Monday... ehhh
Jan. 31st, 2005 01:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
desertvixenIt's a day off. (Yay)
It's miserably cold and and drizzly outside. (ick) We have a PT test tomorrow. (ick ick ick)
As tomorrow is going to be mostly eaten by Army stuff, my motivation level for today is ... low. Very low. Barely above zero.
Glad to see that elections in Iraq went well. Hopefully this contributes to the country getting to a place where we can pull our troops back somewhat. Not holding my breath, much. As much as I may feel we shouldn't have gone over there, we can't leave until things are put back into order. Hopefully, nothing else gets started. The old lesson about putting your toys away before starting a new game applies to a lot of adult life as well.
Read the updated (2003) edition of Price of Honor by Jan Goodwin, on the life behind the veil. I don't have to exagerrate by saying that I was appalled. Some of the stories related are, simply appalling. The book seems a little more biased against Islam, although the point is made numerous times that the problems for women do not come from the Koran itself, but from the men who interpret the Koran. The book, Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks, seems a little more even, but it also seems as if Goodwin may have kept more of a personal distance from the subjects than Brooks did. They're both good, although Price was definitely not a cheery, uplifting book. I had to go reread The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer to clean the literary palate, so to speak. Which is probably good, because I would have been most annoyed had I dropped my large book into the bath-water. Luckily, the Heyer didn't get too wet, and it seems to have dried out nicely.
I need to try and get some writing and correspondance courses done, as my 2 online classes start on 7 Feb. I am not sure how much time they're going to take up.
After the PT test tomorrow, starting the spring organization of my storage closet, seeing if I need anything for my TDY (hopefully coming soon). I'm supposed to know by the 8th, but I wouldn't be surprised if they tell me at 1630 on the 8th. Army bureaucracy, gotta love it.
And reading the news, I'm *quite* disturbed by this : http://story.news.yahoo.com/newstmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=519&e=4&u=/ap/20050131/ap_on_re_us/students_first_amendment
Relevant portions and discussion in cut HERE : First Amendment No Big Deal, Students Say
By BEN FELLER, AP Education Writer
WASHINGTON - The way many high school students see it, government censorship of newspapers may not be a bad thing, and flag burning is hardly protected free speech. It turns out the First Amendment is a second-rate issue to many of those nearing their own adult independence, according to a study of high school attitudes released Monday.
Okay, I'm very obviously not pro-flag burning, but why does government censorship strike anyone as a good idea? Is no one else paying attention in *history* class ? Obviously, there are military/classified details that need to stay out, but... let's remember who else thought it was okay to burn books/ban books?
The original amendment to the Constitution is the cornerstone of the way of life in the United States, promising citizens the freedoms of religion, speech, press and assembly.
Yet, when told of the exact text of the First Amendment, more than one in three high school students said it goes "too far" in the rights it guarantees. Only half of the students said newspapers should be allowed to publish freely without government approval of stories.
Yeah, but apparently by some rights it's okay to demean and belittle recruiters and destroy Army literature.
"These results are not only disturbing; they are dangerous," said Hodding Carter III, president of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which sponsored the $1 million study. "Ignorance about the basics of this free society is a danger to our nation's future."
When asked whether people should be allowed to express unpopular views, 97 percent of teachers and 99 percent of school principals said yes. Only 83 percent of students did.
The results reflected indifference, with almost three in four students saying they took the First Amendment for granted or didn't know how they felt about it. It was also clear that many students do not understand what is protected by the bedrock of the Bill of Rights.
Three in four students said flag burning is illegal. It's not. About half the students said the government can restrict any indecent material on the Internet. It can't.
"Schools don't do enough to teach the First Amendment. Students often don't know the rights it protects," Linda Puntney, executive director of the Journalism Education Association, said in the report. "This all comes at a time when there is decreasing passion for much of anything. And, you have to be passionate about the First Amendment."
The partners in the project, including organizations of newspaper editors and radio and television news directors, share a clear advocacy for First Amendment issues.
Federal and state officials, meanwhile, have bemoaned a lack of knowledge of U.S. civics and history among young people. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., has even pushed through a mandate that schools must teach about the Constitution on Sept. 17, the date it was signed in 1787.
I'm for this one too. Because that class was a "senior joke" of some sorts for a lot of people in high school.
The survey, conducted by researchers at the University of Connecticut, is billed as the largest of its kind. More than 100,000 students, nearly 8,000 teachers and more than 500 administrators at 544 public and private high schools took part in early 2004.
The study suggests that students embrace First Amendment freedoms if they are taught about them and given a chance to practice them, but schools don't make the matter a priority.
Students who take part in school media activities, such as a student newspapers or TV production, are much more likely to support expression of unpopular views, for example.
About nine in 10 principals said it is important for all students to learn some journalism skills, but most administrators say a lack of money limits their media offerings.
More than one in five schools offer no student media opportunities; of the high schools that do not offer student newspapers, 40 percent have eliminated them in the last five years.
This is sad.
DV
It's miserably cold and and drizzly outside. (ick) We have a PT test tomorrow. (ick ick ick)
As tomorrow is going to be mostly eaten by Army stuff, my motivation level for today is ... low. Very low. Barely above zero.
Glad to see that elections in Iraq went well. Hopefully this contributes to the country getting to a place where we can pull our troops back somewhat. Not holding my breath, much. As much as I may feel we shouldn't have gone over there, we can't leave until things are put back into order. Hopefully, nothing else gets started. The old lesson about putting your toys away before starting a new game applies to a lot of adult life as well.
