(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.