Deerfield High School is just like any other high school in America, full of insults, rumors, bullies, and teenage angst. These problems are not just present at Deerfield but at high schools across America. A new era of social technology has arrived along with a new era of bullying. Combined with the physical and verbal abuse of old kids have never been more susceptible to bullies.

On the MTV series "If You Really Knew Me" students participate in Challenge Day. Challenge Day is designed to break down cliques and demonstrate how people really feel. I thougthD

"Take my pee, go ahead, TAKE IT!!!"- An Advocation for Drug Testing

An Analysis and Decision on Drug Testing in Schools

Drug testing is absolutely necessary in schools, not just for extracurricular activity, but all students. American youth are becoming drug abusers. Drugs accessibility, coupled with the stress of high school, are breaking down teenagers. While the stress caused by high school is unavoidable, drug abuse is. Preventative action like drug testing will help discourage students from making poor decisions. Even with the drug education supplied by D.A.R.E. and health classes throughout school careers, students still abuse drugs. By implementing drug testing, a step forward is made in the war on drugs.

Not enough school programs actually have an effect on the students thoughts on drug use. Usually laughable and lacking impact, school assemblies are ineffective at preventing drug use. Drug testing will alert schools and parents what students need help with there drug problems. This allows the necessary steps to stop the drug abuse to begin. While ultimately the abuser must decide to stop their abuse, drug testing allows the correct support groups to be put in place to prevent further drug abuse.

7 Days in September

7 Days in September is a powerful documentary about 09/11. The film has immense impact on me for a couple of reasons. My Aunt Lydia and her family lived in Soho at the time of the attacks. That was frightening. I was in third grade and did not really know much about New York geography, in fact I did not know about the World Trade Center. Hearing about the destruction being wrought in the Big Apple drove my mind away from my upcoming birthday towards anger. I was full of anger, and I did not know why, just that I was furious. Also, recently my family took a trip to NYC. It is an amazing city, full of interesting people, great food, and there is always something going on. You never would have guessed this city had been gone through the most succsessful terroist attack the world has seen. The city projects strength, its buildings are enormous, the people are everywhere, and the baseball team dominates. We spent a day just walking through the city, observing. We stopped to read a wall, a memorial to those lost in the attacks. Pictures, notes, flowers, there were literally thousands of objects placed there to honor the fallen. AFter viewing the film, I understand how strong this city truly is. The community suppourted everyone and was full of love. Never has a city come together quite like New York post-90/11.

The Pupil

In the short story, "The Pupil", the student and teacher bond is focused on. Mr. Pemberton and Morgan have a deep respect and love for each other. Students have always been imprinted on by the beliefs of their educators. I took biology with Mr. Lavin last year. he regularly talked about his beliefs and feelings about things. We did not always see eye to eye but we always listened and thought about each others values. Mr. Lavin was an important person in shaping who I am. Making connections with educators is a key aspect of social/educational relations. Interaction with teachers and other students makes up 80% of our day. Education truly is a key aspect in social communications.

Analytical: Literature

“Harrison Bergeron” demonstrates a lack of individuality. The characters in the story are forced to be complete and total equals in every possible characteristic. A component of this is that no one is allowed to be smarter than anyone else. The main character Harrison Bergeron is much smarter than everyone else, so smart he cannot be inhibited. He is the only person in the story who demonstrates the ability to socially interact. This is because education is a way to enhance our ability to communicate with each other. In school, children are constantly in contact with one another. Social lives are highly comprised of friends and relationships found from school. John Dewey talked about “learning by doing.” Children must interact to more easily retain what they have learned. This involves talking with other students. Seeing people’s differences in how they understand problems is part of the learning process. In the short story, they completely eliminate differences making education and social interaction nigh impossible. Without education, a key component of the social lives of the citizens is lost. Education is one of the most powerful tools in creating relationships. In the story, “The Pupil” the main character Mr. Pemberton tutors a boy named Morgan. The boy lives an unhappy life because of his cruel family and heart disabilities. Morgan begins to have much respect and love for Pemberton. The relationship is created out of the tutoring lessons they have together. Morgan has never had a true friend until Pemberton. The bond that they share is powerful because education creates intricate relationships between people. Even though the story ends tragically the respect the two have for each other will never die. The mutual respect formed between the student and the teacher is the key social aspect of education. Involving social interaction with learning comes naturally to human beings. It will always be involved with the school system of the United States of America.

Harrison Bergeron

The story "Harrison Bergeron" takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where everyone is supposed to be equal. Inhibitors are placed on those who are gifted for physical or mental purposes. The main character in the story, Harrison Bergeron, is extremely smart and strong. He is put into custody for learning and becoming more intelligent. The strict rules imposed on education destroy all sense of personality in the citizens as exhibited in Harrisons parents. This leads to a theory I have that education is key to shaping someones personality. Dewey talked about society and education and this story is a perfect example of what happens when you neglect education.

Analytical: Background Information

Education has been a key aspect to the United States since its very establishment. Over time, many speakers have demonstrated their ideals on education. First of these thinkers was Horace Mann. Mann believed in public education. He presented his thoughts in many speeches about teacher’s pay, public education reform, and the nobility of being a teacher. Mann’s reform of education laid the foundation for other philosopher’s of education as well. John Dewey lived life by the philosophy that actions should be judged by their consequences. He applied this to education by reforming the social interactions created in learning. He founded multiple teaching methods, like “learning by doing.” His values on teaching are still practiced among teachers today. They can be seen in his book, “The School and Society.” Besides his book Dewey spent a ton of time spreading his beliefs. Without input from Dewey and Mann schooling probably would have looked very different today. Schools would have been much more privatized. Even now, there are many private schools. This leads to the topic of school choice. Educators believe by creating a separation between public and private schools students feel that private schooled children are superior. This could leave public schooled kids with a feeling of inferiority and detriment school work. Also the public school system is funded by the government so if people enrolled in private schools they could effectively dodge taxes. An idea proposed to counteract this would be tax vouchers. Parents of private schooled kids would pay a set amount of money to the government. School choice could also help students by providing a familiar social environment. Ethnicity-based schools could help students find their niche. This could cause problems as well, similar to the Ebonics incident in Oakland circa 1996. Students who spoke slang were supposed to be enrolled in a class were their English could be learned easier, similar to a second language program. Members of the black community demanded that their kinsmen be treated as normal students, not fully understanding the school’s thought process. Some ethnic groups understood what the school was attempting to accomplish and praised them.