Assignment #8: Does Our Education System Provide Equality to All

December 10, 2009 · Filed under Uncategorized

Canada has always been known as a country that is extremely diverse. Different cultures are celebrated and different Gods are worshipped. Canada is known as a country that provides equality to everyone and anyone in all aspects of life. All races are able to work. All races are able to own property. All races are allowed  freedom of speech. All races are provided with equal and fair education. Well, that one isn’t entirely true.

Sure, Canada provides education for anyone who wants it. You can go to school and attend classes despite the colour of your skin or the sound of your voice and that’s a definite promise. Whether your learning outcomes or met or not can’t really be guaranteed. 

Certain people from certain cultures or religions tend to struggle immensely when it comes to meeting learning outcomes. Canadian schools teach in ways that are convenient for people of the English language. They include activities and cultures commonly celebrated by people of English descent. They teach the in the English language and they provide English history. In our schools you rarely ever see students learning to do any traditional tribal dances, however almost every student learns how to swing dance. When we sing in elementary schools we don’t hear the constant beat of native drums, we hear the steady blinking noise of piano keys as we sing about a fat white man in a red suit.

My family is from England. We don’t obtain the perfect GPA but we’ve passed through our schooling fairly easily. We don’t have that hard of a time when it comes to English courses or history. So far, we have all graduated on our first attempt. Now, I have a friend and her story is completely different. She struggled in almost every single course. She’s has failed a couple classes. As far as I know she’s being homeschooled now. One of her sisters graduated, the other one did not. Her mother is just taking her university courses now. Her family is aboriginal and as far as I can see she does not learn the same way as my family. I learn about my culture everyday at school, she knows almost nothing about hers.

Our education system may seem to provide equality in the sense that anyone can enter it and anyone can attended. However, our education system does not provide equality to all in the sense that our learning outcomes and the way we teach is not entirely helpful to people who don’t understand a lot of English. In my opinion our education system does not provide equality to all.

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Assignment #7: Highway of Tears

November 26, 2009 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , ,

A long stretch of pavement creates a path between Prince George and Prince Rupert. There isn’t a high amount or Traffic, basically no cars. The sun is fading away and a silhouette of a native girl can be seen. Her thumb is up in the air, hitchhiker. A truck stops and generously offers to drive her to where she needs to go. She accepts and disappears into the night where she is never seen again.

Who cares? She’s a hitchhiker, does she really deserve to live in the first place. Clearly she’s done something wrong or else she wouldn’t have been in this situation. She’s a native, into drugs and alcohol, it’s her own fault. No one cares, no one cares at all. Well, that’s not entirely true.

I care and I’m sure that her family cares. I’m positive that there was at least one person who couldn’t stop the flow of tears when they found out about  her disappearance. I’m sure there is someone out there that can’t even speak, can’t register what happen in their mind, can’t understand. Can’t breathe.

The Highway of tears is a 720 km highway between Prince George and Prince Rupert.  For over 20 years native women have been disappearing from the stretch of pavement. Most of them were hitchhiker’s  looking for someone with a little generosity to help them out. They walk along the street looking for a car willing to give them a ride and after a while they’re picked up. At first people just thought the girls were missing or runaways but then they were found dead. Murdered.

This case hasn’t been given very much media attention at all. You’ll hear about a white girl that’s been missing for, maybe, two days. She’ll be all over the news, in the papers, on t.v, her face plastered on posters all around the country. You’ll hear news for weeks about how she save and sound, no worries. You’ll hear about her until you’re sick of her.

Now, what about the Highway of Tears, how much have you heard about it? Over 2o years and counting, how much media attention has it gotten. Maybe a handful of news reports, a column or two in the local paper. Why? Why is this particular case being denied any attention? Why is it being put aside like garbage? Some people claim that it’s just not that big of a case. Others make much more sense. Theses women are being ignored because of racism. People don’t care because they’re racist. News reports aren’t made because they are racist. As far as they’re concerned it’s not important because who really cares if  over 20 native women have been killed.

What people don’t realise is that a lot of people care. A lot more people than they think. This case needs more media attention, it needs more attention from authorities. This situation has gotten out of hand and it needs to be stopped. Explanations our needed for theses women’s families. This case needs to be solved before the situation get’s any worse.

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Assignment #6: Racism and Civil Rights

November 19, 2009 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , ,

FREDERICK DOUGLASS

Frederick Douglass was a well-known writer in his time, seeing as he was an African American slave that could both read and write, he brought forth a lot of attention.  He used his immpecable writing skills and creativity to help bring the end of slavery.

It all started back in Maryland in 1818 where Frederick was born. He was born a slave and lived a slave, but only for a short period of time. At the age of six he was moved into another masters home. There, without his masters kowledge, he taught himself how to read and write.  

