Blog Posts

Cultural Capital

1/13/2019

Martin Luther King Jr.'s bEARTHday is coming up. When I think about Martin Luther King Jr. and all that he sacrificed, not only for his children, but for all children, I cannot help but wonder whether all black men have a responsibility to protect, provide for and unconditionally love all black women.

Then, I think about Robert Sylvester Kelly and how he did the exact opposite of Dr. King when it comes to protecting little girls.

I'm biased. Period. So, let me start this post with, “I always thought Kels was trash." Me too Questlove. I never have been crazy about the over-the-top bravado in his throat when he sings. Nevertheless, I was compelled to talk about this article that I read in a national news publication about celebrity opinions on the entire ordeal.

According to Chance the Rapper, “We’re programmed to really be hypersensitive to black male oppression." Priceless! This is why so many black women and men can still support R. Kelly. And singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and dancer, Ne-Yo says what I believe it is past time for someone to have stepped up and said.

“Music is important. It really is. But it’s not more important than protecting our children, protecting our little girls. Period." What he's saying is Kelly's art imitates his life! (Go be cool with that), but that still does not justify supporting his wrongdoings.

“We’ve all been inspired by this man. We’ve all been witnesses to his musical genius. We have shaped and molded talent we sign after his musical image. We’ve invested so much of ourselves into this man that it’s hard for us to let go. I no longer have that issue.”

Thank you Tank. No one should. And and for those who are bird box blinded by his light and dollar signs. "There has to be a line drawn. Enough has to be enough at some point," says Tank.

Finally, for everyone slobbering about "where were the parents?" of all those young girls. While they do have major responsibility in all this, unless you were and had the Knowles clout to be a presence in that snake pit studio, Kelly's "compound" was iron-clad with goons. Broke, generic parents were not going to have access to the area, let alone their girls. Period.

Finally, Aaliyah's mama needs to sit all the way down! Destiny's children were in the same sex-slaved studio, recording their music too, but Daddy Knowles said even when Destiny's children had to use the restroom, they walked them there. So if Aaliyah's mama wasn't there doing that, or at the ceremony when her daughter was getting married and someone was forging her a fake age, she needs to stop with the "I was always around" song. She was probably getting paid like the rest.

It's sad that little girls get taken advantage by older men all the time. But I remember a time when all the grown men I knew protected little girls from all the predators of the world, even when they were not their daughters. I wish we could get back to that. Girls are pretty awesome, but not for the pleasure of someone who they should be able to look up to.

Read the commentary above, then comment intelligently, academically and with fidelity.

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

CAUTION!! Do NOT embarrass me, yourself, your class, the English department, the school or your parents with tasteless, meaningless comments. This is for a grade.

DISCLAIMER: If you do not respond AND comment on TWO others, you will not receive credit for this assignment. It's all or nothing.

Due: Fri., Jan. 18, 2019 11:59 p.m. CST

McCareer or McFail?

1/9/2019

Recently, I had been thinking about franchising. When the thought occurred, I wondered, what restaurant could I own that would be the most profitable. The only one I could think of was McDonald's. In every city, in every state, in every country, they thrive. But as quickly as I got the thought, I became conflicted. McDonald's is not a plant-based restaurant. So, how would I justify eating one way, but selling foods that I don't stand behind? Maybe I was just thinking too hard. I let the thoughts linger.

Then, out of nowhere, I read an article about three black women who own a total of 18 McDonald's restaurants. One is the mother. The other two are her daughters. Initially, I beamed with pride. Wow. Black women doing their thing.

Then, I looked on social media. The comments ranged from, "Go girls!" to "Sell out!" I was confused. But when I looked closer at the comments, I was surprised by the number of people who feel that these women, no matter how successful, are doing their culture an injustice by selling foods to a demographic that statistically, keeps them ill with disease and obesity.

One commenter was unequivocally upset pointing out, "That's not something to be proud of. Feeding rubbish to our people. This is why folks are obese, have high blood pressure, or are suffering from diabetes. Who posted this? Why? Trippin." At first I thought, no worries, I'll change the menu and be the most different McDonald's there is on the planet!

Then I saw this: "McDonald’s has the worst food out of all the fast food chains. They own a franchise, do you know what that means? That’s means they follow what the corporation tells them to do. They can’t stop using the same “meat” that all the stores use, the same meat that is packaged from corporate. They can’t stop using the coated French fries that everyone tends to love. They can’t do their own promotional tactics and so forth. So it's dope that they own franchises, but they’re still working under the corporation and if the corporation isn’t liking how your numbers are doing they can cut you off completely."

And finally, "You blame the dealer rather than the junkie that can't control their habits."

And that was a "drops mic." So I'm back to square one with a lot of thinking to do. A lot of people are not happy about this. What does your moral compass point to?

Read the commentary above, then comment intelligently.

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

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Academic Freedom or Censorship?

12/9/2018

Censorship stunts mental growth and leads to close-mindedness and bias. When limitations are put on people's thoughts, conversations, what they read and what they listen to or watch, it restricts their ability to think beyond their own capacity and function, copacetically, outside their comfort zones.

