A Good Idea

I agree with my classmate’s blog entry concerning a needle exchange program. I feel that a needle exchange program offers many benefits to those at risk of transmitting HIV. This program would not encourage drug use, drug addicts are not going to stop using drugs because they don’t have a sterile needle. Obviously personal risk is something that they are already fine with, as they are using illegal drugs. An exchange program offers a good alternative and *ahem* more responsible way to deal with addiction.

No place in our schools!

I am vehemently against the idea of creationism being taught in public schools. I find the idea of creation science offensive to the word of the constitution which separates church and state. I am fine with religious schools teaching whatever they desire, but imposing one’s unproven beliefs on another is obnoxious and unethical.

Last December, the Institute for Creation Research in Dallas, Texas requested approval for Texas accreditation for its online curriculum geared toward instructing teachers on how to teach “creation science” in Texas public schools. While Texas is certainly a major conservative Christian state, this institution attempts to undermine the fundamental freedom of religion in the United States.

Creationists claim that they are simply attempting to present an alternative view for children, other than evolution science. Unfortunately, creationism has no basis in proven science, only faith, and I believe that if a parent wants their child to be instructed in “creation science” it is likely that this instruction already occurs at home. Thus, this change in curriculum is only for the “benefit” of those who would not receive creationism instruction at home. In my mind, this translates into an attempt at conversion. And if a parent truly does want their child to be taught only creationism, then that child can be sent to a private school that teaches only creation science.

What these creationist teachers are attempting is illegal and obtrusive to those of differing beliefs and religions. Religion has no place in public education, and the state of Texas should maintain its responsibility to uphold the constitution and not allow creationism in our public schools.

It's illegal.

In one of my classmate’s blogs, my classmate discusses how separating children from their families and acts against polygamy are unconstitutional. I respectfully disagree. In the same way that using certain drugs are illegal, even though considered by some to be a religious right, so is polygamy illegal.

I am certainly no Christian, and I have no personal problem with polygamy, but it is still against the law. While I do agree that polygamy of consenting adults ought to be legal and protected by the right to freedom of religion, I still find the El Dorado case appalling. Many of the brides of were underage and forcefully married to older men. Ick.

Focus on Lower Education

The Texas educational system is the in dumps and it’s no wonder that Texas has such a high number of high school drop outs. A lot of focus is given to the Texas higher educational system, but I think a spotlight should be put on lower education.

I work at a public elementary school in a lower income neighborhood and have seen first hand how children in these areas are put at an initial educational disadvantage. How can children do well in high school or college when they were not given a good foundation in elementary school? The options and opportunities these kids are given are dismal.

For instance, most fifth graders at my school have the option to choose between two middle schools, though both are rampant with gang activity and recruitment. They have the option to have their elementary school classes in Spanish if that is their native tongue, but once they get to middle school all classes are in English, and, if a student is not yet fluent in English, then they are bound to fail. They have stressed teachers who are not paid anywhere near a decent salary, and in some cases there is no teacher at all for these students, just a permanent substitute.

This is not the situation that Texas children ought to be given. Texas direly needs to create better funding for its public schools. Better funding for lower education could create a safer environment for children. Greater resources combined with higher salaried teachers, who would be better able to focus on teaching these students and not on their own finances and well being, would have an enormous impact on these children’s lives.

Case Load Blues

An article in the Austin-American Statesman discusses the limit on the caseload for Child Protective Services (CPS) workers for the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FDLS) children recently removed El Dorado. The article informs the reader in depth about the situation in El Dorado where over four hundred children were recently removed from a religious sect where many underage girls were forced into polygamous unions with older men.

The article then returns to discussing the case load cap for these FDLS CPS workers and whether or not the difference in case loads between the FDLS CPS workers and average Texas CPS workers is fair. The average caseload for the FDLS workers is fifteen cases, while most Texas CPS workers have an average caseload of forty-three cases. There is a major point made in favor of the lower case loads for the FDLS CPS workers, which is that all of these cases are new and therefore require more investigative work than is required of a CPS worker who is with a long term case.

However, the point in this article that stood out the most to me was the point that was unfortunately least emphasized: The national average case load for CPS workers is about nineteen, while the average in Texas is forty-three cases. This is an unbelievable difference! According to the article, there is also a very high turnover rate for CPS workers in Texas because of these high case loads as well as a low starting salary of between $25,000 and $30,000 a year. These salaries are much too low for people who are working on what I think is one of the most important functions of the state, taking care of Texas children! I am personally horrified by these numbers.

Bad Bonus.

I read an article in the Austin-American Statesman today about a Round Rock public school superintendent who will be receiving a bonus if his district achieves a high ranking on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, more commonly known by its acronym, TAKS, a benchmark test administered to students in all public schools.

The article discusses what a fantastic and rare incentive this is for the Round Rock superintendent but, I believe, entirely fails to discuss any possible consequences of having a superintendent who, because of this monetary incentive, will likely put more pressure on teachers and principals.

Many public school teachers are already frazzled by the “teach to the test” curriculum that Texas has adopted, and some teachers have their jobs hinging on whether or not their students pass the TAKS test. With a superintendent out for personal gain, the pressure on the teachers will certainly increase. I can not see how pressured teachers would be beneficial to the overall education in Texas public schools.

The article, however, does note that in Austin public schools, instead of the superintendent receiving a bonus for good results, teachers and principals are the recipients of the bonus. The author, however, seems more in favor of superintendents receiving the bonus, because the article continues to state how rare superintendent bonuses are and how admirable it is that the supernatant in Round Rock will be one of the few to receive a bonus.

To me, the article did not display an accurate assessment of the issues concerning attaching a supernatant bonus for high TAKS scores; rather it came across as an empty glorification.

Perry Makes a Good Point

I have decided to post about an article I read in the Austin-American Statesman about a book by Rick Perry. According to the article, this book is called "On My Honor" and has a lot to do with Perry's childhood, the Boy Scouts of America, and his issues with the Scouts being sued by the ACLU.

This is a subject that is particularly dear to me as I spent a summer working at a wonderful Texas Boy Scout camp. Frankly, I intended to read this article and again be aggravated by the usual BS (excuse me) of blatant discrimination, as well as my own confused annoyance with the ACLU for trying to impose on a private organization (I know! I'm so torn on this issue!)

And there was all of that! But, to my surprise, Perry also made an unbelievably good point in this article, which is that "the ACLU's activism drains resources that could be spent serving more boys, costing the Scouts more than $1 million a year in legal bills."

Having worked with these boys, I can definitely agree that these resources could be way better spent on the boys than on disputes such as gay rights in the Boy Scout community. While gay rights are, I believe, important, they are already accepted by the younger generation of Scouts. Or they were at least accepted by the Scouts I worked with, considering how four of a staff of thirty were openly gay or bi-sexual.

The article about Perry's book, other than discussing Perry's views on the dispute between the ACLU and the Boy Scouts, also outlined some key points concerning Perry's childhood which were relatively interesting.