Obesity In Our Society

Obesity In Our Society

By: Christine Le

“More than a billion adults worldwide are now overweight, and at least 300 million of them are clinically obese. Childhood obesity is already epidemic in some areas and on the rise in others. Worldwide, an estimated 17.6 million children under five are said to be overweight”, says Morgan Spurlock. Obesity has become a major problem in our society. Many of the causes are from the genetic factors, lack of physical activity, and unhealthy eating patterns. Obesity is not good for a person and causes many problems like health problems, physical and social problems, and mental health problems.

Many sicknesses/ illnesses can be an effect of obesity. Obesity is a chronic condition defined by an excess amount body of fat. Being a little overweight would not cause any problems but when a person exceeds the normal weight, the amount of body fat can have a negative effect. In the U.S, roughly 300,000 deaths per year are because of obesity and more than 80% of these deaths have a BMI over 30. Obesity causes type 2 diabetes, high blood pressures, heart attacks, etc. Having these illnesses increases the chance of death. Type 2 diabetes’ risk increases with the more a person is obese. Type 2 diabetes is associated with the central obesity and a person with central obesity has fat on their waist. High blood pressure is very common among the adults. A Norwegian study showed that women usually had higher blood pressure do to fat than men.  A study found that three to four times the women who had a BMI greater than 29 had heart attacks or coronary artery disease. On June 1998, the American Heart Association announced that obesity was a “major risk factor” for CHD (coronary heart disease). 

Physical and social problems can also be something that obesity causes. Many people have a problem with their body image and how they look because of being obese. Feeling conscious and hating their body image, many people start to get anorexic, bulimic, and have depression. There are many social problems that are effects of obesity. Young kids that are obese and fat are most of the time bullied in school. Being overweight and obese causes many kids to be vulnerable to bullies and having good social skills get them bullied more often. Julie Lumeng, M.D., a professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor says, “What we found is that it didn't matter. No matter how good your social skills, if you were overweight or obese you were more likely to be bullied.” To cope with all the bullying, most kids start to lower their self-esteem, become depressed, and even try commit suicide because of all the humiliation.

Obesity also causes many mental health problems. The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that by 2020, obesity will be the single biggest killer on the planet. Obesity triggers the start of depression, eating disorders, distorted body image, self-esteem, etc. Evidence from Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) study indicates that depression is three to four times higher in obese individuals than in non-obese individuals. “Depression on a level indicating psychiatric morbidity was more often seen in the obese,” says Professor Marianne Sullivan from Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden.

Being obese is a huge and major problem in our society today. So many people are becoming overweight and obese from the lack of physical activity/exercise, an unhealthy diet/pattern, and the genetic factors. To help prevent being obese, a person can start eating a healthy diet, and exercising. Having a healthy diet is eating the right amount of everything on the food pyramid like fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, etc. Exercising will also help prevent it because exercising gets rid of all the extra fat that a person does not need and burning all the calories. Making these changes can help a person lose 5%-10% of their initial weight and prevent the increase of health problems, physical and social problems, and mental health problems. 

Sources:

• The Negative Effects of Obesity. N.p. motiveweight.blogspot.com.Web. 5 Nov. 2011.
• Obese Level State By State for 2012. N.p. phitamerica.org. Web.
• Blanchard, Vanessa. Fat Letters from Schools are Shaming Kids.N.p. guardianlv.com. Web. 8 Oct. 2013.
• Mental Graph. N.p. ncpad.org.Web.

Is Welfare Really for the Greater Good?

        The general public of the United States does not like the welfare system. Welfare includes all social support for citizens. The welfare in the U.S. is easily accessible and is used by many people. Large amounts of people who have no desire to better themselves misuse taxpayer’s dollars. There are many critics of the welfare system, and they all agree there need to be changes made. The current welfare system enables the poor to make too much money without working, is easily taken advantage of, and does not encourage work.

