Through extensive research and best practices of various schools nationwide, this book provides educators with solutions to the problems in our public schools. These solutions include articles on some of the latest federal programs afforded to state education agencies to address challenges plaguing public schools such as the No Child Left Behind Act. The book can be very helpful to school stakeholders such as parents, teachers, principals and district administrators since the topics focus on the K-12 environments. With a plethora of references to support numerous suggestions, discrepancies and issues, this book can be useful to graduate students, professors, researchers, university administrators and education state agencies. In a proposal format, this book also provides a roadmap for successful and struggling schools in the U.S. with objectives, goals, strategies and performance measures.

Current Issues and Answers in Education

By Ronald Holmes

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2012 Ronald Holmes, Ph.D.
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4685-5365-9

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.....................................................................................................................VIIDEDICATION..........................................................................................................................IXINTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................XIRegarding Students .................................................................................................................1Is sexting a serious offense in America's schools?..................................................................................3What does breastfeeding have to do with education?..................................................................................6What are the laws banning students from wearing their "pants on the ground" in school?..............................................10What can be learned from "The Help" about raising children?.........................................................................14How can the value-added model better measure students' performance?.................................................................18What is hazing in our society?......................................................................................................22How can we dispel the myths about HIV and STDs?.....................................................................................26Regarding Teachers .................................................................................................................31How can music empower students and a community?.....................................................................................33How are African-American students let off the hook?.................................................................................37Is there a fair evaluation system for grading teachers?.............................................................................40Is it time to grade parents in school?..............................................................................................43Regarding Education Values .........................................................................................................47Is the education in America designed to fail students?..............................................................................49What has been the impact of Oprah Winfrey on education?.............................................................................53How does building prisons impact education?.........................................................................................56Is the debt ceiling a vital sign of America's economy?..............................................................................59Is it time to privatize public education?...........................................................................................62How can "pay it forward" help students succeed in school?...........................................................................65Regarding Curriculum ...............................................................................................................71What makes Thomas Jefferson High School of Science and Technology successful?.......................................................73How do thousands of baby fish graduate from school?.................................................................................77Can hip-hop music in the curriculum influence African-American students to learn?...................................................81How did two Atlanta area schools consistently make AYP and become Georgia's 2011 Title I Distinguished Schools?.....................85What is the purpose of the Common Core State Standards?.............................................................................89Regarding School Districts .........................................................................................................93Should school districts ban homework on the weekend?................................................................................95How will Dekalb County School System put "Students First?"..........................................................................99How can a four-day week benefit schools during a lean economy?......................................................................102Is it time to fix the No Child Left Behind Act?.....................................................................................105Is it time to provide students supper in school?....................................................................................109Roadmap for successful & struggling schools in the U.S..............................................................................112REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................127AUTHOR'S BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................135

Chapter One

Is sexting a serious offense in America's schools?

In this ubiquitous nature of 21st century technology, people often say that it is hard to reach a person by telephone. However, if you text an individual, you can get an immediate response. The past and present technological devices are like day and night. In the past, people had to wait a long time to get their pictures developed. Now, if you take a picture on the cell phone, it is available to see and send to someone else in minutes. The cell phone has altered how we live, work, shop and communicate with each other.

Students are big users of cell phones and often use them at school inappropriately and at the wrong time of the day. The current raging problem with students using their cell phones has to do with sexting. Sexting is sending sexually explicit photos, videos or messages electronically from their cell phones. With students between ages eight and 18 spending an average of 53 hours a week using electronic devices such as cell phones, the question to be asked are: Is sexting a serious offense in America's schools? What is the school's role in dealing with sexting issues?

Sexting, another form of bullying, is a major problem for students in America's school. According to a survey conducted by The Associated Press, "more than one-in-four teenagers have sexted in some formed. Thirty percent of all respondents said they had been involved in sexting. Seventy percent of respondents 14–24 years old said that somebody had sent them nude pictures or videos of themselves."

It is easy for sexting to turn into bullying which has legal ramification. In a typical scenario described by a law official to a group of high school students in Western Massachusetts, the following is how sexting presents problems for students: a female student agrees to text a nude picture of herself to a boyfriend as a result of pressure from him. When the relationship ends, the boyfriend forwards the picture to other friends who may forward the picture to additional friends. The girl is harassed, bullied and embarrassed by the time the picture has circulated through her school. As a result, the boyfriend and other parties could be charged with a felony, assessed fines and incarcerated if convicted. They could also be registered as a sex offender if the victim's age is under 18.

Since many instances of sexting or bullying occur during school, the school has a significant role to play in eliminating the behavior. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, the school should assess the problem, increase faculty supervision of students during class change and conduct school-wide assemblies related to the issue. The classroom teachers should also reinforce classroom expectations with parents. The staff should intervene with victims, perpetrators and their guardians to employ viable strategies to rectify the concern at the school. These types of interventions must be reinforced continuously because texting is a common thing for students of this generation, and unfortunately when they send sexually explicit photos, videos or messages electronically from their cell phones it is irretrievable.

