...Before I can start to write about Equal Opportunity and Education I must first define Equal Opportunity. Equal Opportunity is a right supposedly guaranteed by both federal and many state laws against any discrimination in employment, education, housing or credit rights due to a person’s race, color, sex (or sometimes sexual orientation), religion, national origin, age or handicap. The United States has had a long and rough road to equal opportunity in education. During the colonial era, only boys from wealthy families were given the opportunity for a formal education, while girls from wealthy families were educated by governess. Wealthy planters home schooled their boys. During this era, girls were educated in the basic subjects of reading, writing, and arithmetic just enough for them to read and understand their Bible and take care of the household accounts. From the beginning of the nation through and just past the Civil War, white men were the predominant people for educational opportunity. Fewer women went to college, and those who did were talked into becoming nurses, teachers, artists, or other jobs considered at the time to be suitable for women. One must be reminded that during this time, the role of women in society was to raise children and attend to the household. Women who did not get married were persuaded into secretarial positions, nursing, or teaching. This was the view of women in this era. Minorities, such as African Americans and immigrants, were worse...
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...English Only Voter-Driven Initiatives English Only Voter-Driven Initiatives/Laws Christy Stewart Grand Canyon University: ESL-223N September 19, 2012 English Only Voter-Driven Initiatives/Laws There has been heavy debate over the best way to educate students whose first language is not English. Historically, past federal laws and court decisions protected the rights of non-English speaking children. One federal law established during the 1960s was the Bilingual Education Act (Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1968). This law provided legal guidelines and funding for transitional bilingual education programs. In the Lau v. Nichols, case, the Supreme Court ruled that school districts were required to take affirmative steps to protect the civil rights of limited-English-proficient students (Mora, 2009). Due to the increase of non-English speaking students in the schools, several states asked the voters to make policy decisions regarding the education of English language learners. Voters in California, Arizona and Massachusetts by large percentages voted to pass the anti-bilingual education initiatives. However, other states like Colorado and Oregon rejected the initiatives. California’s Proposition 227, Arizona’s Proposition 203 and Massachusetts’s 603 CMR 14.00, state that all English language learners be educated for one year through a sheltered (or structured) English immersion program. This program would...
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...Bilingual Education: Voter Driven Initiatives XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Grand Canyon University: ESL 523N February 27, 2013 Bilingual education is a very important topic in education. Classrooms are filled with diverse populations, including those that are learning English as a second language. Learning a new language and having to adapt to a new culture can prove to be detrimental for a student’s academic progress. English language learners struggle in the classroom and are in need of teachers that will work relentlessly in helping them be academically successful. To regulate bilingual/ESL education, there have been various state and federal decisions made. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was passed on the heels of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The purpose of ESEA was focused mainly on eradicating poverty, providing equal education services to all students, and implementing high standards for students and teachers. The ESEA also provided funds for state established educational programs and low income students ("Elementary and secondary,"). Although the ESEA benefited many deserving students in bad economic areas, it did not specifically benefit English language learners. Making matters worse, ESEA was reauthorized as The No Child Left Behind in 2002. NCLB required states to align their standards/requirements with the federal NCLB standards/requirements. Although it looked good on paper, requiring schools to meet what is known as Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) forced...
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...during times of conflict, or before a certain time period. An un-entrenched constitution does not recognize the constitutional law as different or supreme and thus constitutions can be modified as easily as statutory laws. The procedure for modifying a constitution is often called amending. Amending an entrenched constitution needs numerous procedures than modification of a statue. Sometimes, this is because the constitution is considered supreme law. Article 2(1) of the Kenyan Constitution of 2010, states that the Constitution is the supreme law of the republic and binds all persons and all state organs at both levels of the government. Regardless of whether constitutional modifications require more complex procedures, all states with an entrenched constitution recognize the difference between constitutional law and ordinary statutory law. Procedures for ratification of constitutional amendments vary across states. In a federal system of government, the approval of a majority of state/provincial legislatures...
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...already speak English. It has been debated and voted on in five voter driven states. The states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Oregon. The voters have been asked to make decisions about the education of the English language learners (Mora, 2009). But only three states, California (1998), Massachusetts (2002), and Arizona (2000) passed the laws for English-only learners to be put in programs, and Colorado (2002) and Oregon (2008) rejected the initiatives of the ballot (Mora, 2009). The voters were in English only groups that were against having bilingual education for the students’ (Mora, 2009). The teachers were having a hard time in learning how to teach the English language learners. But in the 1960s, the federal and state governments have created new laws and policies that give the English language students’ the rights to a meaningful and equitable education (Mora, 2009). The government also provided funds and guidelines for a transitional bilingual education program for the English language learners to help them to become educated (Mora, 2009). In the Lau v. Nichols (1974), the courts decided to take affirmative steps to protect the civil rights of the English language learners in the school districts (Mora, 2009). Because the districts were not providing them with the right programs to teach them the English that they needed to learn. On the other hand, most schools in the United States use English for their content area instructions. They also...