As a free-thinking teacher, I want to impress upon my students the importance of being true to who they are at all times..in appropriate, non-threatening, non-defiant ways while simultaneously acknowledging alternate perspectives that arise. With that in mind, when I teach, having the freedom to explore a myriad of literature and literary writers give me the opportunity to take chances on my students and their ability to think.

Being able to explore their thoughts, without abandon, gives students the confidence to express those thoughts without being ashamed to answer aloud or pose thought-provoking questions that promote deeper thinking or bring clarity. In the classroom, this freedom makes our discussions deeper, our real-world connections more authentic, our reading more viable and our writing more in-depth.

Granted, at times, some topics can become challenging to discuss or read because students are not yet used to the freedom they have to be open and honest with their conversations or thoughts. Yet, my hope is that the more literature we explore, the more walls and inhibitions can be imploded as it relates to unabashed curiosity and questioning in literature.

So, with unadulterated freedom to teach from my Spirit, I have made it a practice to model how to write, speak, read, believe, create, express, choose, communicate, and especially, think freely. Since doing so, my lesson plan designing is more intentional and meaningful to help promote the growth of my students, a more important gesture than how high their grades are because what I am preparing them for is the real world. Without shock. Without superficial expectation.

Ultimately, people need exposure. Unfortunately, living in safe zones is what make people more prone to anxiety and uncertainty. School is, and should be, the one safe space where students cultivate to create in their minds that there is no opposition to what they believe or how they feel regardless of their values or conditions.

My hope is that, if I am successful in how I teach literature, I will be a small factor in the life-long evolution of future entrepreneurs, ARTpreneurs, CEOs, moguls, gurus and teachers. My freedom will be imprinted.

Read the commentary above. Let me know what you think!

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
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Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

Who's Getting Bullied??

12/1/2018

I recently read an article about bullying. At the beginning of the article, it had all the usual signs of bullying: verbal abuse, mental abuse, emotional abuse, financial abuse and sometimes even physical abuse.

I was just about to stop reading the article because of its sameness as other articles I've read on the topic. But then the last line, before I turned the page, sent me reeling. It read:

"My abuser is my teenage son."

At that point, there was no way I could put the article down. When I finished, I was stunned. A mother is afraid of her child. Uniquely, there was no past abuse in the household, physical, sexual or otherwise that was imposed upon the child, so I began wondering, how could this be? So, I did a little research and discovered that this parent was not an island. I found articles where there are many parents who are afraid of their children and get bullied by them often. I was floored!

In the back of my mind, I couldn't help thinking about all the tantrums that babies and young children throw when they can't have their way. They hit at their parents when they are three, and fall out in the floor at thirteen. Is that sometimes cute behavior a catalyst? I read on.

After reading a handful of these articles, I learned that because of the expectations that the parents have for their children, they do not want them to be ostracized by their peers, so they do everything they can for them in order for them not to stand out. And unfortunately, this behavior does start as young as three and unless it's rectified early, doesn't end at thirteen.

I get it. I see it often at school. If a teenager is the star basketball player of the high school team, by all accounts, the expectation is that he or she will have high grades, the best name brand sneakers money can buy, the latest and greatest fashions, a high dollar cell phone and all the gadgets that go with it. He or she will be able to go on costly field trips, have the best class ring and prom outfit, and throw the best parties.

It's all B.S. to me. But I get it. Society has placed unrealistic expectations on what success should look like. And if a parent cannot help their child live up to those expectations, then it means, they are a failure as well. And what parent wants that reputation?

Well, in these articles, for the reasons I mentioned, the kids put pressure on the parents to help them uphold some superficial expectation or reputation and when they cannot have their way, that almost adult, throws a tantrum to the point where they are cursing their parents out, disrespecting them, lying to them, and sometimes going so far as to hit or shove them.

What's even more devastating, but not surprising, is that these same parents will make excuses for their children's behavior, thereby essentially giving the green light to be bullied by their own child! Some experts believe that it has something to do with the parents' own history and how they were raised. You know, the whole, "Raise my child differently than me," kind of thing. That's all B.S. to me too.

Nevertheless, bullying is a symptom of an out of balanced inner life and no matter what, the problem needs to be addressed early before it gets to the point of parents allowing themselves to be bullied by their children.

Read the commentary above. Let me know what you think!

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
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No Such Luck

11/12/2018

Let me start this post off by saying, "a lesson bought is a lesson taught." It..just..is. I know from experience, and so do so many others who have...slipped, gotten up and tried again. There are adages and quotes about it. But here's what I need you to know as someone who is about to go off to college, the military or the workforce. Through it all, remember this:

"Your competition isn't other people. Your competition is your procrastination. Your ego. The unhealthy food you're consuming. The unhealthy relationships you're involved with. The unhealthy habits you keep. The knowledge and education you neglect. The negative behavior you're nurturing, and your lack of creativity and want to, to think. Compete against that." Somebody said this. I enhanced it.

