Depends on Writer Essay Example for Free

Depends on Writer Essay Many countries, including the United States, are currently struggling with two apparently conflicting objectives, that is how to make newcomers and native minorities feel they have equal opportunity to pursue the American Dream, while at the same time convincing the native majority that policies crafted to help others are not discriminating against their own rights and opportunities. The two main policy thrusts used by governments, schools and other institutions designed to promote racial diversity and integration are race conscious and color blind. Race conscious and color blind are not mutually exclusive, but two ends of a continuum. At the one end an example of a race conscious policy would be if race was the sole distinguishing factor deciding whether one candidate is selected over another and there is a quota for members of a specified race. For example assume two candidates of different races for military promotion both meet the required minimum standard. An extreme race conscious policy would dictate that the person from the race considered disadvantaged would be promoted even if less meritorious. On the other hand under a completely color blind policy, race would play absolutely no part, and the best candidate would be promoted . In between is a situation where race is only one factor to be considered and the candidate of the disadvantaged race would be promoted only if the sum total of his merits was considered at least equal to that of the other candidate. Race was the deciding factor to break the tie so to speak Also in the middle scenario there is no set quota for those considered disadvantaged, only a vague goal that they would be in sufficient numbers that they wouldn’t feel isolated. For the disadvantaged color blind policies tend to promote the status quo in that because their color is often associated with other negative factors such as poverty, limited educational opportunities and cultural limitations, they find it difficult to compete and get ahead. Racial inequalities are thus perpetuated and racial identities more starkly contrasted. In other words the discontented tend to feel its’ â€Å"them versus us†. On the other hand, race conscious policies can make the dominant group feel that in efforts to improve opportunities for the disadvantaged, their rights are infringed. In effect they can feel they are victims of reverse discrimination. They believe their rights are threatened, and are now suffering racial inequalities because of efforts to help the previously disadvantaged. They also fear losing their status as the dominant race. The Asian American Legal Foundation brief advocated color blind policies on the grounds that race conscious policies favoring only designated races were prejudicial to the interests of groups they represent such as the Chinese in San Francisco. While accepting the goal of racial diversity, they argued as the dominant race in this area, the school placements there should reflect this reality. That is, they should not be capped at 40% in order to accommodate specifically designated and therefore preferred disadvantaged races nationwide. They argued that this was discriminating against them as the dominant race in the area, and that there was no compelling reason to assist minorities, at least not to the extent where their placements exceeded their proportion of the local population. They also argued that having separate Chinese schools was not the answer, as this was counter to the goal of racial diversity, and tended to encourage inferior facilities. Conversely, the military brief advocated race conscious policies in order to develop a racially divers officer corps. They argued that while blacks were recruited into the military in large numbers immediately after World War II, they tended to stagnate in the lower ranks because of poor education, prejudice and other reasons. Thus in the 1960s and 1970s, a mainly white officer corps was in charge of a substantially black lower ranks, resulting in low morale and racial tension. In fact this situation was considered to have a detrimental affect on the ability to fight in Vietnam. While there is now a larger percentage of black officers, the brief argues that race conscious policies need to be continued to have the percentage of black officers comparable to that of enlisted men to have a cohesive, effective fighting force. Therefore the brief argues that there is a compelling government necessity justifying the need for a race conscious policy. If the Supreme Court decides the Grutter case on the basis of the military brief, that is, that race conscious policies are justified, she would of course continue to be denied a place at the University of Michigan, and most likely this would also apply to the other perspective white students. Naturally this would fuel the notion that they were subject to unequal access and therefore suffering from racial reverse discrimination. On the other hand if the case is decided on the basis of the American Legal Foundation brief, she and many other whites would probably be accepted at the university. However, designated disadvantaged races would likely feel that their quest for equality and racial status was still not being adequately addressed. Although Gruther felt she was being discriminated against, the Court’s decision upholding Michigan Law School’s affirmative action policy for admissions, shows that it agrees with the school’s stated intention to redress historical and current discrimination, which I believe in fact was the school’s honest purpose. By considering race as only one of the factors in deciding whether to enroll prospective students, I believe this is an appropriate middle ground between a pure race conscious and color blind policy. I also believe that this policy will help realize social equality, and once people from different races achieve success roughly proportional to their numbers, the policy will no longer be necessary, hopefully within 25 years. Works Cited Nos. 02-241 and 02-516 In The Supreme Court of The United States. Grutter, Barbara (Petitioner) v. Lee Bollinger et al (Respondents)

