It starts with family...

So this blog is more of a venting thing and not based on any articles although it does relate to a recent topic in Bogenschneider. Today at work we had two football games one at 5:30 and then on at 7:00 pm. It seemed the day would be rough as that game started almost 30 minutes late. Pushing on 8:30 the score between the two teams playing was 6-2. There was a flag throw with a minute left because on of the kids punched the opposing teams player in the face (I guess through the face mask area). After the game as we are getting ready to shut the lights off a fight breaks out that stemmed from some trash talking. Understandably, kids will be kids and fights will happen. What was appalling to me was that parents joined in and encouraged their children to fight.In our text there is all this talk about the importance of family and how it is the main socializing agent in young children's lives. if this is what family rearing has come to then society watch out. I cannot imagine a parent encouraging their child to go beat the hell out of someone else. It was just not average fighting they were fighting to cause serious damage almost like wild animals. What happened to teaching our kids about what a team is, about making good decisions, restraint, sportsmanship, commitment, and compassion. how can a parent expect their child to succeed in life teaching them to fight to kill other children? now if there were not 7 staff and all those parents I would expect for kids to behave that way. When the parents act the same way who do they have to look to for guidance and as an example. incidents make me skeptical about whether family should necessarily be the main socializing unit of youth. This happens a lot more than people know so I guess I am basing this on several years of working youth you. Are kids really learning the lesson necessary to be successful and a productive member of society? Is it harder with all the societal changes and thing they are exposed to? What do yal think?

Homeless in Gainesville

Being Homeless in Gainesville is Hell.

You would think in a town where 90% are college students and different organizations that reach out the community, it would be a homeless person friendly zone, but I feel like its the opposite!

http://www.gainesvillesun.com/article/20070906/NEWS/709060320&SearchID=73294567107311

Above is an article from the Gainesville sun, that talks about some of the new city policies to beautify our city, and in the mean time displace large groups of homeless people. So many people in this day in age view homeless people as blights on the face of society, but we don't know the whole story. You'd be amazed to know that the majority of homeless people in Gainesville are Mothers and children under the age of 7. Imagine that, especially since the only people we see are the old vets sitting on the side of the road.

http://www.gainesvillesun.com/article/20070911/NEWS/70911017&SearchID=73294525178162

In response to this article, banning those people from Panhandling, in an attempt to hide a problem so many selfish people have complained about in the past years, we unknowingly have put a stop to something good. "Fill the boot" and other important organizations that depend on these yearly donations, will no longer be able to do this. Also, with some homeless people, that few dollars they get from passing motorists might be the only meal they get in days. We should be so kind to think of this.

I just feel that Gainesville is really anti-homless, because they don't want to deal with the problem. They forced people out of tent city, which was home to many families, not just individuals. Our shelters are over crowded, and their plans to build a new facility have fell through because of the longevity of the project and city commisoners feel like no one has any enthusiasim for the program.


SO basically Gainesville's Leadership team sucks
Anybody feel differently?

Many family-related policies, including pay equity, are key to children’s well-being - Article

Many family-related policies, including pay equity, are key to children’s well-being: Article written July 2007, but it was interesting to me!!!! The link is below if you would like to read it yourself.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/many-family-related-policies-including-pay-equity-are-key-to-childrens-well-being-2007-07-24.html


This article talks about how children are tomorrows leader and that in order for a child to be competitive we must support their develop, families, and the public policies that make it possible. they go on to state that family friendly policies make the best children friendly policies. Well that is the general gist of the article.

I think that it is very important to have family policy, i feel like it kills many birds with one stone. Children are a big part of most families. It is very important to have policies that support parents needs with regard to sick leave, and being able to attend their kids events etc. I think that the tax credits and medical leave acts are great starts, but just the tip of the ice burg.

if you get a chance read the article, I know it is a little old, but I thought it was a good article and I agreed with much of it!

Due East- Lifetime Movie

This movie is about its young girl who gets pregnant after having sex for the first time with a friend (who dies in a car accident). She is up for valedictorian of her class, a national merit scholar and teaches night classes to the elderly. As well, she is a devoted daughter to her family.

I guess there were a couple of things the movie shed light on that I didn't agree with. The movie was made in 2002, but it played August 22nd of this year on Lifetime and it seemed so unreal the things they did to this young girl.

1) the kicked her out of school initially
2) she was banned from teaching night classes temporarily
3) She was threatened by the principle and he withdrew his recommendations for her to college
4) She was being pushed by her family to go off on a vacation (have an abortion) and come back like nothing happened.
5) there were no support groups or places for her to go and she was the daughter of a single father who wasn't always a good help.

Now for granted this took place in a small town and maybe it was created as a deterrent for teenagers. I don't know if Lifetime is a hot movie channel for teens! So all the things that happened or the lack of support seemed non-progressive to me. However, I know for a fact things like that still happen. I guess my question would be in removing a pregnant girl from school so that she doesn't influence the other girls and taking her chances at an education be worth it. When it is proven the more education you get the better your chances and your child's chances become. As well how do you remove the girl and not the boy? In this movie the boy died, but why is there a double standard - if they have to be kicked out let them both go!