The point is, some of you may think you're grown. Life will teach you differently. Some of you may think you're not ready to be grown. Life will teach you differently. Either way, you have to decide what kind of life you're going to have. Your life will be what you decide and how you orchestrate it to be. There's no magic dream where you wake up and have the life you fantasized about. You have to create that life. No one can want success for you more than you want it for yourself. And finally, there's no such thing as luck. "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." So, what opportunities will you create for yourself?

Read and respond, honestly, to the commentary above. What are your thoughts, your fears, your inhibitions? What restrictions do you have? Limitations? Struggles? Angst?

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.

Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

Dope People Vote

11/4/2018

So...yesterday I went to vote, which totally means I'm dope. And although the outcome wasn't all blue, I still have hope, don't you?

One thing I am so proud of is knowing that I had a say in boosting so many women into high political arenas. I don't know what that could mean for the United States, but usually, when women take over, things get done!

Tuesday night was epic for women and minorities in politics. To highlight some women firsts: Houston, Texas, elected nineteen black, female judges; the youngest woman ever was elected to Congress (and she is Puerto Rican); Boston elected the first woman and the first African American District Attorney; Massachusetts elected the first Black woman ever to Congress; Connecticut elected its first black woman ever to Congress; the first Somali-American ever was elected to Congress; the first two Muslim women ever were elected to Congress; and two Native American women were elected to Congress, and one is openly gay!

Other minorities who won big on election night include gay men and an Iranian-American man!

Until yesterday, not since 2008, have I been more proud to be an American voter. In my fantasies, Democrats and Republicans will work together to make life better for all Americans and immigrants, and finally be embraced as the inclusive country that we are intended to be.

Read the commentary above, then comment on the following: "What impact do you think the election of so many women and minorities in such high political positions will have on the United States and why?"

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

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Is it Dope to Vote?

10/30/2018

Voting. When I hear young people, especially young people of color say, "I don't vote," "my vote doesn't count," or "they choose who they want to anyway, so I don't vote," my heart breaks and I get mad.

If nothing else, you should think about those who sacrificed all they had, including their lives, for your right to vote. Some teens will say they've heard it all before, but the fact is, it can never be said enough: "Your vote counts!"

My good friend, Matt Clarke, had this to publicly say on voting:

"I feel I have a responsibility as a white male, in our social hierarchy, to privilege and hold up the experiences and voices of people of color, women, and others who are marginalized in a society that supports white supremacy and patriarchy. I am not perfect, I can always do more, but it is important to me and people I love."

And it doesn't just stop with Matt Clarke, sports journalist, Dale Hansen, of Channel 8, until this week, had not voted in 46 years. Click below to find out why.

Why I Vote.

So here's a thing: if white males can feel so strongly about voting and your rights, why shouldn't you? Have you grown so accustomed to being complacent with your political, economic, environmental, and social conditions that you are willing to sacrifice your fundamental right, then complain when your green world turns gray?

Not me. I voted. Your ancestors did: the "strange fruit" who hung from trees. The young bodies beaten, bloodied and bullied with nightsticks. The homes, yards and cars that were bombed in an effort to "stop the vote." These stories are real. They did it for you. So you can sit where you want, live where you want, attend school and worship where you want, and work where you want. They voted or died trying to vote. For you.

Will you? Be dope and go vote.

Read the commentary above, then comment on the following: To what extent should people of color feel obligated to uphold the rights inherited by our ancestors by voting?

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

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Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
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It's On Me, Baby...

10/24/2018

As a teacher, at the end of each six weeks, I take time to reflect on my teaching: How I taught. What I taught. Do I feel I was effective? Did my students learn anything? About school? About life? And finally, I try to find my areas of opportunity. I search for answers to these questions vigorously because I've learned that through mistakes we learn to gather wisdom about how to improve.

One thing I had to learn not to do is blame. I cannot blame my students for issues I know I have. I cannot blame illness or unexpected events to hinder my progress. And I cannot blame life for not finding resources or information I need to "be great." To prevent even going down that path, I have to humble myself enough to know that I, too, err. And so do they.

A few things I learned this last six weeks is that no matter what, I'm the teacher and they are the students. Period. But to that end, personalities abound! Even when you think they know you, or you think you know them, you realize, neither of you really do. (There are a few exceptions: In the past, I have been highly successful at forging relationships with my students. Many have taken me to college with them, in spirit, as their mentor or confidant.)

On the other hand, what I have also learned is that, people have become so desensitized that sometimes good intention is erroneously decoded as attack. I blame it on technology and social media. While it is absolutely a beneficial and useful tool, it is computerizing our brains and causing us not to think holistically. Instead, we react defensively, even when our gut tells us otherwise. We have to be told what to think, how to think, when to think, and how to react because, on our own, we've forgotten how. Humanitarianism is becoming extinct it seems.

How do you grow? Do you look within and constantly reflect upon your behavior, your actions, and your thoughts? Do you blame everyone else, life and/or your circumstances? Are you always a victim? Do you look in the mirror, admonish your mistakes, then devise a plan to improve? Or do you look in the mirror, look away like the woman in the mirror above, then walk away the same you?