        There are so many options for welfare and Michael Tanner, a fellow at the Cato Institute, ran a study to see how much a hypothetical family could receive on welfare. The family was made up of a single mother raising a one-year old and a four-year old child receiving seven benefits available to them in all fifty states. The results were equivalent to if the mother had a job she worked forty hours a week at, making over $35,000 in some of the easier welfare states. Welfare enables the lower classes to gain a large amount of money without lifting a finger. Tanner says, “In fact, in 33 states and the District of Columbia, welfare pays more than an $8-an-hour job. In 12 states, including California, as well as the District of Columbia, the welfare package is more generous than a $15-an-hour job. In Hawaii, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, D.C., welfare pays more than a $20-an-hour job, or more than 2.75 times the minimum wage… In California and 38 other states, it pays more than the starting wage for a secretary… California welfare benefits can still exceed 96% of the state's median salary.” Clearly, the benefits of welfare are outrageous and enable citizens to take advantage of the government and taxpayers.  

        People on welfare can easily take advantage of the programs available to assist people in need. Recently in Louisiana, there was an Electronic Benefit Transfer card system outage, and Walmart shoppers exploited the store by buying much more than what was on their cards, leaving the shelves bare. The excessive food was obviously not necessary for the citizens, but they decided to greedily and selfishly exploit the system and Walmart. People easily steal from tax paying citizens by taking too much from government programs. Some Democrats even argue the debt limit needs to be raised. Many citizens claiming disability do not rightfully deserve the benefits. To receive more benefits, people can stretch the truth or even sell their food stamps or checks for other items or money. The system needs to be relooked at so people cannot exploit it.

        Welfare creates no incentives for people to work. It creates dependence and gives money to people who are not working. Why would anyone want to get a job when they have a source of income without working? There is no motivation to update their skills when they can make just as much money or more that they would make with a minimum wage job. Tanner also states, “…with a rise in income, people will "purchase" more leisure by reducing their work effort." In other words, an increase in benefits could encourage people to reduce their work hours. We've seen this with unemployment benefits, which increase both the rate and duration of joblessness.” There is no reason for someone to stop receiving great benefits and actually put in effort to find work.

        Welfare receivers are not going to find work if they can get just as much money from the government as they would with a job. The system is constantly being taken advantage of and has many drawbacks. Welfare costs the government a lot of money, and our economy is not in the greatest place. People are not always truthful and are trusted too easily. Changes are necessary to ensure a better economy and a better America. Welfare needs a serious reform, before it’s too late.

 

 

Sources:

Tanner, Michael D. "Why Get off Welfare?" Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 22 Aug. 2013. Web.          28 Oct. 2013.

"U.S." US A Walmart Shopping Frenzy After Food Stamp Cards Malfunction Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

"America's Misguided Approach to Social Welfare." Global. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

"Alpine-liquor-store-food-stamps." FrontPage Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.

"The Real Deal behind Welfare to Work." The Real Deal behind Welfare to Work. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.

"EBT Fail Causes Shoppers to Empty Walmart Shelves in Shameful Display of Greed (Watch)." EURweb. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.

Hungry for Something Better

Samantha Pitzi

Hungry for Something Better

           When thinking about the diet of an average teenager or kid the first thing that pops into most people’s mind is junk.  They can just eat whatever they want, whenever they want, and none of it ever seems to catch up to them.  Most adult’s excuses for allowing these eating habits is “They’re kids, its fine they’ll burn it off somehow!  They’re still young!”  But this isn’t the case.  Studies show that about 31.8 % of children in America are overweight which is high above average.  Without help from our nation’s school systems, this number will just climb higher and higher.

When not just kids, but any person is hungry, they tend to lose focus quicker.  It is a fact that more nutritious and fresh foods keep you fuller and energized longer than junk.  In turn, serving kids healthier food will help them to focus and pay more attention to their teachers in class rather than the rumbling of their stomachs, which will boost their grades.  Healthy food should also be more accessible to students.  Most times junk food is cheaper priced than a healthier option, so it only makes sense that a student would rather stick to buying a couple cookies rather than an apple. I know this case to be true even in my own school, where chips and cookies cost only 50 cents and fruit cost 75 cents.  Even if someone did want to purchase fruit rather than a cookie, their budget may not allow it.  Having these prices almost forces children not to make the right food choices and points them in the wrong direction.