The Taming of the Shrew Essays -- English Literature Essays

The Taming of the Shrew Examine the different ways in which Shakespeare presents the attitude towards marriage in the play, ‘The Taming of the Shrew.’ The Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeare’s earliest comedies, and it shares many essential characteristics with his other romantic comedies, such as Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. These characteristics include light-hearted and slapstick humour, disguises and deception and a happy ending in which most of the characters come out satisfied. The play has been dated from as early as 1594 and as late as 1598. (http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/shrew/context.html) The main themes in the play are love, marriage, domination, society expectations, betting and money. Does love really exist in the play or is it just love for money. It seems that the key to a happy and successful marriage is money. This comedy written by Shakespeare uses disguises and that also is a key part to the play. Although it is intended to be a comedy, there is sometimes a black cloud hanging over it. For instance the way in which Katherina is treated doesn’t always seem to be funny; instead it is quite cruel and degrading. â€Å"She eat no meat today, nor none shall eat; last night she slept not, nor tonight she shall not.† (Page 62, act 4 scene 1 line 182-183) Men saw marriage as a way to get rich; love didn’t even enter the equation. Padua is a rich area and therefore many suitors fled there in the hope of becoming wealthy. â€Å"I come to wive it wealthily in Padua,† says Petruchio. He asks outright, â€Å"Then tell me – if I get your daughter’s love, what dowry shall I have with her to wife?† (Page 37, act 2 scene 1, line 119-120) The husbands were given a dowry by the father of the daughter when they became married. Women didn’t have any say in who they chose to marry; instead the decision was given to the father. If a daughter was not married then they were looked shoddily upon within the society. In this era every woman was to be married otherwise they were frowned upon within the community. Further more without Katherina getting married, Bianca would also never marry. Within a family the eldest daughter must be married off first and in this play turned out to be a bonus. â€Å"Her father ke eps from all access of suitors and will not promise her to any man until her elder sister first be wed.† This is the main an... .... She now obeys what is asked of her by Petruchio like such as when she is told to lecture the other wives about how to be a good wife, â€Å"Katherina, I charge thee, tell these headstrong women, what duty they do owe their lords and husbands.† Without arguing and saying a word against what is asked of her she gives her advice, â€Å"Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee.† Women in the Elizabethan era were presented as very obedient to their husbands and respectful to them also. They had no power and no say, they were treated badly and nothing would be done to stop the behaviour. In modern society most women have as much say as the men, they are not expected to stay at home and clean etc, and instead they go to work as well. Some women are like Katherina before she was supposedly tamed, very out spoken, yet inequality still exists. During the Elizabethan era marriage was like a business contract, if the money is there then so is the signature. Love was never a part of the play and this showed in both Hortensio and Petruchio, who Shakespeare uses to expose this superficial approach to the supposedly romantic notion of marriage.

Developmental Milestones: Birth to Age Three Essay

After birth, babies will start to grow at an incredibly fast rate during their first year of life. As they grow, babies will experience developmental milestones. Developmental milestones are skills that babies will acquire such as recognizing the voices of their parents, smiling, making sounds, rolling over, sitting up. Throughout the rest of their young lives, children will experience developmental milestones. Milestones are categorized into three areas of development: motor development, language development, and social/emotional development. Some children will develop and achieve certain milestones in accordance with a milestone chart, or by the prediction of a physician. While each child will experience developmental milestones, they will do so at varying rates. Every child will develop at their own rate, and within their own time. Although, there are special instances where development has been arrested due to an illness or premature birth. In instances such as these, it is necessary for the parents to consult their physician to determine a developmental time line for their child’s particular need. In general, it should be understood that babies will crawl, and take that first step, when the time is right for them.