It was at church were he took his first step towards ending slavery. Frederick and a man by the name of Wilson created an under cover school. There, they taught African American church goers how to read and right without their masters knowing.

After some period of time the school was sadly uncovered by Fredericks master who sent him to Covey (a man who tried to whip obedience into Frederick.)  It worked, for awhile, but then Frederick faught back and he escaped.

Frederick Douglass made speeches from town to town about his life as a slave. He wrote a book to prove his past enslavement. He even started an antislavery newspaper called the, “The North Star.” 

Frederick Douglass was the reason why African Americans were allowed to fight in the Civil War. Frederick Douglass was the reason several African Americans were educated. Frederick Douglass was on of the many reasons why slavery was ended. 

Frederick Douglass was a hero.

 

A SAILING VESSEL ON CHESAPEAKE BAY

By. Frederick Douglass

You are loosed from your moorings, and free.
I am fast in my chains, and am a slave!

You move merrily before the gentle gale,
and I sadly before the bloody whip.

You are freedom’s swift winged angels,
that fly around the world;
I am confined in bonds of iron.

O, that I were free!

O, that I were one of your gallant decks,
and under your protecting wing.
Alas! betwixt me and you
the turbid waters roll.

Go on, go on;
O, that I could also go!

Could I but swim!
If I could fly!

O, why was I born a man,
of whom to make a brute!

The glad ship is gone:
she hides in the dim distance,
and I am left in the hell of unending slavery.

O, God, save me!
God, deliver me!
Let me be free! — Is there any God?
Why am I a slave?

I will run away.
I will not stand it.
Get caught or get clear, I’ll try it.
I had as well die with ague as with fever.

I have only one life to lose.
I had as well be killed running as die standing.

Only think of it;
one hundred miles north,
and I am free!

 Try it? Yes!
God helping me, I will.
 It cannot be that I shall live and die a slave.

I will take to the water.
This very bay shall yet bear me into freedom.

 

Poem: http://www.goodmorals.org/poetry/Douglass-Sailing.htm

Picture: http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/images/4fred16b.jpg

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Assignment #5: Children’s Rights

October 27, 2009 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged ,

4,315,000 children were born in the U.S. in 2007.

4.5 million children were reported as abused by 2.6 million people the same year.

Child abuse takes place all around the world as child rights are being ignored. Children are sensitive, they are still growing mentally and physically.  Children need their rights to be protected just like adults need theirs protected.

Physical, mental, and sexual abuse take place in every single country. Children are screamed at. Children are severely beaten. Children are raped, killed, murdered. It’s wrong. It violates their rights. It takes away their childhood.

Child rights need to be protected. It may not be that simple but there are steps we can take towards stopping the violation of a child’s rights. One of the easiest things we can do is become more aware of child neglect. Commercials, movies, posters, anything that can draw attention to child mistreatment. If more people are aware of what’s happening to some of the children in the world they’ll be more prone to actually taking action.

Another thing that can be done is educating children about their rights. Make sure they understand them clearly. Inform them as to what abuse is. Tell them what the signs of neglect are.  Most importantly, instruct them to tall someone if they feel like their rights are being violated in any way.

One of the biggest steps that can be taken is basically speaking out. If you see something you know is wrong say something, don’t just watch. People see children being physically abused, they hear children being mentally abuse, and they read articles on children being sexually abused, they still don’t do anything.  Take action, you can easily be a part of the solution.

Completely stopping child abuse is extremely difficult. We may not be able to clear the world of  child rights violations but we can get several steps close.  If we just do something about it we can improve the lives of millions of children.

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Assignment #4: Explore Human Rights Violations

October 26, 2009 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , ,

Human Rights are very important in society. Without rights anything goes. Without rights there are no punishments for abuse or discrimination. Without rights you can be sent to jail with no justification. Without rights you can have your home taken away in seconds for no reason. Without rights you can have anything taken from you, you can have anything done to you with no punishments for those who did it.

Human Rights are strongly applied in highly developed places like Canada and the United States. Other place, such as Africa, toss all rights aside and hide them from view.

Kenya, located in Africa, is definately a country that ignores Human Rights. As a person you have the right to shelter, somewhere to live. Whether it be a five story mansion with an indoor swimming pool or a homeless shelter with single itchy bed.

Kenya’s government is ignoring peoples rights for shelter. Frequently people are being forced from their homes. Their homes aren’t that great in the first place, far away from all basic necessities of life, but they still have the right to those homes.

The Kenya government has been holding several large-scale evictions. They show up with bulldozers and take down peoples homes right infront of them. They destroy all their prized possesions, they take away their entire lives and they don’t even compensate them.