*As you can see from this chart, as time goes on childhood obesity levels are continuously    growing larger.

 

           A huge factor as to why there is a lack of healthy foods served to children is that it is more expensive.  Although spending five dollars on a package of frozen, microwavable chicken fingers able to feed 15 or 20 kids is more economic than spending that 5 dollars on any kind of fresh food that probably won’t feed as many, it’s not healthy.  Sure, it’s probably easier just to throw that package of chicken fingers in the oven and call it a day, but while tossing them in the oven schools are also tossing away kids’ chances to a healthy future.  If kids are only served junk foods and snacks that will be all they are accustomed to when they get older.  When it finally comes time for them to start shopping for themselves, healthy food will not be a thing they have ever known.

           Although this will greatly affect students in the future, we should also focus on how these choices are affecting students now.  There is a huge number of students who are in the free/reduced lunch program and for many of them, a school lunch could be the only meal they eat all day. The least that could be done to help these kids is to give them one nutritious meal!  Many children that are a part of schools’ free lunch programs are just given two pieces of bread with something stuffed in between them to keep them satisfied throughout the long lasting day.

           The solution to this problem is really quite simple.  Schools should sell healthier foods in order to brighten students’ days and to lead them on clear paths to their futures.  School systems should leave a bigger margin in their budget dedicated to the purchasing of healthy and wholesome meals.  Even just making the prices of both cookies and fruit equal to each other is taking one small step in the right direction.  Obesity among all people is not inevitable, but may begin to be if the issue isn’t tended to soon.

Works Cited:

"Overweight and Obesity in the U.S. « Food Research & Action Center." Food Research Action Center Overweight and Obesity in the US Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

"PaleolithicMD." PaleolithicMD. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

Save the Polar Bears!

Emily Bartnicki

10/18/13

Period 3

Muckraking Essay: Save the Polar Bears!

    We all know about the polar bears, how they are becoming extinct and their homes are being destroyed.  Yes, we have all seen those depressing commercials. These oppressed animals stare at viewers with their poor, tired eyes, and then the screen flips to a celebrity asking for money to save these “precious creatures”.  These commercials continue to spark our interest, but are they really effective? We know polar bears face a struggle, but how much do we really know? Before the Industrial Revolution, and before the international scare we call global warming, polar bears were abundant mammals in the Arctic Circle.  Now, they face the ever-present danger of extinction.  Why is this?  The answer, according to the World Wildlife Foundation and other organizations, is global warming.  As shown by various charts and graphs on NASA’s website, Earth’s overall temperature is quickly accelerating to record temperatures, threatening the polar bears’ way of life.  I am passionate about the idea that we, as ordinary people, can help the polar bears survive and possibly restore their homes, without giving up our money.  
                                                                
        The Arctic Circle is slowly getting smaller, the glaciers are melting, and polar bears are losing their homes.  They live on the ice, and even though they are classified as “good swimmers” by Polar Bears International, they are not able to survive for long periods of time in the freezing waters that represent the remains of their home.  Forced to live on extremely small plots of ice, they are limited as to what they can find for food.  When the inevitable occurs and these small icebergs melt, the polar bears follow their natural instincts and jump into the freezing water to try and survive there, a nearly certain death for these helpless creatures.  Polar Bears International says in their latest study, “polar bears depend on sea ice for hunting, breeding, and in some cases, denning.  Summer ice loss in the Arctic now equals an area the size of Alaska, Texas, and the state of Washington combined ”.
                           Well, how can we help?   We can try our best to recycle paper and plastic, and we can save energy by turning off pluggable electronics when not in use.  These simple acts could possibly reduce global warming, saving the polar bears and their homes.  These precious animals have a population of only 20,000-25,000, about the size of Wilmington, and they need our help more than ever.  Whether we donate time or money, or simply conserve energy to reduce global warming, we are helping to save them, and it is beginning to make an impact.  Luckily, organizations such as the World Wildlife Foundation and Polar Bears International are working to help this situation and provide comfort to these creatures.                                              