Nevertheless, I hope you do take some time to reflect, re-evaluate and reboot who you are: how you behave, how you function in conjunction with others, and how you intend to act or react in your near future. It's the only way we can grow.

Read the commentary above, then BRIEFLY explain your reflections and areas of opportunity for the next six weeks.

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than SEVEN sentences and no less than FIVE.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.

Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content: Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

CAUTION!! Do NOT embarrass me, yourself, your class, the English department, the school, the district, or your parents with tasteless, meaningless comments.

DISCLAIMER: If you do not respond AND comment on TWO others, you will not receive credit for this assignment. It's all or nothing. One post. Two responses.

Due: Fri., October 28, 2018 11:59 p.m. CST

Obese Kids...Who's Fault Is It?

10/14/2018

Media, schools, peers, parents or the kids themselves. Whose fault is it that young people are obese?

There are fast food restaurants on every corner and in every supermarket. In addition to fast foods, chemicals, growth hormones, GMOs, sugar and carb addictions, processed foods and super-sizing contribute to the obesity epidemic that is happening all over the world.

The image above shows some hurtful ads that are being run in Canada about obese kids. Read any report on childhood obesity and the percentage of young people who are overweight is alarming. Today, it is difficult to find active kids. They are all either on a phone or a tablet playing games instead of running outside, riding bicycles or skating. And worse, young people who are active have the worst diets, ever.

In my school, I see teens eating hot chips, kool-aid pickles and icing-heavy honey buns for breakfast, double-meat burgers and burritos for lunch, and sodas, chips and sports drinks for dinner because they are in some practice or club or other.

What's disturbing is that usually, overweight young people lead to overweight grown people. And by the time they get to that point, they have accumulated heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, or some other life-threatening illness to add to their weight.

What can we do to stop it? What will you do? How do you feel when you see kids who are overweight? How do you feel when you see the diet and lifestyle of overweight young people?

Read the commentary above, then comment on the following: "How can we as a society make a difference in childhood and teen obesity?"

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

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Invest in Your Education

10/8/2018

Students in Advanced Academics should pay to take their exams.

Do you think that's unreasonable? Here's the thing: if students pay to take their exams, they would take the classes more seriously and try hard on the exams. Right?

Before you oppose, imagine this for a minute. Go ahead, close your eyes. Suppose you own a school where you pay all the bills. There are 152 students in AP and 24 in IB in your school. AP exams cost $94 per exam. IB exams cost $199, plus there is a registration fee of $172 per IB exam. For the amount of students signed up to take the exams, that is a bill of $23,192 that you have to pay!

But it's fine. The students are worth it. But wait...we're still imagining. On exam day, all the IB students show, but of the 152 AP students who exams have been paid for, only 42 show up to sit for the exam.

Wait...it gets better.

Of the 42 that show up to take the exam, only 25 actually attempt the exam. The rest, rest. They sleep the entire exam. So you paid $23,192 for 49 students to take an exam. Hold on...our math is off. For any unused exams, there is a $15 return fee for AP exams. So, if you had to return 127 exams, you actually paid $25,097 for 25 students to take an exam that 152 were supposed to take.

Yikes!

Why aren't students taking these high stakes exams that could give them a boost in college? Why are they in AP? What is the goal? The question then becomes does it not matter simply because you, the school pay person, had to pay and the student didn't? According to business expert Nadine J. Larder, "people don't appreciate what they don't have to pay for."

In some schools, students do have to pay either half or the full amount. In those schools, the turn out is almost 100%. What do you think? Should students have to pay for exams? Would they value the education they're getting more? Would they try harder in class?

Read the commentary above, then comment on the following: "What role does accountability play in shaping who we are as individuals and influencing our behavior?"

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
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Yesterday is Gone..Isn't It?

10/1/2018

These days, when you are in high school and in college, you are encouraged to "live your best life" because "that's what young people do." Right? And social media...although young people are warned to "think twice before you post once," they still post damaging messages that can be life altering or professional suicide decades later.

For instance, a potential college student was stripped of her admissions and scholarships to a top university when it was discovered that she was tweeting derogatory comments about the school while touring the campus. These kind of rash decisions can be detrimental to your entire future.

Or can they?

In the news recently, there seems to be an influx of people in prominent positions whose past has chased them down and haunted them like Freddy on Elm Street.

Bill Cosby. Women who willingly took pills and booze from him, three decades later, resurfaced and accused him of rape. He was convicted and sentenced to prison.

Kevin Spacey. Thirty-one years later, his alleged victim came forward claiming to be traumatized by Spacey's alleged sexual assault against him. It was career damaging and reputation ruining.

Charlie Rose. Accusations dating back to the 90s have seeped their way into 2018 to destroy Rose personally and professionally.

But then, there's Brett Kavanaugh, a US Supreme Court nominee. He's been accused of more than one sexual assault that allegedly happened during his high school and college years. In this case, instead of past social media posts haunting him, old year books and printed calendars provide snapshots of his indiscretions.