There was also something really cool in this movie that I thought was very interesting. the young girl made and adult friend that kind of helped her throughout the movie and that lady was in a bitter divorce, suffering from depression. She would be drunk and bad mouthing the father and the kids were stuck in the middle. In the end when she pulled herself together she decided that the father needed to be a part of their kids lives and that when it was his week with the kids he could move in the house where the kids lived permanently. this way their lives would have minimal disruption. And while he was there, she would go somewhere else. We talk about divorce and custody battles in our major all the time and this seemed like an option that shows some promise when considering the children.

Programmed for Failure- Gainesville Sun Article

I know that Dr. Smith talked about this article in class a little bit and I went back and read it again. I think it is sad that only 7% of African-American students and 27% of Hispanics can pass the FCAT. I also think it is unfair and ludicrous to require such and examination to be able to obtain a high-school degree.

I remember hearing a case where a student was successful throughout high-school and would have graduated with a 3.7 GPA upon completion of the FCAT- but they never passed. Resulting in them working at McDonalds full-time and losing their scholarship to college. Seems a high price to pay when you are proactive in your education throughout high school.

The school system is overloaded and has a huge responsibility. They are having to pass kids before they can successfully teach them the needed skills. The article does point out that by the time you are in tenth grade often there are students who are high risk for dropout and failure. As well, those students who are high risk i=may have grown up with nutritional issues, inadequate health care, and intellectual stimulation.

That being said economic status probably plays a huge role in a student's success. those families who lacking the above mentioned things are usually those families whose parents work long hard jobs and are on tight budgets. I think that individuals in the community should step up and offer extra help, food, and activities for youth in need. I know that it is much easier said than done and that with every thing that seems to help us progress there are new problems to arise.

If you look at the article and see the comments on the bottom some genius wrote that it is parents fault that kids are failing because they rather be friends with their kids than parent s and teach them fundamentals - That they depend on the government to babysit and do more than just govern. As well, parents also would rather act like teens and go out.

This really pissed me off because I work at an after school program and yeah we might have a few trifling parents but a good chunk of them are struggling single mothers that are doing the every best they can. Some are in school, working multiple jobs, and in addition parenting. While I agree parents should spent time with their kids and teach them realistically only in a perfect world can all parents do that. All parents aren't young and trifling, it is an unfair assumption.

I think that parents do need to be involved, communities need to come together, and yes the government need to be involved they are providing education via public schooling! I think schools need to be equal and realistically they aren't in my opinion. As well slamming FCAT into kids is not the way to teach them and prepare them for the test - it slights them on other educational needs they have. I mean if the tenth grader who is flunking and not passing fcat was the same way in 3rd grade our system is not working ( I understand they do the best they can in schools for what they have).

What do you all think?

Jessica Lunsford - Act

I think that what happened to Jessica is beyond a heinous act on a child. I work with children so situations like these make my stomach turn. I cannot imagine a child being buried alive after being abducted and in addition raped. Now the act that they have in place is probably great, I mean it gives the family a sense of accomplishment and that their child did not die in vain. I feel that by Couey getting the death penalty in itself is a problem. I feel like it's punishing one murder with another. However, I understand why it has been rendered. I think that I have a slight problem with the bill itself as well.

If I understand correctly the following are the main things that this act encompasses: Require sex offenders who were convicted more than twice of failing to properly register as a sex offender to wear GPS devices on their ankles for five years following their release from prison, or for ten years for those deemed sexual predators, to better enable law enforcement personnel to track their whereabouts. Costs of tracking and monitoring offenders must be absorbed by each State. States must mail sex offender registration forms at least twice per year, at random times, to verify registrants' addresses. Any registrants who do not respond within 10 days must be considered non-compliant.

The problem is that many believe that the registry lists is a compilations of convicted child molesters . In actuality many offenders that register have been convicted of poor choice offenses, which involve no victim and possibly no physical contact. As well, teenagers in consensual relationships with one of them being underage according to the law would be subject to this "predator" tag. Then there is the issue of many people not being able to afford a legal defense and having to take a plea bargain. I think that Jessica's Act should be used for sexual predators who commit crimes on other people and children. Not someone who is 17 dating a girl who is 15, or someone who streaks in public, or is showing boxers or a thong.

I think that there needs to be more specific guidelines for this act. It is not sufficient enough for me to support it when there are so many cases and scenarios that can be posed that do not warrant having a tracking device attached to you for a minimum of five years- it might not even warrant registry in the sex offender database as far as I am concerned. I do want to reiterate I am not against the Lunsford Act, but simply think it needs some specificity.

Lifetime Movie

I was watching lifetime today and there was a movie on called Amber's story. This movie was about the origination of the Amber alert. Now, this movie really got me thinking. Just like it was stated in chapter 10, why is it that it takes a devestating event, like the death of a young girl, to open up our eyes and change policy? Family is the foundation of this country. Why are we always last on the list of things to change? If we had implemented the amber alert system, or something similar sooner, would Amber be around today? As stated in the family values debate, our country believes that the family problems and issues are suppose to self-contain themselves. Isn't it our governments job to step up and ensure the safety of its citizens? By dragging our feet on certain issues as child support, custody battles, and even the remote saftey of our children...what are we saying? I feel like we saying that amber didn't deserve to live.

And that angers me...