     

 

Muckraking Essay Bibliography

"Key Indicators." Global Climate Change. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

"Polar Bear Facts & Information." Polar Bears International. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

WorldWildlife.org. World Wildlife Fund, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

"Polar Bear." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

 

   

 

Incompetent Teachers

Julia Gake
            Have you ever had a teacher who did not know what he or she was talking about, clearly did not want to be there, or was just going through the motions? Teachers are an important part of learning, and having a single bad teacher can seriously impact both future interest in learning and the ability to learn. Many American teachers are hard to fire because they earn tenure after their first few years of teaching. The process of tenure was started because teachers used to be fired and replaced by friends of the principal or by younger people willing to be paid less. Today, tenure for teachers has made it nearly impossible to fire because of poor performance, leading to the United States status as a mediocre country in terms of education.

            Before teachers earn tenure, firing them is simple, but after, it becomes an expensive mess that states do not want to deal with. In New York City, 3 of 30,000 teachers were fired in 2008; while in contrast, 1 out of 97 lawyers lose their license to practice law. The reason for this is simple: teacher unions require costly, dragged out court battles in order to fire teachers.  On average, firing a teacher in New York State lasts 502 days and costs over $216,000, according to the Albany Times Union. School districts often avoid these battles by simply rating teachers as satisfactory, even if they know that they are not or by pushing teachers to schools in low-income areas where students are most likely to need support from their teachers.

            In order to try to improve test scores in the US, states have implemented standardized tests and standards teachers are meant to teach by, but research suggests that one of the most important pieces of getting a good education is having good teachers. “The research shows that kids who have two, three, four strong teachers in a row will eventually excel, no matter what their background, while kids who have even two weak teachers in a row will never recover," says Kati Haycock of the Education Trust and coauthor of the 2006 study "Teaching Inequality: How Poor and Minority Students Are Shortchanged on Teacher Quality.” Although most teachers are well-qualified for their jobs, there are more bad teachers than one would hope. “A lot of people who have been hired as teachers are basically not competent,” admits Al Shanker, former president of the American Federation of Teachers Newark, New Jersey has a 30.6 percent graduation rate, yet only one of 3,000 teachers is fired annually. This inability to fire teachers who perform poorly has an impact on the overall education level in America. If the United States wants to compete with other countries in terms of education, teachers need to improve as a whole.

            Monitoring teachers and weeding out those who do not live up to standards will require change in the educational system. One option is to extend the amount of time required to be eligible for tenure or to weaken the amount of power unions hold when it comes to firing teachers. Another option is to follow the example KIPP schools have set, by requiring much greater time dedication from teachers. This standard helps them maintain high graduation rates across all 82 KIPP schools, which are found mainly in the inner city. A third option is to expand the Teach for America program which hires graduates from elite colleges to teach in the inner city for a few years, 61 percent of whom continue teaching after their time is up.

            If the United States wants to catch up to the rest of the developed countries in the world, teachers need to be held to higher standards. The fact that a teacher has been a teacher for a long time does not mean that he or she is actually good at teaching and should not mean that he or she has greater immunity from being fired than someone with another occupation. Increasing the quality of teachers requires weakening the power of teacher unions, requiring greater dedication from teachers, or hiring teachers with a higher level of education. In order for students to learn, they need to be interested in and engaged in what they are learning about, which will not happen if a teacher does not care about what they are doing.

Works Cited

         Feistritzer, Emily C. "Profile of Teachers in the US 2011." Ncei.com. NCEI, 2011. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

         "Getting Rid of Bad Teachers." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2013.

         Hands, Phil. "Madtoons: August 2009." Madtoons: August 2009. N.p., 19 Aug. 2009. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

         "Protecting Bad Teachers." Teachers Union Exposed. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013.