The problem with sexting is not just in the schools but also in the workplace and everyday life. The consequences of sexting can be damaging to a person's reputation, career and livelihood. Our children are experiencing and using new technology in ways that most adults have not had to deal with in life. Parents, let's educate ourselves and our children on the appropriate uses of technology and the ramifications of inappropriate uses. There is an old refrain that says, "sticks and stones may break my bones but words shall never harm me." In the world we live, harmful words and harmful pictures can have a disastrous impact on the perpetrators and the victims.

What does breastfeeding have to do with education?

If there were a magical product on the market that could improve your child's chances of performing well in school, decrease occurrences of ear infections, reduce juvenile diabetes, childhood obesity, digestive and respiratory problems, most of us would buy it at any cost and feed it to our babies. Well, there is such a product. It is called breast milk.

Our First Lady, Michelle Obama's personal campaign is to fight childhood obesity under the slogan, "Let's Move." As a part of this initiative, Mrs. Obama asks parents and caregivers to make healthy eating choices for children and encourage children to eat foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and low fat dairy. In addition, the First Lady advocates for breastfeeding as a way to provide a healthy start for babies and fight childhood obesity.

With one in three children in America being obese or overweight, First Lady Obama is a proponent of hospitals obtaining the "Baby Friendly" certification which means they are providing nursing support to mothers and babies and allowing new born babies to occupy beds with their mothers instead of whisking the babies to the nursery for formula. As a former breast feeder, the First Lady's campaign reflects that breastfeeding helps children avoid illnesses such as ear infections, asthma, digestive problems, allergies, diarrhea and vomiting.

Organized by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), August 1-7 was World Breastfeeding Awareness Week. During this time, over 120 countries participated in the campaign to promote mothers breastfeeding for at least the first six months of an infant's life.

Considering the world's emphasis on breastfeeding, the questions to be asked are: What does breastfeeding have to do with education? What are the benefits of breastfeeding? How can breastfeeding benefit mothers in times of a natural disaster? What are the challenges of breastfeeding?

Many studies have entertained the benefits of breastfeeding on brain development. Results have shown that breastfed children in different ages and stages of life perform better than formula fed children on intellectual ability tests and earn higher grades in school. These findings report that the nutrients provided in breast milk contain the ideal ratio of fats, amino acids and other nutrients that the baby needs for brain and nervous system development compared to formula milk.

Some of these nutrients found in high concentrations in mother's milk include taurine, fats and cholesterol. Taurine is an amino acid that helps the brain and retina develop. This substance is important to babies in the first six months since their bodies do not produce it. Fats such as Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Arachidonic acid (ARA) help to develop the baby's brain structures. Cholesterol builds tissue in the baby's brain and nervous system during the first two years of life.

In learning about the specific benefits of breastfeeding, I interviewed Deborah Parnell, a lactation consultant and the Breastfeeding Coordinator for the Women Infant and Children Program (WIC) in Dallas, Texas. Parnell is the mother of 29 year old twins whom she breastfed during infancy; one is a successful gynecologist and the other is completing medical residency.

Parnell says that one of WIC's program goals is "to educate women on the many benefits of breastfeeding." According to Parnell, WIC teaches mothers that breast milk provides the perfect nutrition for babies. It is easier for babies to digest compared to formula, enables babies to obtain the ideal ratio of fats and other nutrients, reduces the health problems of babies and mothers and finally allows mothers and babies to bond better with each other.

Similarly, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health contends that breastfeeding not only provides babies rich nutrients and antibodies to protect them, but also saves mothers' time from warming and sterilizing bottles in the middle of the night. It also saves cost on formula and health care, satisfies the babies' hunger immediately and reduces women's risk of health problems such as postpartum depression, diabetes, breast and ovarian cancer.

Another big benefit of breastfeeding is that in times of disaster, it "protects babies from the risk of contaminated water, protects babies against respiratory illnesses and diarrhea, and provides the right temperature for babies and helps to prevent hypothermia."

Although there are challenges to breastfeeding which may result in mothers having difficulties getting started, Parnell notes that the job of lactation consultants is to educate and assist parents on how to navigate through these challenges. She indicates that with the proper education and support, most women can effectively breastfeed their babies exclusively during the first six months or more of the child's life.

Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign enlists parents to make healthy food choices for children. In the case of mothers, Mrs. Obama encourages them to recognize breastfeeding as giving a healthy eating start for children. Breast milk helps children avoid major illnesses, enables them to achieve higher results on standardized tests and earn better grades in school than formula fed students. With the many benefits of breast milk, it is truly our world's magical product. The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action is to be commended for putting the spotlight on the value of breastfeeding in our society through World Breastfeeding Week!

What are the laws banning students from wearing their "pants on the ground" in school?

What are the laws banning students from wearing their "pants on the ground" in school?

Sixty-two year old American Idol contestant, "General" Larry Pratt became popular in 2009 for the song "Pants on the Ground." Pratt's lyrics provided a profound message on the biggest stage possible to encourage teenagers and other individuals to stop "looking like a fool by walking down the street with their pants on the ground, hat on the side and gold in their mouth."