The people of Kenya are having their rights violated. Human Right need to be given back those who had them taken from them. They should be able to get their homes back along with their lives.

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Assignment #3: Perspectives and Contexts

October 15, 2009 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , ,

The 2010 Winter Olympics are being held in Vancouver B.C. and people are travelling from all over the world just to see a handful of events, so the B.C government is trying to spruce things up a bit.  We’re building new arena’s, designing new olympic gear, fixing and cleaning ferries, and last but certainly not the least important is the complete removal of  all homeless people living on the streets of Vancouver.

Of course being a big business owner or even just and average citizen you feel obligated and maybe even a little priviledge helping these poor people get off the street. You’re putting in your time and money into building homes for the homeless, but all the sincerity and hospitality is almost like a dark cloth draped over the truth. Yes, I know, there are some people out there who actual do care about the homeless but a lot of people are just excited for the olympics, a lot of people want them out of the way so they can impress all the business people from China, or England, or anywhere really.

The olympics are a big deal in Vancouver, it gives tonnes of people the opportunity to make quick and easy cash, it gives thousands of people the opportunity to see some of the best athletes compete in exciting sports. The olympic’s supply a bonding opportunity between cities, provinces, even countries. Small businesses can make big bucks easily. The 2010 olympics open so much to the people who can afford it.

What about those who can’t?

The homeless issue in Vancouver is huge. The quick add water solution is to stick them all into shelters but that’s not the best option for those living on the streets. Someone who lives on the street may have their whole lives packed inside one small little shopping cart, any possessions worth value must be kept with them at all times. Homeless shelters don’t allow any personal belongings inside, anything you have can’t come in. The things you may have worked years to collect, maybe even risked your life for, are left outside. There is almost no doubt that they’ll be stolen, they’ll be gone by the time you’re out in the morning.

People want to clean the streets up for 2010 but the only solution they’re coming up with are homeless shelters which, to the homeless, are not an option.

I understand the importance of the 2010 olympics, I know the good it can do for our economy, but it’s not fair for the people living on the streets. If they want to stay where they are then let them stay, it isn’t truly hurting anyone.

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Assignment #2: Social Bias and Issues

September 24, 2009 · Filed under assignments · Tagged ,

Speciesism is defined as the, “human intolerance or discrimination on the basis of species, especially as manifested by cruelty to or exploitation of animals.”

There was an incident several months ago where three men, David  Fraser, James Fraser, and Jeremy Rowlands, started a huge controversy by posting a video of themselves on a family duck hunting trip. In the video they are seen shooting, from inside a car, at a pond full of ducks. An article written about the duck hunt is linked below.  

 http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Technology/Duck+shooting+stupid/1880082/story.html

This situation is a prime example of speciesism. I’m aware that duck hunting is something that a lot of people consider okay, but there are laws. First off, they were hunting the ducks outside of the legal hunting season. Second, they probably hunted in the most inhumane way possible. If you are going to kill an animal you should at least have the decensy to use it for something. They didn’t even bother collecting the remains of the ducks, they left them in the water, some of them probably still alive, still breathing, still suffering.

What the three men did to the ducks was cruel. They didn’t care what happened after their bullets broke through feathers and flesh. They laughed, had fun. “At the time, we thought it was funny,” one of the three men said. The only thing wrong about their hunt was getting caught.

Their act of speciesism was horrible, but it wasn’t the only one and it definitely wasn’t the worst. People abuse animals all the time, starving them, using them for money, raising them as predators. Speciesism is wrong and it needs to stop.

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Assignment #1: Critical Consciousness

September 17, 2009 · Filed under assignments · Tagged

Critical Consciousness is, “the ability to percieve social, political, and economic oppression and to take action against the opppressive elements of society.” Basically, Critical Consciousness is seeing something that’s wrong or unjust and doing something about it.

It’s important for people in both developing and developed worlds to create this Critical Consciousness within their society to ensure that people can form their own opinions and understand what’s going on in the world. 

People just watch the news or read the paper and belive everything that’s told to them. They read the opinions of certain authors and take them in as their own. A lot of people don’t form opinions of their own. Opinions are passed onto others from celebrities, politicians, or even family and friends.

Critical Conciousness is seeing and acting. Instead of immediately believing what the media says question it for yourself. Look into things deeper and form your own opinions.

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Socials Justice 12: First Blog

September 14, 2009 · Filed under Uncategorized

Hey, my name is Taryn and I’m in grade 11.

I’m really excited about starting this class. I don’t know too much about it at the moment but what I do know sounds interesting.

The thing I’m most excited about is definately the final project. I already have a few ideas that I might do but I’m not sure which one yet.

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