Teaching in Public Schools Differs from Private Schools

School choice is a hot topic concerning education especially when it comes to public vs. private schools. How parents choose to educate their children is highly debated, but teachers have options when it comes to choosing a job? As a teacher, landing your first job is not always easy. However, you must ensure that the schools mission and vision align with your personal philosophy. It is important to understand that teaching in public schools does differ from teaching in private schools. Both offer the opportunity to work with young people on a daily basis, but each has their advantages and disadvantages. Teaching is a very competitive field, and at times it seems like there are more teachers than there are jobs available. Prospective teachers applying for a position in a private school should know the differences between public and private schools that will impact how they do their job. Understanding those differences is important if you have an either/or opportunity. Ultimately, you want to teach at a place where you are comfortable, that will support you as both a teacher and a person, and that will give you the best opportunity to make a difference in the lives of your students. Here we examine some major differences between public and private schools when it comes to teaching. Budget The budget of a private school typically comes from a combination of tuition and fundraising. This means that the overall budget of a school is dependent on how many students are enrolled and the overall wealth of the donors who support it. This can be challenging for newer private schools and an overall advantage for an established private school that have successful alumni willing to support the school. The bulk of the budget of a public school is driven by local property taxes and state education aid. Schools also get some federal money to support federal programs. Some public schools are also fortunate to have local businesses or individuals who support them through donations, but this is not the norm. The budget for public schools is typically tied to their state’s economic status. When a state goes through an economic hardship schools, receive less money than they typically would. This often forces school administrators to make difficult cuts. Certification Public schools require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and a teaching certificate to be a certified teacher. These requirements are set by the state; whereas requirements for private schools are set by their individual governing boards. Most private schools typically follow the same requirements as public schools. However, there are a few private schools that do not require a teaching certificate and in some cases may hire teachers without a specific degree. There are also private schools that only look to hire teachers who hold an advanced degree. Curriculum and Assessment For public schools, the curriculum is mostly driven by state-mandated objectives and for most states will soon be driven by the Common Core State Standards. Individual districts may also have additional objectives based on their individual community needs. These state mandated objectives also drive the state standardized testing that all public schools are required to give. State and federal governments have a much smaller influence on the private school curriculum. Private schools can essentially develop and implement their own curriculum and assessments. One of the major differences is that private schools may incorporate religious curriculum into their schools whereas public schools cannot. Most private schools are founded based on religious principles, so this allows them to indoctrinate their students with their beliefs. Other private schools may choose to focus more on a specific area such as math or science. In this case, their curriculum will focus more on those specific areas, whereas a public school is more balanced in their approach. Discipline The old saying goes that kids will be kids. This is true for both public and private schools. There are going to be discipline issues in either case. Public schools typically have more major discipline issues such as violence and drugs than private schools do. Public school administrators spend the majority of their time handling student discipline issues. Private schools tend to have more parental support which often leads to fewer discipline issues. They also have more flexibility than public schools when it comes to removing a student from a classroom or removing them from school altogether. Public schools are required to take every student who lives in their district. A private school can simply end their relationship with a student who continuously refuses to follow their expected policies and procedures. Diversity A limiting factor for private schools is their lack of diversity. Public schools are much more diverse than private schools in many areas including ethnicity, socioeconomic status, student needs, and academic ranges. The truth is that attending a private school cost too much money for most Americans to send their children too. This factor alone tends to limit diversity within a private school. The reality is that the majority of the population in private schools is made up of students who are from upper-middle-class Caucasian families. Enrollment Public schools are required to take every student no matter their disability, academic level, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, etc. This can also have an adverse effect on class size especially in years where budgets are thin. It is not uncommon for there to be 30-40 students in a single classroom in a public school. Private schools control their enrollment. This allows them to keep class sizes in an ideal 15-18 student range. Controlling enrollment also is beneficial for teachers in that the overall range of where students are academically are much closer than a typical public school classroom. This is a very important benefit for both students and teachers in private schools. Parental Support In public schools, the amount of parental support for the school varies. It is typically dependent upon the community where the school is located. Unfortunately, there are communities that do not value education and only send their kids to school because it is a requirement or because they think of it as free babysitting. There are also many public school communities who value education and provide tremendous support. Those public schools with low support provide a different set of challenges than those with high parental support. Private schools almost always have tremendous parental support. After all, they are paying for their child’s education, and when money is exchanged, there is an unspoken guarantee that they intend to be involved in their child’s education. Parental involvement is very important in the overall academic growth and development of a child. It also makes a teacher’s job easier in the long run. Pay A surprising fact is that public school teachers are typically paid more than private school teachers. However this does depend on the individual school itself, so it may not necessarily be the case. Some private schools may also offer benefits that public schools do not including tuition for higher education, housing, or meals. One reason that public school teachers are typically paid more is because most private schools do not have a teacher’s union. Teaching unions fight hard for their members to be fairly compensated. Without these strong union ties, it is difficult for private school teachers to negotiate for better pay. Conclusion There are many pros and cons a teacher must weigh when it comes to choosing to teach in public vs. private school. It ultimately comes down to individual preference and comfort level. Some teachers would prefer the challenge of being a teacher in a struggling inner city school and others would prefer to teach in an affluent suburban school. The reality is that you can make an impact no matter where you teach.