In this era, it is quite common to see young African-American males "walking down the streets with their pants on the ground" while indecently exposing their body parts. Realizing freedom of expression is a right for all citizens, the questions to be asked are: What are the laws banning students from wearing their "pants on the ground" in school? What are the consequences for violating the law? What are the pros and cons regarding the law? How have school districts operated without the law?

Arkansas' Governor Mike Beebe signed a bill on March 30, 2011 disallowing students to wear their "pants on the ground" in school. Three months later, Florida's Governor Rick Scott also signed a bill to address the problem in his state. Both bills require public "school districts to prohibit the wearing of clothing that exposes underwear, buttocks or body parties in the educational setting."

While Arkansas' bill relies on the public school districts to review their school policies and determine how to address student violators, Florida's bill outlines specific consequences. For example, a student who commits the first offense of dressing inappropriately receives a verbal warning and a telephone conference with the principal and parent. On a second occurrence, a student becomes ineligible to participate in extracurricular activities for a maximum of five days and a conference with the principal and parents. On the third offense and subsequent offenses, a student will receive an in- school suspension for a maximum of three days, an ineligible status to participate in extracurricular activities for a maximum of 30 days, a parent conference with the principal and a written letter of notification to the parent summarizing the infraction and consequence.

Critics in Arkansas and Florida complain that the law is unfair since it targets primarily African-American males, denies students freedom of expression in their dress attire, reduces district level control of school policies, squanders lawmakers' time and tax dollars, adds to the alarming suspension rate of African-American males in school and disproportionately adds to criminal offenses of African-American males.

In contrast, proponents argue that the law provides uniformity in dress code across the state for all public schools, advocates for students to dress properly; so they can avoid distracting the learning process, encourages students to show respect for themselves and others and prepares them for their future employment. When the saggy pants issue was raised to President Obama as a Senator, he stated that lawmakers should focus on real problems such as jobs and health care; and "brothers" should wear their pants appropriately in school with reinforcements from their guardians.

While public school districts can use every support it can get to manage their schools, many districts already have policies in place to address inappropriate behavior and dress attire. These districts also provide consequences for students who violate the rules. For example, districts typically provide students and parents a Student Code of Conduct Pamphlet and review these rules with students during the first week of school. They also require parents or legal guardians to sign a Code of Conduct statement and discipline students according to the rules.

In fact, public school districts' rules typically prohibit students from wearing clothing below the hips that expose their back, underwear or buttock. These rules also prohibit students from wearing clothing and accessories that reveal violence or offensive messages and headgear worn in the school setting such as hats and bandanas. As a rule of thumb, students are required to adhere to school district policies for acceptable apparel or face consequences according to the Student Code of Conduct.

While schools have reopened for another academic year, "General" Larry Pratt reminds us that an effective way to encourage change of a societal ill is through the media whether you are for or against an issue. Once a law is in place, it will take a political upheaval and media outcry to amend it. Realistically, students are expected to dress in line with appropriate standards of living in all walks of life. This includes work, church, sporting events, social activities, weddings and school. We do not expect students to wear a suit to swim or play tennis in high heels.

When students cross the line, their immediate family members have the responsibility to address the problem through analyzing the cause and finding solutions to solve it. Ideally, this will allow lawmakers to focus on the critical needs of America's economy while allowing schools to reinforce dress policy concerns through Student Code of conduct.

What can be learned from "The Help" about raising children?

In Donna Summers' song lyrics, "she works hard for the money, so you better treat her right," reflects the value of a hard working woman who epitomizes the strong legacy of America's workforce. Many families have benefited from their parents, guardians or maids working extremely hard and sacrificing their careers and lives for them to have a better standard of living.

With over four million babies born in the U.S. annually, the questions to be asked are: What can be learned from "The Help" movie about raising children? What were the pros and cons of the movie? What are some of the key messages from the movie regardless of the debate?

While movies are made for entertainment, dedicated workers such as nannies and maids have traditionally labored for the future of others. They inspire children to do the impossible through their unconditional love, work ethics and commitment for change. In the 2011 National Football League (NFL) Hall of Fame, Deion Sanders and Shannon Sharpe spoke about how they were determined to not disappoint the women in their lives because of how hard their mothers labored and sacrificed for them. Deion said that at age seven, he told his mother he was going to become a millionaire so that she did not have to work two jobs. With Deion creating a "prime time" image, he made his childhood story come true, as well as the other NFL Hall of Fame inductees.

"The Help" is a 1960's story of white women and their African-American maids in the Jim Crow South of Jackson, Mississippi. It tells the story of maids who mothered children although they were not their own. Aibileen and other maids were portrayed as hard working women who instilled self-esteem, confidence and prosperity in their white bosses' children for them to succeed in life. One of the most memorable scenes in the movie was when Aibileen was fired. Although Aibileen raised 17 white children, she and other maids were not able to give the same attention to their own children. Before Aibileen could leave her boss' employment, one of the children pleaded for her to stay and recited the three characteristics Aibileen had taught her: "You is kind. You is smart. You is important.

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Excerpted from Current Issues and Answers in Educationby Ronald Holmes Copyright © 2012 by Ronald Holmes, Ph.D.. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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