It was not difficult finding articles relating to teenagers. An article that stuck out to me was the Tuesday, March 27, 2008 Providence Journal. The article was about a Barrington teenager who was sentenced after hitting a man while driving intoxicated on December 29, 2007. DUI and driving drunk is very common, especially with teenagers and young adults. Within the past six months three DUI incidents have hit close to home. One of incidents was at the end of January and one of my friends was killed in that drunk driving crash.
I call it a crash not an accident because any time someone drives under the influence it is not accident, the driver makes the decision to get behind the wheel; just as this teenager made the decision to drive after he had been drinking on December 29th. In the article the court chief judge, Jeremiah said “Barrington police recently referred 12 other teens to his court on alcohol possession charges.” Recently 12 teens in Barrington alone, and 12 is only the number that got caught.
Jeremiah also spoke about the sentenced teen calling him “intelligent”. I feel as though most of the people who get themselves into a situation such as DUI are intelligent, but what happens to make them think they can drink and drive? Where are the friends who are drinking with the individuals, how can they allow them to drive?
The sentenced teen’s blood alcohol content when he was pulled over on the 29th was .035 which is below the legal limit, but because he was not 21 years of age it is illegal. If you under 21 any blood alcohol content level will get you arrested!
This teen was sentenced to six months in the state training school, 200 hours of community service, write a letter of apology to the victim and undergo alcohol counseling. The teen’s layer, Dana, was happy with the judges decision he feels, “It keeps my clients future intact. It allows him to continue on with his life without lifelong ramifications.” “These types of offenses will not go without severe punishment.” In my opinion 6 months in a training school, some community service and counseling is not severe punishment. This teen does not have lifelong ramification, but what about the victim and his family?
Tuesday, April 8th I am having an event at 7:30 in Browne Hall upper lounge: How to Make You Happy Hour Last. Please join us!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Boys aren't really bad
Bad Boys
By Ann Arnett Ferguson
As soon as I started reading this piece I was shocked and rather disgusted by the a quote a teacher speaking to Ferguson, “That one has a jail-cell with his name on it.” I was so shocked a teacher would say that about their student and turned off by the piece.
As I read on I realized Ferguson was not agreeing with this teacher she was trying to figure out how could or why a teacher would say something like this about their student.
Ferguson’s purpose was to bring awareness to the “hidden curriculum.” Ferguson brings forward the hidden curriculum which “marginalizes and isolates black male youth in disciplinary spaces and brands them as a criminally inclined.”
If a teacher does not have confidence in a student have can the student have confidence in him or herself?
“No one at the school seemed surprised that the vast majority of children defined as “at-risk” of failing academically, of being future school dropouts, were mostly black and male.” Why is this? Whose fault is this? If you ask me this is the teacher’s and administration’s fault. A school administrator spoke about a student saying the child was “‘unsalvageable’ and on whom precious resources would be wasted” WASTED!?! First of all it is not the administration that is paying for the resources; it is tax payers, the student’s parents. The job of administration and teachers is to create equity and equal education and opportunity for all students, and they are clearly not doing that in Rosa Parks School.
“One-half of the Rosa Parks student body was black, and one third was white. The teaching was predominately white and female.” It seems as though these teacher are staying in their comfort zone, what they know, and not getting to know or understand their students that have a different race and or gender then them. Instead students are being sent to the Punishing Room. In the Punishing Room the students are not being challenged, they just sit and do their work without the positive attention from a teacher.
Once Ferguson gets to know Horace she sees the sweet, responsible, knowledgeable child his is. If the teachers get to know the students, where they come from, and what their home life is like they may view the students in a different way.
Even though I was frustrated with the context of this study (the teachers) I am so happy I was made aware of the “hidden curriculum.”
By Ann Arnett Ferguson
As soon as I started reading this piece I was shocked and rather disgusted by the a quote a teacher speaking to Ferguson, “That one has a jail-cell with his name on it.” I was so shocked a teacher would say that about their student and turned off by the piece.
As I read on I realized Ferguson was not agreeing with this teacher she was trying to figure out how could or why a teacher would say something like this about their student.