         Reber, Dave. "No Teacher Is an Island." Mississippi Association of Educators. MAE, n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.

         "Why We Must Fire Bad Teachers." Newsweek 5 Mar. 2010: n. pag. Why We Must Fire Bad Teachers. 5 Mar. 2010. Web. 20                    Oct. 2013.

The Steps to Success

Evan Sperlinga

                                                                   The Steps to Success

           

            It’s that time of year again. Students and teachers are going back to school and the summer is coming to an end. This means there is no longer staying up until midnight every night and getting to sleep in every morning. The alarm clock is dusted off and placed in our bedroom once again. But where does all this sleep deprivation come from? Student’s lack of sleep results from waking up in the early hours of the morning, sports and clubs after school, and homework from main and elective courses           

            Students in high school are suppose to have 8 ½ to 9 hours of sleep every night in order to perform daily tasks the next day according to the National Sleep Foundation. It is very difficult for Wilmington High students to get these essential hours of sleep because of the early starting times! Classes in the school begin at 7:40 AM and end at 2:05 PM. Because of this early starting time, students often have to wake up at about 6 AM or earlier. Some students need to take a shower, put some food in their stomach, get ready to go, and catch a bus. They have to do this all in such a small amount of time and being tired on top of that does not help get those necessary tasks done. A study by Teen Health says that “Teens who fall asleep after midnight may still have to get up early for school, meaning that they might squeeze in only 6 or 7 hours of sleep a night.” A simple change in order for students to get the essential hours of sleep is to just push start times ahead an hour or two more! Going to school around 9 AM or 10 AM would allow students to get an extra hour or two of sleep at night and would let students get 8 ½ to 9 hours. This would help students feel more awake in the morning and would allow for students to succeed in their classes. A study by the National Institutes of Health performed a math test on students. The test said that “The group that got eight hours of sleep before tackling the problem was nearly three times more likely to figure out the rule than the group that stayed awake at night.” With more hours of sleep, Wilmington High students would be more alert in their classes and test scores would increase dramatically!

            Many teenagers at Wilmington High are student-athletes as well! Sport practices are held right after the school day ends. Practices usually last for two hours or more depending on the sport and are held every single day of the week. In order for these students to play at the best of their ability they need to have had the necessary hours of sleep. If students did not get enough sleep the night before, they may have been tired for the whole school day and then going to sports afterwards on top of that is just exhausting and not healthy. Coaches expect their players to play at their top ability every day and being tired will not help achieve that goal. Teen Health says that “Lack of sleep damages teens' ability to do their best in athletics.” Practices at Wilmington High are held every day which can exhaust students and not leave them any energy when they get home. A way to solve this problem is to simply shorten the practice from two or more hours to just a little over an hour. This would let students get home at a reasonable hour, get their homework done and go to bed at an earlier time. Just an hour of extra sleep at night can truly benefit student-athletes. Kids Health claims that “Sleep helps keep us physically healthy, too, by slowing the body's systems to re-energize us for everyday activities.” Cutting down an hour of practice every day would help these students get another hour of sleep at night and would result in a better performance on the field.

            Then there is the favorite, homework. Students usually have about 2-3 hours of homework a night, depending on their classes says The Huffington Post. This on top of other daily tasks does not help students get their essential hours of sleep. Some students attend to clubs or play sports after school and then have to stay up into the long hours of night to get their homework done before the next day. A way to solve this problem is for teachers to reduce the homework they give or give students more than one night to get their homework done. This would allow students to spread their homework out over a period of a couple days. This solution would help students get to bed much earlier and would help them get the required hours of sleep to remain alert and healthy for the next day. This small change in the duration and amount of homework could help students with their hours of sleep dramatically. These changes could allow for students to get all of their homework done and get the sleep they need.

            Sleep is one of the most necessary things for students in high school. The amount of hours of sleep a night is often reduced by the early start time of school, sports and clubs, and homework. In order to remain healthy and alert students should get 8 ½ to 9 hours of sleep at night. For this to happen, the start of school should be pushed ahead by an hour or two, sports/clubs should be cut down by an hour, and homework should be spread out over the course of a few days or lessened in its entirety. Sleep is essential for students to be successful in all of their daily activities and tasks. These suggested changes in a student’s day are the steps to success in their lives.