Despite these serious allegations against him though, Kavanaugh was still considered for one of the highest positions in the judicial system. What is alarming about this consideration is that these positions have life time tenure. That means, once a person takes this position, it is theirs for life unless they retire, resign, are removed for unusual circumstances, or die. Therefore, it begs the question, is this country okay with hiring someone who allegedly rapes or sexually assaults women, or who could even find themselves in such a conundrum, when past evidence proves their consistent character?

There are dozens of adages that stress, "you can't go forward looking backward." But there are also as many that urge the opposite. A loose version of a famous quote by philosopher, George Santayana says, "those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it," and more eloquently, Mark Victor Hansen said, "You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands - your own."

Read the commentary above, then comment on the following: "To what extent should colleges and employers consider information from your past, print and digital, in the admissions and hiring process?"

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
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Are We Disrupting Natural Order?

9/21/2018

This adorable little boy got his hair cut by another classmate with scissors. In the second image, his barber gave him a free haircut to restore life's balance.

This story jumped out at me because his parents were livid, which is understandable. But did this incidence warrant them threatening to sue the school, the district changing its safety policies and the little boy being removed from the school and consequently, all his friends?

Were the parents justified in their behavior or did they overreact? This story made me wonder, has the world become so desensitized that childhood capers have now become matters of safety or the prelude to psychotic deviance? After all, two of my best childhood friendships were the result of one cutting my hair in 1st grade, and the other, me being too intentionally rough with the kickball at recess in the 3rd grade. Had my parents removed me from that school, it would have sent me spiraling into depression.

When I was growing up, this kind of behavior was laughed off and forgotten about before the end of the week could settle in. Parents trusted us kids to work things out, and all perpetrators involved settle our differences over "cool cups," street skating and stick ball.

As a society, were we wrong back then? Today, you cannot look at a person too long without their being an issue or grounds for a lawsuit.

My two friends and I are still friends today. Had those two incidents not occurred, would we still have become friends? I believe that everything happens exactly how it's supposed to. Do you? What happens when belief systems of societies and individuals come into conflict?

INSTRUCTIONS: Click on the image above to view the video and read the article. Then, read the commentary above and comment on the following: "Explain whether or not the parents in this "incident" overreacted and why you feel the way you do."

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

Life AND 192 Years?!

9/16/2018

This guy. ^^ Him. Right up there. Antonio Maurice Gee. He's 21-years old. He's in prison for brutal assault. Although he did not murder anyone, he assaulted people and was sentenced to life...plus 192 years.

When you read something like that, what are your initial thoughts? "Although he did not murder anyone, he was sentenced to life in prison PLUS 192 years." Think about that a bit. There are people who murder multiple people and get out of prison after about five to ten years. Without a murder conviction, do you immediately think the punishment fits the crime?

Now allow me to explain what he did.

Gee's indictment says that he committed armed robbery, burglary, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, aggravated stalking, false imprisonment, and cruelty to children, all while under a restraining order. That's reeling enough. But even more reeling is who he inflicted his wrath upon.

In December, 2016, Gee broke into the home where his ex-girlfriend lived with their two children, a one-year old daughter and a five-month old son, and his ex's grandmother, and wreaked havoc.

Gee hit the grandmother with his fists so badly that she needed facial reconstructive surgery. He also stabbed her in the face. While his ex-girlfriend shielded their daughter to prevent Gee from stabbing the child, he cut his ex, knocked out her teeth and Tased her in the face. Then, the most horrific assault of them all: he Tased both of his children before he stole the women's phones, car keys and credit cards.

After his conviction, some still say the punishment does not fit the crime, and that this conviction "sets a dangerous precedence in all other cases." If Gee's punishment is this harsh and he did not kill anyone, "Why not sentence all other non-capitol offenses in this manner?" What do you think his punishment should be?

Read the commentary above, then, thinking about Gee's vicious attacks, comment on the following: "How do beliefs, ethics, or values influence different people’s behavior?"

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

Home Shoot Home

9/12/2018

A white police officer killed a young, black man. Again.

This one, however, is the most bizarre. This one has more questions than answers, puzzle pieces than clarity.

On September 6, on the edge of downtown Dallas, at an apartment complex, a white, female officer entered a young man's apartment and killed him in his own home. He was not a criminal. He was not resisting arrest, selling cigarettes, holding a toy gun, driving while not signaling or reaching for his identification as instructed. He was simply living. That's all anyone knows at this point.

Although the Texas Rangers are investigating, there are still many unanswered questions. But one thing is clear, black people are sick and tired of mourning and burying black boys, especially because of white police officers. I hope the "legal system" gets it right this time.

Although I have noted it many times before, I am compelled to repeat it again: There is something sinister about a certain group of people feeling like they have the absolute right to walk inside a church, a movie theater, a concert..or right inside a home..and kill black people. And like Jean Botham wanted to know, "Why did you do that?" Because all heaven knows black people don't know why.

Do you?

Read the commentary above, then comment on the following: "What impact does power or the lack of power have on certain groups?"

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

Protest is Patriotic

9/5/2018

In 2016, Colin Kaepernick was in the media for kneeling on the sidelines during the presentation of the US national anthem in protest of police brutality. Skewed by the media and our own president as disrespecting the flag and those who fought for our country, Colin's gesture made many people around the world despise him.

