Education: A Student Persepctive

Education in our State and our Nation has failed. On the grading scale it would be below or at best the middle of the bell curve. The 2009 ACT test scores became available in November, Results show only 25% of Utah students who took the ACT test are ready for college English, Algebra, Social Science, and Biology. This is unacceptable for the children of this state. This Legislative session Senator Buttars has spoken out with an idea in order to save money we should do away with the 12th grade. In my opinion we need to do exactly the opposite, we need to make sure that our kids are receiving a quality education at each and every grade level. Instead we need to take the Karen Morgan approach with SB 150 "Reading Requirements for Student Advancement." http://le.utah.gov/~2010/htmdoc/sbillhtm/sb0150.htm This bill would require for students to be reading at their grade level in order to advance to the next. Opponents of this bill say that this is unfair to our school children and cannot be done. I say that our current system of testing without corrected the weak areas is unfair to Utah's school children. What we have in our system today is like an unfunded mandate for our students. We are giving them these tests without giving to proper education in order for them to pass. Liken SB 150 to a scrimmage game in football, or a practice speech in debate, or trial run in a race it is to test our student before they go out for the big game: college and life. It lets us see the weaknesses in our children and allows us time to correct them, and give them a fighting chance to succeed in life. Now this is not to say that our schools will have a battle in their hands in order to achieve this goal, but that is where our children s parents need to take charge. Instead of having your child sit in front of a TV with you at nights end the answer lies in doing the exact opposite. To quote a program that was on when i was younger "take a look, it's in a book."

Utah Air Quality: A Student Perspective

In January the air quality in Utah was the worst in nation. The answer that we have been receiving from state officials and others in our state is simply wait for the next storm. Waiting for the next storm is not an answer we as citizens deserve or need. Air quality not only effects the look of our valley but the health and well being of the citizens of our state. Air quality effects our health in some major areas: our respiratory system, our cardiovascular system are the main areas hit.

Respiratory System: Not only does the air quality effect our oxygen levels we breathe in but while the air quality is poor we are breathing in major pollutants to our body. The lungs themselves are designed to bring in enormous amounts of air and deliver the contents directly to the blood system. Thus those same pollutants that we are breathing in are delivered into our blood and dispersed to our vital organs. Studies have been shown that breathing in air pollution over an extended period of time creates very similar effects to that of second hand smoke.

Cardiovascular: The cardiovascular system is made up of two distinct parts the heart and the network of blood vessels. As stated earlier when we breathe in poor air those pollutants are delivered to the blood stream which then is delivered to the heart. Exposure of the heart to these chemicals can produce some very serious conditions such as effecting the heart rhythm.

While these two systems are effected in a large way on a wide basis some specific effects have been attributed to poor air quality. Asthma is directly worsened in higher pollution cities and cases are also twice as likely to happen in such cities.
Premature births are also higher in cities with high air pollution.

Now not all of the news is bad, while our state is set up to have a higher pollution than others there are major things that we can do to improve the quality of our air. First and foremost is to make people aware and make it a priority in their lives. There are simple steps that we as citizens can take to name a couple: more fuel efficient stoves such as wood pellet stoves which can be used on a red burn day. Many citizens in our state are still using wood burning stoves that put our high pollution. Overall efficient appliances will help improve our air quality. With the increasing population on the west side our mass transit needs to extend to reach those people.

We as citizens need to let our leaders and other know that we are not ok with the air quality of this state and are expecting a change, and show a willingness on our part to change our air quality.

States Rights: A Student Perspective

States rights is becoming a very strong issue across America. With groups such as the "tea Baggers" popping up everywhere, some considering them to be the future of the Republican Party. (One can only hope) Many of these group's ideals are not a progressive theory but in fact a regressive. They are calling to go back to the days before the Civil War, i'm talking nullification here.

Here in Utah the Legislature is discussing backing the Fed's off with a series of Senate Bills. They keep saying that the Federal Government has reached too far and is controlling our life's too much. They have all of these "message" bills in order to state their sovereignty and for the Federal Government to stay out of our issues. I think we take for granted what the Fed's actually do to better our State. No feds equals no I-15 nor I-80 nor I-215, and along with that all the jobs that came about because of those construction projects. No feds equals no funding for Moab, Arches, or Grand Canyon national park which then means tax increases through the roof for our state to maintain these parks. No fed's equal no mail, no medicare, no $787 Million in stimulus money that was received AND gladly taken by the same people who are calling for less Federal Government here in Utah.

States rights is a great thing to have thus the 10th amendment, but our country and world has evolved since 1791 when the bill of rights was passed, and thus our government has evolved and become greater with it. While i am all for state's rights i believe that the Federal Government has a place in our life's. People need to understand that the Federal Government is not some big dark thing out in space it is a government "For the people, by the people."