Perle, Elizabeth. "High School Homework: Are American Students Overworked?" The             Huffington              Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 02 Nov. 2011. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

                                                                                                                                                                        "Teens and Sleep." Sleep for Teenagers. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

            "TeensHealth." How Much Sleep Do I Need? N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

"Running on Empty: A Look into Student Sleeping Habits | Online Gargoyle." Gargoyle RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.

"Sleep – The Chart - CNN.com Blogs." The Chart RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.

"Teenage Sleep Requirements, Lack of Sleep, Ensuring Teens Get Enough Sleep." HubPages. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.

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Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Teen Sleep: Why Is Your Teen so Tired?" Mayo Clinic. Mayo      Foundation for                    Medical Education and Research, 20 Mar. 2013. Web. 28 Oct.     2013

The Worth of the Turf

The Worth of the Turf

            Excitement and anticipation are sweeping through Wilmington High School with the news of a new school under construction. In addition to the enhanced building for academics, athletics have been equally improved with the installation of a turf football, soccer, and field hockey field. Considered to be a costly endeavor in the opinions of some residents, the decision to put in a turf field over a natural grass field is in question. A turf field can cost over $600,000 to install, a staggering price in the eyes of many people. The purchases’ worth and practicality are proven in the durability and safety, availability, and attractiveness of the turf for the players, school, and town.

            A large factor playing into the fears of residents is the price of the turf field, but the high quality, durable field will prove to be worth the starting price. The belief that the turf costs more is true for the base price, as installation and rubber being put into it increases the original cost. As time goes by, less maintenance will required in the general upkeep of the field, however. Fertilizing and mowing is necessary to keep a natural grass field in good condition to play on. The turf doesn't need to be grown or trimmed, nor does it become muddy or worn-out in rain.  Another huge positive in the turf field is the prevention of injuries. Compared to grass fields in a three-year study conducted in college football, there were 74% less muscle tear injuries, 12% less concussions, and 7% less total injuries. The American Journal of Sports Medicine stated: "...the findings showed significant differences in injury incidence, severity of injury, injury time loss, injury situation, grade of injury, injuries under various field conditions, and temperature between playing surfaces... FieldTurf markedly the safer playing surface." Also, a study by the NCAA Injury Surveillance System showed that 15.5% of injuries on grass were caused by player-to-surface, while on turf only 11.2% were. Any measure, whether big or small, should be taken to prevent the injury of an athlete.

             Practice is a huge part of the success teams have out on the field and turf allows athletes to get even more crucial training. Grass fields become almost unusable on rainy and snowy days, as the water and snow leave the field muddy, slippery, and hazardous. Turf does not lose its usability when moist; it actually quickens the pace that the game is played at and heightens the intensity. On snowy days, turf holds in heat and the only factor that would prevent a game from being played is if there is no one willing to shovel it off. Field Turf, an athletic turf company, conducted a study that proved that turf is playable for 2,992 hours per year, while natural grass is only usable for 1,000 hours per year. Turf can be used in almost any condition and season in a year, providing plentiful opportunities for Wilmington teams to strut their skills in front of home crowds. 

            The home crowds are immensely important for the support they bring to the players, fundraising, and volunteering. The news of the field sent a wave of exhilaration through not only the athletes, but the students and residents of Wilmington. Not only does it supply a better playing surface, but it brings a greater amount of fans to games, each with a greater sense of pride in their new field. More fans means more business for the snack shack, the profits most often going towards Wilmington sports teams and charity organizations offering merchandise. Overall, the town is increasing its attendance at games, revving up the fans, and increasing funds being raised for good causes. 

