Due Monday October 15th
Minutes: Rina L., Derrick L.
Reading HW: Read the following article.
HW: Please present both sides of the issues. Why does the NAACP think schools like Stuyvesant should modify their enrollment policies? Do you agree or disagree with this assertion? Should a simple score on the exam to get into Stuyvesant be the only qualification for enrollment here?
Due Tuesday October 16th
Minutes: Christy C., Kevin M.
Reading HW: Read the following article.
HW: Please present both sides of the issues. Please give your own definition of affirmative action. Do you think affirmative action is fair? Do you want your background to be considered when you apply for college? Apply for a job? Why or why not? Do you think that Abigail Fisher is right or wrong in this particular Supreme Court case? Why was affirmative action instituted in the first place? When will the right time be to repeal affirmative action?
Due Wednesday October 17th
Minutes: Adam M., Lianna P.
Reading HW: Please watch the following video entitled "Does government have too much power?"
HW: Please analyze the argument being presented in this video. What powers does the government have according to Deneen Borelli ? What particular issues does Borelli raise that display the "power" of government? What powers do you think a government should have? What powers should the government shouldn't have? Do you think our government has too much power?
Due Thursday October 18th
Minutes: Kyle M., Dristi T.
Reading HW: Internet research.
HW: Please research two examples (each) of counrties that experience less/more freedoms than the United States. What do you think it is like to live in these countries, given the amount/lack of freedom there? What would our country be like if we had no freedoms at all?
Due Friday October 19th
Minutes: Alina S. Neil V.
Reading HW: Please read Chapter One of 1984
HW: Research what major events in the world had transpired leading up to 1948, the year Orwell completed this work. What events do you think motivated Orwell to write about a totalitarian dystopia? Please be able to identify the following terms: Proles, Oceania, Airstrip One, Thought Police, Thoughtcrime, and the Party.
Due Monday October 22nd
Minutes: Alex S., Bowen W.
Reading HW: Please read Chapter Two of 1984
HW: How are we being watched in our own society? Try to think of three ways that our actions and words are monitored. How do you feel about this? Are you comfortable in knowing that most of your actions/conversations are being recorded? Does this infringe upon your privacy? Will privacy exist in the future?
The NAACP thinks schools like Stuyvesant should modify their enrollment policies because there is a lack of Hispanic and black people in specialized high schools. The NAACP believes that the "test-only" policy is racially discriminatory and that the DOE should include other qualifications for admission into one of the specialized high schools. I disagree with this assertion. The test itself is not discriminating any race. If a person prepared and studied hard enough for the SHSAT, then that person should be able to receive admission to one of the specialized high schools. The test is not based on a person's race; it's based on how prepared and how intelligent a person is. On the other hand, I do believe that there should be more opportunities for blacks and Hispanics to receive prep for the SHSAT. Having other qualifications for admission into one of the specialized high schools sounds like a good idea. However, with about 10,000 New York City students applying to the specialized high schools every year, having the students write an extra essay or having the DOE study every hopeful's school grades just isn't practical. There was also an argument that other cities' top high schools do not have a "test-only policy" and only New York specialized high schools have no other qualifications other than the SHSAT. However, like I mentioned before, many students apply every year. New York is a very large city after all. It is not practical to have other qualifications for admission to one of the top high schools. Therefore, the SHSAT is not racially discriminatory and I do not believe there should be other qualifications for admission into schools like Stuyvesant.
ReplyDeleteThe NAACP thinks schools like Stuyvesant should modify their enrollment policies because there isn't a variety of students of different race in these schools. They think that in the specialized high schools there are too many Asians and Whites but not enough African Americans and Hispanics. I disagree with this assertion because the test itself is not biased. It gives everyone an equal chance to get into a specialized high school. It just depends on how hard one study for the test and how well one prepares for the test. There is not higher of lower cutoff score for Asians, Whites, African American and Hispanics. The cutoff score for each school is the same for every and any race. I believe that a simple score on the exam to get into Stuyvesant should be the only qualification for enrollment because it is a fair and fast way for the Department of Education to test us on what we know and if we qualify for the school. In conclusion, SHSAT is a fair test for every and any race and I don't think there should be other qualifications to be admitted into one of the eight specialized high schools.
ReplyDeleteThe NAACP claims that the SHSAT as an admissions method is unfair because it makes it more diificult for minorities to gain entrance. Those in support say that only the most intelligent students should attend these schools. I think the NAACP is wrong because the specialized schools are meant for people who can handle the competition and fast pace of these schools. The SHSAT judges this to determine the people who are able to fit in at schools like Stuy. Furthermore, with over 20,000 kids applying for specialized schools annually, it makes it impossible for them to conduct interviews, analyze grades, etc.
ReplyDeleteI'd also point out that the test is a consistent, fair test with equal possibilities for all who take it. By contrast, grades are not always reliable as different schools may hold their students to different standards for high grades. Let alone that, but using grades for admissions is no more reliable than a single test.
Therefore, I believe the admissions process is fair to all, with equal opportunity for placement.
The NAACP thinks that the enrollment policies for schools like Stuyvesant should be modified because there are very small percentages of minorities in these schools when compared to other races like Asians and Caucasians. They believe that other factors (grades, teacher recommendations, etc.) should be considered instead of a single test being the only admission opportunity. I don't agree with this assertion because all students who want to get into the specialized high schools take the same test regardless of what race they are. It's only fair if those who score better get in while those who score lower don't. Although I understand that poorer families can't afford intensive tutoring services, there are many free ones that are offered by the school. In the end, it just depends on how hard he/she studies and how much effort he/she puts into preparing for the test. I believe that a single score on the exam should be the only qualification for enrollment because the test was prepared to see if you know the material or not. If he/she cannot handle the test, what guarantees that they can handle the school. In addition, there are great numbers of people trying to get into these schools. The single score would be a quick and easy way for the DOE to determine whether or not one qualifies for the school.
ReplyDeleteThe racial distribution amongst the highest academically performing high schools has been a topic of controversy for years. The NAACP believes that high schools such as Stuyvesant should modify their enrollment policies in order to embrace a larger percentage of underrepresented minorities like African Americans and Hispanics, as these high schools house a large population of Asian and Caucasian students. I disagree with this assertion because the admissions test for these prestigious high schools are the same for every student – no test is more difficult than the other, and you will earn a seat in the school if you score high enough, regardless of your racial or socioeconomic background. I believe that a simple score on the exam should be the only qualification for enrollment into Stuyvesant because it entirely unbiased, unlike what the NAACP claims. The test is fair for everyone – of course, scoring high is dependent on the amount of studying you have put in, but overall, there is no partiality in determining who is admitted into which high school, with the conditions that the SHSAT is conducted under (Hecht-Calandra Act).
ReplyDelete