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...been exacerbated by the surge of plastic in our consumer-driven society. There is no doubt that plastic pollution has become a huge nuisance namely in our waterways, but what has been done about it and moreover, what can be done about it? In 1983 the...
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...Alderine Holt ESL 223N 1/28/14 Mrs. Davis States voter-driven initiatives/laws relating to English language learner issues It has been a long debate and an important issue concerning English language learner from the school system to legislative forums, and there have been different policies and opinions for over forty years. Bilingual education is a method used to teach ELL students partly in their own language. The concept is that it will enhance their understanding of the curriculum and help them succeed in an English based classroom. The premise is that once the student is fairly competent in English they can progress in the classroom with their peers. Weather these programs are the best education method for ELL students this question has not been answered to address the issues concerning ELL students. The opponents of Bilingual Education believes that it is the ELL student right and need to make use of their native language to ease their transition into a English only education. The opponents also believe that the programs are hindering students’ ability to learn curriculum by keeping them in their native language too long. The Bilingual polices of today society are polices of the Bilingual Education Act of 1968 (Title VII). Congress passed the act as part of Civil Rights Title VI, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or natural origins in programs or activities in any program receiving federal finical assistant. The Bilingual Education Act requires...
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...Walmart Movie Analysis Threat Level Midnight MGMT 382, 12:00pm Monday Class Rheanna Ladron De Guevara Mohammad Shojaei Danielle Seymour Teresa Radtke Curtis Anson Amy Self Walmart is quite arguably one of the largest multinational grocery retailers in America. The corporation routinely produces record sales, earnings, and employs more than 2.1 million full time employees. Last year Walmart earned a record four hundred and five billion dollars in revenue. The company was founded in 1962 by business entrepreneur Sam Walton. Walmart’s past (2006) advertising slogan, “Low prices, always”, accurately reflects the appeal the store has to the masses. In an attempt to attain a wider and more diverse customer base, in recent years Walmart has adopted the new slogan: “Saving people money so they can live better lives.” While there’s no doubt about Walmart’s low prices, it’s questionable as to whether Walmart actually allows people to “live better lives.” Not only this, but the ethicality of Walmart’s business practices seem unsound to say the least. After watching the film “Walmart: the High Cost of Low Cost”, the ethicality of Walmart’s business practices and the impact the company has on the communities in which they expand into become apparent. While some argue that Walmart makes unethical decisions quite often that harm the communities they expand into, others assert that Walmart operates within the law and is simply doing business rather than acting unethically...
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...and economic growth (Kumares, Sinha & Labi, 2007). This paper however will move away from highways and most common types of transit systems to focus on high speed rail and its potential economic development impacts in the United States. By examining additional resources such as World Bank analysis, papers from the MIT library, and reports from non-profit advocacy groups, this paper seeks answers on why a project with tremendous economic benefits has not yet happened in a country known for always being first when it comes to leading in innovation and economic development. Introduction In Kumares et al.’s. (2007), two types of transportation impact on economic development are listed. One is the impact on the overall economic development, driving income and jobs, for instance, and the other is the positive effect on investment, property appreciation and tax revenue. All of this correlates with higher wages and better communities. At the same times, when looking at other developed and emerging countries, like countries of the European Union and China for example it’s quick to notice that they have invested in high speed rails, something the United States has not yet embraced. Which is somewhat of a paradox considering that United States is a nation of technology innovation and economic excellence. The following line will assess the economic developments impacts of high speed rails in China and Europe, then examine the status of the US high speed rail...
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...Redemption of the Quest When American voters went to vote, prima facie it was a stiff battle of ideologies that had a perpetual divide. This election decided the fate of the leadership of the world's largest economy and the oldest democracy. A divided United States has re-elected the incumbent African American President back even though he had sturdy economic perception betting against him. To be honest, if someone were to write a novel depicting life of President Obama which has perhaps been the most remarkable in its nature, it would have went on to become the best-selling book! Being an Indian and watching antipodal presidential election with exuberance is one of the most vacuous tasks to do by staying awake all the night! Anyways, I feel something worthy in it as it reflects the posture of public towards their political system and the magnitude of confidence their candidates enjoy. The level of bipartisanship one can feel in the politics of United States is quite foreign to the political spectators of my native country, India. If I had to select between India's Parliamentary Democracy and United States’ Presidential Democracy, I would have certainly opted the Presidential Democracy system as it brings more pellucidity in governance. Those who exercised their right of suffrage have shown their credence again in the Centrism. Centrism is an ideology which brings more equality on the legislative front if not the economic. It's been a convincing victory for the President...
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...proxy and the representation of shareholders by depository bank. Key Words: Corporate Governance, Executive Compensation, Referendum, Board Introduction The executive compensation (executive pay) is composed of the financial compensation and other non-financial awards received by an executive of a firm. It is a mixture of salary, bonuses, shares of and/or call option on the company stock, benefits, and perquisites, ideally configured to take into account government regulation, tax law, the desires of the organization and the executive, and rewards for performance (Ellig,2002). There was a dramatic rise in executive pay in the 1980s, relative to that of an average worker’s wage in the United States (The Guardian,2005). Observers differ as to whether this rise is a natural and beneficial result of competition for scarce business talents that can add greatly to...
