulating. “The one backing the professor, who has been charged with battery and vandalism, has more than 2,000 signatures, while the one in support of Short has 150, according to The College Fix.” FOX News stated. Katherine Wehler, a theater and feminist studies major, told the site, “The last thing we need are these people invading our community.” Katherine Wehler also stated that, “pro-lifers with graphic images of aborted fetuses such as Short and her sister carried are like “domestic terrorists.” A petition circulating around the community is in favor of Miller-Young’s termination. The petition reads, “This is about someone who violated the law in several ways, disregarded the idea of freedom of speech, and tarnished the image of the UCSB.” The petition is not in favor of pro-life support, but stating that they are in support of freedom of speech and the right to assembly. “They talk about prioritizing the safety of our campus involving activists, yet it’s our professor that attacks somebody,” UCSB student Katie Devlin told The College Fix. “I think it’s just the contrast that she is a feminist professor and stands for protecting women, yet she attacks a young girl.” The two sisters were demonstrating in a free speech zone when the professor attacked. “Before she grabbed the sign, she was mocking me and talking over me in front of the students, saying that she was twice as old as me and had three degrees, so they should listen to her and not me,” Thrin Short wrote in an email to FoxNews.com earlier this month. “Then she started the chant with the students about ‘tear down the sign.’ When that died out, she grabbed the sign.” The professor walked through 2 campus buildings and was trying to use the elevator to get the sign far away from Short. While Short was trying to stop the elevator and get her sign back, the professor pushed her three times. FOX News states, “Miller-Young was charged last month by the Santa Barbara County district attorney's office with misdemeanor counts of theft, battery and vandalism. She pleaded not guilty last week.”

(AA1) Keep Calm and Refuse the NYS Tests

It’s not every day that a new system of testing gets put into place. Yes, I’m talking about Common Core. What exactly is Common Core? Well FOX News states, “Common Core was adopted by 45 states, although Indiana withdrew last month. The set of standards, devised by the nation's school superintendents at the behest of the National Governors Association, seeks to set a uniform standard for grades K-12, to ensure kids all over the nation reach the same minimum level of learning.” New York decided to take early action and implement the plan year early. The testing is limited to grades 3-8 as well as high school. FOX News states, “Critics say the standards end up dictating curriculum, and thus taking power away from local districts and parents.” There are many teachers and other faculty who think Common Core is a waste of resources. The new sets of textbooks that are associated with Common Core are alleged to have been politicized. A mother in Lancaster, NY actually refused to let her child partake in the testing. She taught her 4^th grader, Benjamin, a lesson in civil disobedience. Heidi Indelecato “respectfully refused to participate in the test.” FOX News said, “So while other kids sat poised with their No. 2 pencils above Scantron sheets, Benjamin studied with his mother, who documented the occasion with a picture of the pair wearing T-shirts that read: "Keep calm and and refuse the NYS tests.”” Indelecato said, “I feel like I’m teaching him leadership and strong self-confidence, qualities that I feel are good for the development of a young child,” she said. “I’m trying to instill in him that sometimes it’s important to be polite but disobedient. Sometimes it’s needed because the leaders are not always going to be right.” Parents are given the option to opt-out their children from taking the 90 minutes tests. If that’s the case, the 90 minutes the kids have are not allowed to be spent doing homework or reading. Does this mean that the district is indirectly trying to persuade the parents into letting their children take the tests. FOX News stated, “On Monday, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, who is running for governor of New York, released an online video in which he had harsh words for the Common Core standards and announced that he would not have his children participate in the round of testin” Astorino told FOX News, "It's one size fits all and that's not how children learn. Because we are opposed to the Common Core does not mean we are opposed to bettering standards."  Astorino said that he is not opposed to raising the standards for public schools. He is suggesting that the rules be set at a local level.

Y2 CookieCott 2014

One of the many favorite times of the year is Girl Scout Cookie time. It’s when you see your favorite cousin or niece, or even daughter, go around selling everyone’s favorite cookies around the community. Unfortunately, there is a Girl Scout Cookie boycott going on right now. Who would ever want to deny one of the few simple pleasures of the world? Well, anti-abortion groups are extremely angry over the apparent support for abortion-rights advocates, such as Democratic Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis. FOX News says, “The groups have taken issue with tweets and Facebook postings that link to articles recognizing Davis, who shot to political stardom last year with a filibuster of abortion limits, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, another Democrat who supports abortion rights.” John Pisciotta, director of Pro-Life Waco and organizer of the so-called CookieCott 2014, says that although the Girl Scouts claim to have no position on the standing issue of abortion, they have never given any pro-life leaders and praise. FOX News said, “The Girl Scouts do not endorse politicians or take stands on political issues, spokeswoman Kelly Parisi said Tuesday. The posts were meant to encourage people to get involved in discussions about the top newsmakers of 2013, which many people were referring to as the year of women, Parisi said.” One of the tweets that were deemed offensive was a question for nominees for Woman of the Year. The tweet was “linked to a Huffington Post discussion on the subject in which Davis was mentioned prominently. A post on the organization's Facebook page linked to a Washington Post list of influential women that included Sebelius.” The Scouts official position is neutral when it comes to abortion. Should pro-life advocates look so deeply into the small acts of the Girl Scouts? Or are they mad that they aren’t receiving any praise from a well-known organization? Buying Girl Scout cookies helps those who are Girl Scouts, and helps spread their goodness throughout the community. The people in charge of the Girl Scouts make executive decisions that are most likely not influenced by the girls’ opinions. Should we punish them?