Read the updated (2003) edition of Price of Honor by Jan Goodwin, on the life behind the veil. I don't have to exagerrate by saying that I was appalled. Some of the stories related are, simply appalling. The book seems a little more biased against Islam, although the point is made numerous times that the problems for women do not come from the Koran itself, but from the men who interpret the Koran. The book, Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks, seems a little more even, but it also seems as if Goodwin may have kept more of a personal distance from the subjects than Brooks did. They're both good, although Price was definitely not a cheery, uplifting book. I had to go reread The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer to clean the literary palate, so to speak. Which is probably good, because I would have been most annoyed had I dropped my large book into the bath-water. Luckily, the Heyer didn't get too wet, and it seems to have dried out nicely.
I need to try and get some writing and correspondance courses done, as my 2 online classes start on 7 Feb. I am not sure how much time they're going to take up.
After the PT test tomorrow, starting the spring organization of my storage closet, seeing if I need anything for my TDY (hopefully coming soon). I'm supposed to know by the 8th, but I wouldn't be surprised if they tell me at 1630 on the 8th. Army bureaucracy, gotta love it.
And reading the news, I'm *quite* disturbed by this : http://story.news.yahoo.com/newstmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=519&e=4&u=/ap/20050131/ap_on_re_us/students_first_amendment
Relevant portions and discussion in cut HERE : First Amendment No Big Deal, Students Say
By BEN FELLER, AP Education Writer
WASHINGTON - The way many high school students see it, government censorship of newspapers may not be a bad thing, and flag burning is hardly protected free speech. It turns out the First Amendment is a second-rate issue to many of those nearing their own adult independence, according to a study of high school attitudes released Monday.
Okay, I'm very obviously not pro-flag burning, but why does government censorship strike anyone as a good idea? Is no one else paying attention in *history* class ? Obviously, there are military/classified details that need to stay out, but... let's remember who else thought it was okay to burn books/ban books?
The original amendment to the Constitution is the cornerstone of the way of life in the United States, promising citizens the freedoms of religion, speech, press and assembly.
Yet, when told of the exact text of the First Amendment, more than one in three high school students said it goes "too far" in the rights it guarantees. Only half of the students said newspapers should be allowed to publish freely without government approval of stories.
Yeah, but apparently by some rights it's okay to demean and belittle recruiters and destroy Army literature.
"These results are not only disturbing; they are dangerous," said Hodding Carter III, president of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which sponsored the $1 million study. "Ignorance about the basics of this free society is a danger to our nation's future."
When asked whether people should be allowed to express unpopular views, 97 percent of teachers and 99 percent of school principals said yes. Only 83 percent of students did.
The results reflected indifference, with almost three in four students saying they took the First Amendment for granted or didn't know how they felt about it. It was also clear that many students do not understand what is protected by the bedrock of the Bill of Rights.
Three in four students said flag burning is illegal. It's not. About half the students said the government can restrict any indecent material on the Internet. It can't.
"Schools don't do enough to teach the First Amendment. Students often don't know the rights it protects," Linda Puntney, executive director of the Journalism Education Association, said in the report. "This all comes at a time when there is decreasing passion for much of anything. And, you have to be passionate about the First Amendment."
The partners in the project, including organizations of newspaper editors and radio and television news directors, share a clear advocacy for First Amendment issues.
Federal and state officials, meanwhile, have bemoaned a lack of knowledge of U.S. civics and history among young people. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., has even pushed through a mandate that schools must teach about the Constitution on Sept. 17, the date it was signed in 1787.
I'm for this one too. Because that class was a "senior joke" of some sorts for a lot of people in high school.
The survey, conducted by researchers at the University of Connecticut, is billed as the largest of its kind. More than 100,000 students, nearly 8,000 teachers and more than 500 administrators at 544 public and private high schools took part in early 2004.
The study suggests that students embrace First Amendment freedoms if they are taught about them and given a chance to practice them, but schools don't make the matter a priority.
Students who take part in school media activities, such as a student newspapers or TV production, are much more likely to support expression of unpopular views, for example.
About nine in 10 principals said it is important for all students to learn some journalism skills, but most administrators say a lack of money limits their media offerings.
More than one in five schools offer no student media opportunities; of the high schools that do not offer student newspapers, 40 percent have eliminated them in the last five years.
This is sad.
DV
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
PJ O'Rourke and Gary Tredeau ...
Date: 2005-01-31 01:19 pm (UTC)There is a certain distance between the sort of young person who serves and their soon-to-be-peers who seek other projects.
A sense of history, a sense of pragmatism, a sense of responsibility ... Enjoy being on the sharp bright edge of that divide. The others will catch up eventually.
no subject
Date: 2005-01-31 04:41 pm (UTC)So they teach freedom of speach without mentioning that slander is a legal concept, and suddenly "say whatever you want, whenever, with no consequences" doesn't sound like such a hot idea.
Then again, I sat in on
Doesn't surprise me.
Date: 2005-01-31 09:13 pm (UTC)WWII Internment camps, here we come :(
I'd like to see the questions first, please
Date: 2005-01-31 09:49 pm (UTC)That said, "Only half of the students said newspapers should be allowed to publish freely without government approval of stories" shouldn't be terribly surprising. Most E.U. states, and all third-world ones, live under this program: the U.S. is the exception, not the rule. Keep in mind, that student free speech is, throughout most of their career, legitimately curtailed while at the same time kids are told, over and over, that some things Just Can't Be Said. Someone might feel Oppressed, after all.
A lot of it just comes down to the knowledge base. If you can't drill 'em in mathematics, reading, writing, history and civics because more and more of your teaching time is gobbled up by various d--nfool fads and lousy-parenting-remedial-work, then they'll just have to settle for ignorant.