       There were plenty of questions from Wilmington residents over the price and the necessity of buying an expensive turf field rather than going with a natural grass field for the new high school. The field is most definitely a smart purchase, clearly justified by several factors. The turf is long-lasting and safer for players, requiring little maintenance and cutting back on injuries. In most weather during every season, the field is ready to be used, offering many more hours of playtime than grass fields. The excitement and energy is has brought to the school and town will transcend to games, with more support for teams and more profit for charity organizations and fundraisers. The turf field is sure to pay for itself as time goes by. 

"FieldTurf and Artificial Grass - Price vs. Cost." FieldTurf: FieldTurf Artificial Grass - Price vs. Cost. Tarkett Sports Company, n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. <http://www.fieldturf.com>.

Susan. "A Muddy Soccer Field, an Ark and Parenting." The Confident Mom. N.p., 19 Oct. 2009. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. <http://www.theconfidentmom.com>.

Lannan, Katie. "Challenge to New Wilmington Field Denied as Turf Opens for Football."Lowell Sun Online. N.p., 13 Sept. 2013. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. <http://www.lowellsun.com>.

Gun Control

As we all know, gun violence is at an all time high.  But what can our government do to help control these crimes?  Nearly three months after the Sandy Hook shooting, in December 2012, there had been 2,244 gun related deaths in the United States.  That’s outrageous.  25% of all of the gun violence sprouts from guns that can hold 30 or more bullets in each magazine.  So with astonishing figures like this, why is our government not looking out for its’ citizens?  Gun violence is only becoming worse in the United States and it is not being controlled properly because of our split government, previously passed legislation, and an unrealistic fear of our economy being hurt.

            The truth of the matter is, Obama really wants a gun control law to pass, along with some other fellow democrats.  “Obama supports banning all forms of semiautomatic weapons and tighter state restrictions generally on firearms, including a failed effort to limit handgun purchases to one per month,” says Connie Cass of the Huffington Post.    But Republicans feel as though this would infringe upon our second amendment rights.  There are no real helpful, thorough laws that the government has in place to ban assault weapons.  I think the government isn’t doing enough.  I agree that we should protect our second amendment right, but do we really need assault weapons?  I really don’t even like the name: assault weapons.  It makes no sense for Americans to even own weapons made primarily to kill. Congress has touched on this issue in the past, but they have yet to do anything when we need it most.

           

In 1994 Congress passed an assault weapons ban that was extremely vague.  Although gun violence declined, the manufacturing and production of magazines with 30 or more bullets and assault weapons did not skip a beat.  The ban was only to last ten years, but congress decided not to extend the ban.  I feel that this issue will continue to be a problem in the United States.  This photo from the Huffington Post ( middle) is of a loaded handgun that would not be included in a ban of weapons.  The Republicans want their second amendment rights, while the rest of us just don’t want another tragedy.  Are the rights of Americans more important than 2,244 deaths every three months?  This issue

            These guns should never be available to civilians.  I know that people may be nervous about our economy without assault weapons being produced.  The truth is, most of the guns that are produced are pistols, handguns, and shotguns.  This photo from the Huffington Post (above) shows an assault weapon that is legal in the United States.  The government is not not doing anything about it because they are afraid a potential ban would hurt our economy.  I believe that these tragedies can be avoided with a specific assault weapons ban.

            Gun violence is an issue that gets worse every day and the government isn’t doing anything about it.  There are too many deaths in relation to gun violence that are caused by weapons with 30 or more bullets per cartridge. “Obama can only place that restriction on guns regulated under the National Firearm Act, a 1934 law that only deals with the deadliest weapons, like machine guns and short-barreled shotguns. For the majority of weapons, there is no federal gun registration,” says Josh Lederman of the Huffington Post.  Even though people want this issue to end, the Republicans are holding to their second amendment right.  This issue should be ended with legislation and the government is not doing enough.      

Cherkis, Jason. "One Nation Under The Gun: Thousands Of Gun Deaths Since Newtown." The Huffington   Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 22 Mar. 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

Goyette, Braden. "Gun Violence Study Links State Levels Of Gun Ownership And Homicide." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 13 Sept. 2013. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.