Y1 Teacher comes back from spring break a new person, literally.

How would you feel if you went away for spring break, and one of your teachers came back into the classroom as a different gender? Well, that’s what one teacher at a California High school will be doing. The teacher, Gary Sconce, told the district that he will be returning to the school as his true self. He will be going by the name of Karen Adell Scot. Parents of students at a California high school are reacting to news that a long-time male high school science teacher is going to return after spring break as a woman. "When you aren't who you really are, it's like being smothered. It's like being rolled in a wave, if you've ever been rolled in a wave in the ocean where you can't find your way up, you don't know which direction you've been turned," Scot told the station. He is 56 years old—a husband, a father, and an award-winning teacher who has been educating for 24 years. FOX News said, “School district Superintendent James Sargent announced that Sconce was "in the midst of gender transition" in a March 19 letter to the parents of all 650 students at Yosemite High, the Fresno Bee reported.” One community resident was extremely opposed to the gender transition. She wrote on the Bee that, "I see this as an assault on the minds and morals of our children. It blurs the lines of what is right and wrong.” Scot is trying to handle this situation as gently as possible. FOX News states, “The paper quoted Scot as saying that kind of intolerance is what causes many transgendered people to commit suicide, or become victims of violence or murder. Scot said he won't be ‘pushing any social agenda" with students and will continue to "run a conservative and disciplined class.’” No one is reporting how the current students are responding to the situation. Some of the parents are pulling their kids out of the class, though. Former students are appalled and are not quite sure how to react. The staff is feeling a little bit uncomfortable, but most of them are very understanding of the situation. This opens up a case for tolerance and causes traditional values to compete with the ever changing society.

S2 Is your first choice an option anymore?

If you're a senior in high school, chances are you're not going to attend your first choice college. That's just the reality of it. That's quite shocking for those students that aren't in the top 10% of their class. The other 90% of the class gets the short end of the stick. The number of students that actually went to their first choice college has been the lowest in 4 decades. Why is this number suddenly dropping so much? The cost of tuition is rising considerably and the availability of financial aid is slimming down to barely anything. FOX News writes, "The annual survey released Wednesday, conducted by UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute, found that while more than three-quarters of those who started college last fall were admitted to the school they most wanted to attend, only 57 percent ended up going to their top school. That was the lowest rate in the 39 years that the institute has asked first-time freshmen if they enrolled at their dream college...Although many colleges are turning to online courses as a way to reduce costs and the time it takes to earn a degree, the survey showed that the idea was not very popular with students. Fewer than 7 percent indicated there was a very good chance they would take an online course offered by their college. The percentage was twice as high, however, among students at historically black colleges and universities." In my opinion though, if I'm paying for an education, I want to get the whole experience. College teaches life lessons that can't be gained any other way.

(S1) Would you take a year off before college if you were paid?

First off, you should consider why so many students end up taking a year off. One website, www.campusexplorer.com, gives 10 reasons why students should take a “gap year.” First of all, you have spent the last 13 years of your life in school. The majority of the last year has been spent not only completing the required courses, but taking time to apply, get accepted, and visit colleges. Campus Explorer says you need time to recharge your academic battery. The second reason is to continue your college search. Sometimes settling for the only college you applied to is not the best choice. The third reason is to decide on a major. Many students don’t know what they want to study. In most cases, students switch their major at least once. This may be easier to earn a degree that way. The fourth reason is to travel. Traveling during your gap year can help you broaden your horizons, as well as figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. The fifth reason is to mature a little more. A gap year can cause you to really grow up, without the sudden shock of college life. Adding to your resume is the sixth reason. You can really help yourself for college by adding volunteer work and other various jobs to your resume. For the seventh reason, Campus Explorer says, "For some students, entering the working world after college is a shock, after years spent in an academic environment. Learning about what’s out there, paying bills and forging your way outside of school will give you a leg up on other college graduates." Giving back is the eighth reason. Volunteering can not only add to your resume, but give you a sense of worth and accomplishment. Taking a risk is the ninth reason. Giving yourself time to grow and experience new things is a great thing to do before throwing yourself in the college world. Last not but least, the tenth reason would be to start an internship. Starting an internship in the field or major you're interested in can help steer you in the right direction. Some colleges even offer to pay for a gap year. FOX news says, “This ‘gap year’ program launching this fall will pay for housing, airfare and even visa fees, which can often add up to $30,000 or more. Although gap years are more popular in Europe, they have started to gain traction in the United States. About 40,000 Americans participated in gap year programs in 2013, an increase of nearly 20 percent since 2006, according to data gathered by a nonprofit called the American Gap Year Association.” Sometimes its hard to come back after a year. But doing a gap year means you need to come in having a plan. Blowing off a year before college without a direct plan may result in not attending college after all. Obviously you need to be committed to the school for four years after the gap year so the college can pay the fees.