Including the NFL.

But Kaepernick kept protesting. Silently. Adamantly. Fervently. And suddenly, many more celebrated him for being courageous enough to stand up for what he believes in.

Including Nike.

In celebration of their 30th anniversary, "Just Do It" campaign, they are celebrating "Kaep" with an ad campaign that has rocked the entire nation. (You can see it in the image above.)

But with troubles still abound, Kaepernick decided to file a grievance against the NFL for collusion. Not one team would hire him. But even though no such trial has begun, Kaepernick has secured the bag! Although the means by which he did it cost him his football career, a better career was underway for him: creating a foundation that raises awareness on higher education, self-empowerment, and instruction to properly interact with law enforcement in various scenarios. And moreso, he'll have Nike's support, and covertly, the NFL's.

Here's how:

Kaepernick has a deal with Nike worth millions, and it includes an apparel line. And until 2028, Nike secured a deal with the NFL as their official team apparel designer for the entire organization. That means *when* Kaepernick comes out of this mess with the NFL, the $126M he's already worth, will increase. And every time someone supports NFL through Nike, they'll be supporting Kaep too! #securethebag #theyjustdidit #kaepjustdidit #imwithkaep

Read the commentary above, then comment on the following: "What are the causes and consequences of prejudice and injustice, and how does an individual's response to them reveal his/her character?"

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

MASSive Head Ache

8/27/2018

Another mass shooting. This time, over a video game tournament.

There is something terribly wrong in a world where people feel like they have the absolute right to get angry and have a grown up fit and then kill people because they were either not taught a basic kindergarten-level rule: you win some, you lose some.

That's exactly what appears to be the case for shooting suspect David Katz. On Sunday, August 26, 2018, Katz attended a Madden Football video game tournament in Jacksonville, Florida, apparently lost the tournament, then using a handgun, allegedly killed two people and injured nine others.

No one knows why he did it. It doesn't matter why he did it. Knowing why may help to wrap your mind around things, but ultimately, "why" is just a bandage. It doesn't heal the hurt. Thinking about the whys, solutions and what-ifs only adds to the coffin of carnage and makes for a massive headache trying to figure out how to move forward or what to do about guns and people with guns to prevent the next mass shooting.

As Katz's smoking gun cools from his mass murders committed with a gun, what will we do and who will we blame? The guns? The people with guns? The government? Each other?

Read the commentary above, then comment on the following: "To what extent do gun control laws violate The Second Amendment Rights of some in order to protect the country from those who snub their noses at the law?"

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than seven (7) sentences and no less than five (5).

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.

Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

Finals

5/31/2018

I cannot believe that it’s time to go already! Up to this point, I still can’t believe I’m a teacher. I thought teaching on the high school level was not for me. Until I started teaching, I had never lived my life governed by a clock. I awoke when I wanted. I rested when I wanted. I built businesses when I wanted. I lived what I loved. My life was calm. I meditated, walked and I wrote. All day. Every day.

Nevertheless, the Universe shifted and brought me here. To you. As your teacher, and for many, your mentor and sounding board. And in the most unsuspecting ways, you’ve all changed my life professionally and personally in every way. In a little over three months, I tried to give you everything I have in me as a writer and as a teacher. I didn’t do it just to educate you academically, but personally, socially and universally as well.

I’m not sure I accomplished all that I could. Lord knows I tried. But I don’t dwell on shortcomings. Everything in THIS life happens exactly how it’s supposed to. I’m humble enough not to need acknowledgement for my deeds. Instead, “the proof will be in the pudding.” That means, one day, you’ll write something or read something or hear something that makes you say, “I remember my 12th grade English teacher, ms. d., taught me that” or “my 12th grade English teacher, ms. d., drove me CRAZY saying that all the time.”

Nevertheless, this has been one of the most amazing, eye-opening experiences of my life! The lessons I’ve learned from the countless personalities I’ve had the distinct pleasure of getting to learn, has been extraordinarily enlightening. I would be remiss if I didn’t let each of you know that I was always watching. If we never said more than two words to each other, or conversed incessantly, I know you; I saw you; I heard you, I enjoyed you, and most importantly, I uplifted you and listened to you when you had a light bulb moment. No student I had went unnoticed in my classroom or in my heart.

Although it’s hard to say goodbye, it’s inevitable—we must. So, as you move forward in your lives, and others, to the next grade, always educate yourselves about something. Remind yourselves of things you know. Educate yourselves on things you don’t know and always go toward what’s challenging. But no matter what you do, as I’ve done in my life, do it without abandon, with the notion that a Higher Power is always watching. Question everything and keep forgiveness close. Own you. And never forget, Live What You Love! I Do! ™ —ms. d. I write (and now I teach) for the very reason I breathe. . . Be balanced. ‘Ase!
Comment on the following: "Write a brief note expressing your thoughts about this school year: this class, my instruction, your progress, your growth, your fears for the future, your plans, challenges, highs, lows or anything you’d like to tell me.