  Calderone, Michael. "Obama Administration Has Gone To Unprecedented Lengths To Thwart Journalists, Report Finds." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 10 Oct. 2013. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.

 Gentilviso, Chris. "Supreme Court Declines To Hear Maryland Gun Law Case." The Huffington Post.  TheHuffingtonPost.com, 15 Oct. 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

Zero Tolerance: Is it Just?

Zero Tolerance Policy: Is It Just?

Joey Tassone

           

              Seventeen year old Erin Cox was suspended from her Volleyball team for being a potential hero. That doesn't seem right at all, does it? This is all part of the Zero-Tolerance policy applied by numerous public schools across the United States and Canada. The Zero-Tolerance policy addresses the use of violence of weapons, violence, drugs, and alcohol in and out of school. Some people think the Zero Tolerance Policy was a fantastic idea for schools to impress on these students. They believe it shows discipline in and out of school. Others think the Zero-Tolerance policy goes much too far in many cases across the United States and should not be part of a schools handbook.

Source: National School Safety Center

Credit: Julia Ro/NPR

            I believe this “Zero-Tolerance Policy” should not vanish, but should just be revised. This policy over the years has demonstrated students to make smart decisions in, and even out of school. Violence during school hours has dropped substantially in the past few decades. Also, outside of school, students know the right and wrong decision. They know what will cause them to be suspended or booted off their sports team. The Zero-Tolerance policy has provided boundaries and has been pushed by school administrators to the point where kids will hopefully make the right decision. Showing from the graph, since the Zero Tolerance policy has been enforced, violence levels have significantly decreased. Stephen Brock of California State University says that "not only are rates of school violence going steadily down, but it's clear that schools are the safest place for a student to be".

            Even though part of The Zero Tolerance Policy put students in their place, there are also flaws that confuse and outrage many people across the U.S. There are many cases throughout the past 20 years that show this. One case is that of a young boy named Josh Welch. Josh Welch was suspended for two days for biting his Pop-Tart into a shape that the teacher perceived to be the shape of a gun. Josh’s father described the incident as ‘insanity’. It is insanity. The fact that a 7 year old boy was suspended for chewing on his pop-tart is an example of teachers being over-protective.
           Another example of this is the case of 17-year-old Erin Cox. Erin Cox attends North Andover High School. She was suspended from her volleyball team and stripped as role of team captain when she drove her drunken friend home from a party. A cop had summoned them to court at the party and the policeman claimed that her friend was drunk but Erin was not drunk nor was in the possession of alcohol. Superintendent of North Andover Public Schools stated that he “hopes that our young people don’t hesitate for one second to do the right thing for fear of being punished on the basis of their school’s bad policy.” Even the superintendent of the school knows that suspending Erin looks bad on the school administrator’s part. Erin’s parents were furious with the school's decision along with Erin.

The North Andover High School Athletic Handbook

            Although the Zero Tolerance Policy has its place in school systems across the United States, it has many flaws and must be revised and changed. Now, students such as Josh Welch and Erin Cox have to deal with a suspension on their permanent record and will negatively effect their ability applying for jobs, colleges, etc. When people think of the Zero Tolerance Policy, it seems like a very practical way of dealing with the problems that we face in the everyday school system. However, we then have to ask ourselves if it is fair to give all committees of these crimes the same consequence without even looking at each student’s case and side of their story.




"School Suspends 7-year-old for Shaping Breakfast Pastry into 'shape of a Gun'" Mail Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

"Erin Cox a Hero, Not a Villain -- School Wrong to Punish Her for Doing the Right Thing."Fox News. FOX News Network, 17 Oct. 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

"Perry J Greenbaum." : 'Zero-Tolerance' Policies: Are They Effective? N.p., 29 Mar. 2013. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.

"Honors Student Gave a Drunk Friend a Ride Home, Gets Punished By School." The Atlantic Wire. N.p., 14 Oct. 2013. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.

Neuman, Scott. "Violence In Schools: How Big A Problem Is It?" NPR. NPR, n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.