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...Since the beginning of human history we have seen big waves of human immigration between different regions of our planet. This phenomenon is one of the more characteristic of human behavior in the search of welfare for the families and his descending also. Today our country is facing one of the more major challenges in its history, achieve that the migration process is carried in order, development and applying the laws that are effective for the benefit of our society. In the next few months, immigration reform will be high on the list of priorities in the House of Representatives. Despite significant public support for immigration reform among members of the public in both parties, many of the most basic facts about immigrants and immigration remain misunderstood. Immigration reform is part of the solution for creating a stronger, more successful, and unified nation. America is a nation of immigrants, and welcoming immigrants reflects the key values on which this country is based: hard work, perseverance, taking on challenges, demonstrating individuality, and showing compassion. In addition, immigration reform is a bipartisan issue where everyone can agree that a working immigration system contributes to a stronger country—economically, socially, and culturally. Anti-immigrant pundits often downplay the importance of immigration to America’s future, treating immigrants and immigration as a threat. While there are plenty of legitimate issues to question and...
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...David Davidson. Washington looks like it could be the first state to legalize marijuana. A general consensus among state and local polls appears to show momentum on the affirmative side of proposition I-502. Public Policy Polling , Komo 4 and the Seattle Times latest polls all show the initiative leading with 53 to 55 percent of those most likely to vote supporting the measures adoption (Martin). This is a very significant Initiative with numerous Local, State and National legal and political ramifications. An examination of I-502 would seem to be in order. Marijuana, or Hemp was legal and it’s production was actively encouraged very early on in the colonies of what would become America. Following the American civil war marijuana was used in numerous medical products that were sold over the counter- with no restrictions whatsoever. The Marijuana tax act of 1937 was the first real law that made marijuana a restricted substance (NPR). The laws have fluctuated somewhat, but for the most part have continued towards less tolerance or zero tolerance models. Democrats removed minimum sentencing laws in 1970. Meanwhile, President Nixon was beginning his all out “War on Drugs” going so far as to call them “public enemy number one”(NPR). Reagan reinitiated mandatory sentencing making them the toughest to date in the mid 1980’s- 100 marijuana plants was now the illegal equivalent of 100 grams of Heroin (NIDA). Nearly one in eight persons in prison in America...
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...Connecticut Rally Voters to Overturn Court's Gay 'Marriage' Ruling" Pro-family activists in Connecticut are urging the people of the state to vote yes for a constitution convention when they head for the polls on Nov. 4. Though the 4-3 split decision by the Connecticut Supreme Court on Friday effectively redefined marriage in the state, Connecticuters will have the opportunity to have the final say if enough voters rally behind a call for the state legislature to convene a state constitution convention. Every twenty years, under the state constitution, the ballot question "Shall there be a Constitutional Convention to amend or revise the Constitution of the state?" is placed on the ballot for consideration. This year marks Connecticut's 220th since its admission to the Union in 1788. The Court's willingness to undemocratically impose same-sex marriage on Connecticut has made it necessary for us to demand the right to Let the People Decide, expressed Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut (FIC), in a press release following Friday's high court decision. And that is why thousands of us will vote 'yes' for a constitutional convention on November 4th." If enough votes are found to favor a convention, it will be incumbent upon the state legislature to convene a state Constitution Convention, explained Matthew M. Daly, chairman of the Constitution Convention Campaign. There, the people of Connecticut can implement Initiative Referendum as a mechanism...
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...of suicides in the United States, a survey from 2001 to 2009 list fatal self-injuries span world-wide demographics, male and female, age, ethnic disparity and economic disposition. From 1999 to 2007 the number of suicides in the United States increased from 10.46 to 11.26 per 100,000 people, between ages 10 to 24 it is the 3rd leading cause of death, 2nd leading cause in 24 to 35 year olds and the 10th from all age groups. Globally one in every 40 seconds, 800,000 a year, suicide is absolutely preventable, these are not accidents and 90% sought treatment for mental health prior. Thoughts and ideation are higher among young adults’ ages 18 to 25 years where the greatest attempts are made; among 18 and older 8.3 million report having suicidal thoughts, 2.2 million made plans, 1 in every 25 succeed in committing suicide. Between the ages 15 to 24 years old 100 to 200 attempts are made, 500,000 in the United States seek help in emergency rooms; an estimated 6.5 billion in non-fata, self-inflicted medical cost. The initiative seeks to apply ecological approaches normally dedicated to specialized populations; the approach will intrinsically identify suicide victims through venues and or genres. Public suicide prevention efforts could encompass and engage participants via screening an entire social demographic and ordained community care as means to introduce interventions. In the context of public health, suicide is on the rise in the United States and world-wide; a community’s...
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