It can be strictly school-related, personal, professional, goals—anything you want to share with me so that later when I’m thinking about my memories of you, I’ll have something that will help me remember you, and how you shaped the pattern for my following years as a high school teacher, mentor, listener and confidant."

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.
2. At the end of your comment, write Please post OR Please do not post.
3. This is a test grade.

CAUTION!! Do NOT embarrass me, yourself, your class, the English department, the school or your parents with tasteless, meaningless comments. This is for a grade.

Due: Thurs., May 31, 2018 11:59 p.m. CST

This is America Pt. 2

5/11/2018

Please click on the link below to complete this week's Mixed Ink assignment in Canvas. The assignment has also been posted here for your perusal.

Canvas

Last week, using this online platform we discussed things not always being what they seem. We took time to watch, analyze and interpret what we think the motive was for Childish Gambino's, "This is America."

This week, I want to take on the stories that are being told and the historical context that is being revealed throughout the video. Often, artists use symbols, motifs, innuendos, imagery and other literary devices to send covert messages about matters that touch them in some way. In exchange, they sometimes create timeless pieces that are discussed long after the lights have dimmed on the work itself. "This is America" is one such instance where an agenda is being presented.

In several interviews, Childish Gambino has refused to reveal his intent because he feels that it is not his place to explain what's in the video. He wants viewers to be free to "watch [it] and walk away with whatever you need to walk away with."

Instructions:
1. Watch and analyze the video again.
2. List all of the symbolism you found with a brief interpretation of what you think it means.
3. You must respond to at least two other students as usual.
4. Complete a One-Pager based on the video and all the commentary you have written and read about "This is America." Click here for instructions on your One-Pager.

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

CAUTION!! Do NOT embarrass me, yourself, your class, the English department, the school or your parents with tasteless, meaningless comments. This is for a grade.

Due: Mon., May 21, 2018 11:59 p.m. CST

The following is for Seniors only!

1-4. Complete these items.
5. Watch the video again, carefully. Then, in a well-developed essay, with a clear thesis, and clear TOK connections, "Analyze the strategies Gambino uses to convey his arguments about contemporary race issues in the US."

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

This is America Pt. 1.

5/11/2018

Please have your parents watch, analyze and discuss the video with you for a clear understanding of the content/meaning.

For millennia, artists, of all genres, have created music that delve into social consciousness. The goal is to "awaken" society to anthropological, sociological and psychological problems and injustices and spark movements for change.

Unsurprisingly, from Bob Dylan's "Time's They Are Changing," Beethoven's "Ode to Joy," and Lead Belly's "Goodnight Irene," to Sam Cook's "A Change Gone Come," Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit," Nina Simone's "Mississippi Goddam," and Marvin Gaye's "Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology)," protest songs have ridden the waves of every generation of music that sails along because, more than any other art form, music is universal and far-reaching.

Today's protest songs are no different. They reach far and tell a different story about the false social constructs that portrays America as a melting pot, the land of the free and opportunity, a place where all men, who were created equally, can be treated...well...equally.

But things are not always as they seem. And Donald Glover, Jr., aka, Childish Gambino, is letting the world know that the more things change, the more they stay the same, especially when it comes to ideological constructs such as gun violence, police brutality and racism that America is grounded in.

Watch and analyze the video above. Then, explain the meaning of the video and what the artist's motive was for making the video."

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

Slavery...A choice?

5/4/2018

Critics

The View

Good Morning Britain

Revolt

Commentary

People are entitled to their opinion, right? Then why is it that every time Kanye West gives his opinion, it sounds bizarre, vapid and offensive?

He didn't disappoint when he appeared on a video that TMZ published on May 1st. He had some critics. He had some supporters.

The question remains, however, did he make some valid points? Some people feel that he is a genius because most geniuses are viewed as "weird," "crazy" or different. But at what point does your genius get in your way to be respected or taken seriously?

On the other hand, some believe that West is mentally ill and suffering a mental breakdown. I want to know what you think.

Watch the videos above..the large one with the image, then the links under the heading "Critics" that I have provided. Read the Tweets on the Revolt site. All of them. All..so that you can make some informed opinions. Then, let me know what you think below.

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

Will is Always Welcome

4/9/2018

There's an adage that goes, "The more things change, the more they stay the same." And, although the world in which we live is ever-changing, there are some things that are still the same. Gender inequality, unequal pay for women, global warming, racism, classism, poverty, homophobia...one of these issues will effect one of you in some way. Whether it's directly or indirectly, you are affected.

But you have a job to do. A challenge. Be the change that you want to see in the world. A student said recently, "I'm only one person. I can't change anything." But we now know today, that's simply not true. You can be a force by yourself. But when more people join you to make improvements to the world for the greater good, you become a movement.

I challenge you to take the first step. No. Matter. What.

Look at the video, then comment on the following: "What does this video show about the world in which we live?"

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.

Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

Poetry and the Planet

4/3/2018

April is National Poetry Month AND Earth Month. But here's the thing: not many believe that global warming is real. I do. Do you? We continue to be wasteful, over-consuming, greedy, gluttonous and self-absorbing. Have you ever thought for once what your actions are doing to the world?