Ferguson’s purpose was to bring awareness to the “hidden curriculum.” Ferguson brings forward the hidden curriculum which “marginalizes and isolates black male youth in disciplinary spaces and brands them as a criminally inclined.”
If a teacher does not have confidence in a student have can the student have confidence in him or herself?
“No one at the school seemed surprised that the vast majority of children defined as “at-risk” of failing academically, of being future school dropouts, were mostly black and male.” Why is this? Whose fault is this? If you ask me this is the teacher’s and administration’s fault. A school administrator spoke about a student saying the child was “‘unsalvageable’ and on whom precious resources would be wasted” WASTED!?! First of all it is not the administration that is paying for the resources; it is tax payers, the student’s parents. The job of administration and teachers is to create equity and equal education and opportunity for all students, and they are clearly not doing that in Rosa Parks School.
“One-half of the Rosa Parks student body was black, and one third was white. The teaching was predominately white and female.” It seems as though these teacher are staying in their comfort zone, what they know, and not getting to know or understand their students that have a different race and or gender then them. Instead students are being sent to the Punishing Room. In the Punishing Room the students are not being challenged, they just sit and do their work without the positive attention from a teacher.
Once Ferguson gets to know Horace she sees the sweet, responsible, knowledgeable child his is. If the teachers get to know the students, where they come from, and what their home life is like they may view the students in a different way.
Even though I was frustrated with the context of this study (the teachers) I am so happy I was made aware of the “hidden curriculum.”
Monday, March 17, 2008
Reality vs. Fantasy
Preface, Fast Forward
By Lauren Greenfield
The purpose of this piece is to “explore the ways in which young people from diverse background are similarly influenced by the popular culture.”
It seems as though the main theme through out the piece is that “young people are preoccupied with being someone other than they are.”
Our society puts importance on image and celebrity. Hollywood influences this culture. All or most children are influenced by Hollywood the same, even though they come from different economic backgrounds.
Greenfield’s photos shower there is a “powerful allure of the Hollywood dream.” The photos also reveal an element of our culture as it manifests itself in the lives of children.”
People go to Hollywood expecting to see stars and be glamorous but there are two sides to Hollywood. Geographical Hollywood: “there is a dramatic contrast between the run-down neighborhood that is the geographical Hollywood and the mythic Hollywood that exists in the media.” The media only shows a small population, a small percentage of the population live elaborate lives. Tricia Rose spoke about the statistic, ninety percent of our country’s wealth is owned by 10 percent of the population, at Journey to the Motherland.
The photos also reveal “an element of our culture as it manifests itself in the lives of children.” Greenfield photographed thirteen year old children holding $100 bills. Where did these children get the money? The reason they are taking pictures this way is because they are copying the artists they see in music videos and on TV. What message are we sending young children?
By Lauren Greenfield
The purpose of this piece is to “explore the ways in which young people from diverse background are similarly influenced by the popular culture.”
It seems as though the main theme through out the piece is that “young people are preoccupied with being someone other than they are.”
Our society puts importance on image and celebrity. Hollywood influences this culture. All or most children are influenced by Hollywood the same, even though they come from different economic backgrounds.
Greenfield’s photos shower there is a “powerful allure of the Hollywood dream.” The photos also reveal an element of our culture as it manifests itself in the lives of children.”
People go to Hollywood expecting to see stars and be glamorous but there are two sides to Hollywood. Geographical Hollywood: “there is a dramatic contrast between the run-down neighborhood that is the geographical Hollywood and the mythic Hollywood that exists in the media.” The media only shows a small population, a small percentage of the population live elaborate lives. Tricia Rose spoke about the statistic, ninety percent of our country’s wealth is owned by 10 percent of the population, at Journey to the Motherland.
The photos also reveal “an element of our culture as it manifests itself in the lives of children.” Greenfield photographed thirteen year old children holding $100 bills. Where did these children get the money? The reason they are taking pictures this way is because they are copying the artists they see in music videos and on TV. What message are we sending young children?
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