Don't think you have an impact? A student said to me recently that one person can't change the world. Lies. Here are some "one persons" who did:

Malcolm X
The Buddha
Socrates
Jesus
Martin Luther King
Michael Jackson
Thomas Jefferson
Mother Theresa
Gloria Steinam
Mahatma Gandhi
Joan of Arc
Rosa Parks
William Shakespeare
Johan Sebastian Bach
Pablo Picasso

Should I go on? It just takes...one.

Directions: Watch the video above. Read the commentary after, then comment on the following: "What is one thing you WILL do this week to save the planet?"

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

CAUTION!! Do NOT embarrass me, yourself, your class, the English department, the school or your parents with tasteless, meaningless comments. This is for a grade.

Due: Fri., April 6, 2018 11:59 p.m. CST

Lunch & Learn

3/25/2018

All these school shootings are really starting to disturb me. They are making me afraid for humanity. As I’ve thought more about it, I’ve realized that in addition to a gun problem, America has a people problem. We don’t like each other! But then I wonder, why don’t we like each other when 90% of the time, we don’t even know each other.

Then, I thought about a column that my friend, diversity and inclusion expert, Risha Grant wrote just this year. She wrote that when people hear the word diversity, they roll their eyes, think of this word negatively as if it’s a rare disease. I’ve even seen people say it with air-quotes. Teenagers react the same way.

But like Risha noted, people see diversity as a problem. However, diversity is not a problem. It is a strength. The people, are the problem. I agree. And it starts when we’re young.

According to Risha, in our follow the leader culture, people feel emboldened to say things they haven’t said aloud before. It has become acceptable to bully and display hate toward others. She said Dr. King would not be proud of this America.

But despite the ill-feelings that people have toward each other in the world, Risha undoubtedly believes that despite all our issues, there are great people doing great things and love will always win over hate. She challenges you, and generations that follow, to leave this place better than we found it. Stand up and fight for those who are less fortunate or systemically underrepresented.

As a start, we can get off social media and talk to each other when we are amongst people. We can pick up the phone and talk instead of text. We can volunteer together. Anything. The gesture doesn’t have to be big. After all, “little things mean a lot.” Just do something to get to know someone who is different than you.

So, what are you doing to make America better than you found it? As the beginning of a solution, this week, you will be challenged socially more intensely than you ever have before.

Follow the instructions below for this week's Lunch & Learn Challenge, and have fun doing it!

1. Find someone of a different race/ethnicity or religion that you do not know and ask them to lunch.

2. While at lunch, choose one and discuss for about 5 minutes:

Make a connection between Christmas and a lorry
Make a connection between a park and a camera
Make a connection between light and an apple
Make a connection between a sign and a computer
Make a connection between the beach and a car
Make a connection between coffee and chocolate
Make a connection between a pig and a fish
Make a connection between a television and a plan
Make a connection between snoring and a vote
Make a connection between a potato and a shoe

3. For another 5 minutes each (10 minutes total), discuss a challenging moment in your life and exchange experiences on how the other person might have handled it.

4. As your Reflection, by Friday, answer the questions below:

How was this experience?
What did you discover about the student you lunched with?
What ideas did they contribute to your experience and how can you implement some of their ideas in other areas of your life?
How was lunch!

5. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

CAUTION!! Do NOT embarrass me, yourself, your class, the English department, the school or your parents with tasteless, meaningless comments. This is for a grade.

Due: Fri., March 30, 2018 11:59 p.m. CST

March 21st, 2018

3/21/2018

A 9-word essay. Write one.

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

CAUTION!! Do NOT embarrass me, yourself, your class, the English department, the school or your parents with tasteless, meaningless comments. This is for a grade.

Due: Fri., March 23, 2018 11:59 p.m. CST

You Do This...

3/4/2018

We all have something we're good at or we're responsible for or are born to do.

Truth.

Without a doubt, I'm why my students think deeper. When people read my poetry, I'm why they think harder. I'm why people swell with emotion when they read my memoir or my edits to their writing. I'm why I write for the very reason I breathe.

Read the commentary above, then comment on the following: "I'm why..... [fill in the blank]." (That means YOU..not me.)

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

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Mixed Ink

Mixed Ink is our class blog, the window into our souls. It was designed to improve students' writing, critical thinking and communication skills by giving them a platform to provide meaningful content based on their interpretation of what they see.

Although the students receive a grade based on a rubric for completing this assignment, they are not graded on complexity of thought. This is a place where students of all levels can freely, confidently and creatively express themselves and their opinions in a nonjudgmental platform. They are required to respond to and critique each other, but degradation, slander, lewdness, etc., will not be tolerated.

Bridge Builders

All subjects are vital to learning, but English is the bridge of communication. So let's build the arch, one word at a time...

Grading Rubric

Learning Objectives

Communicate effectively
Be aware of current events
Write concisely
Boost critical thinking skills
Be accountable
Follow directions
Have a voice about what goes on in the world around you