Hush, Don't Talk About it

As far as you banning topics in your class I think it's your right. I mean after all, it is your class. As for the topics you have choosen to ban they all have potential to be very heated topics and could easily envoke very strong opinions. My grandmother, as a true southern belle, use to tell me it's innapropriate to discuss race, religion or politics at a the table. I always thought this to be silly, but now that I am older I can understand why. Such topics, and opinions about them, could ruin a family's evening. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. I try to respect the beliefs and opions of others; even when I have noticed others my not respect mine. Back to this being your class... the topics you have banned also have potential to be debate topics instead of discussion topics. I mean this is an English class after all. I can only imagine how hard it would be to put a grade on heavy words and angry paragraphs. I can see where these particular topics have potential to become a verbal war instead of just discussion. I am sure Miss Hall you as well have your very own opinion on these topics, and i wonder how difficult it would be to maintain unbiased. We are all after all human and subject to our own opinionated faults.This Blog may come up short, sadly because my personal opinion of this topic is short. It's your class, you can do what you want to do.

Show Me the Money

When I was younger my grandmother use to give me ten dollars for every A I brought home on my report cards. I am sure she did this as an incentive, but usually I only got excited about it at the end of the nine weeks when I was certain I was getting paid. My delayed excitement may have been due to my not so studious behavior. I think cash for grades should be up to the parents, not the school. Most school districts today struggle for funding to keep their doors open, espically in rural areas.I think the grade in inself should be the reward; the promise of college and hope of good future. I am afraid that the children who were already economically challenged would still be left out due to poor living circumstances and lack of resources. I think cash for grades is a short term incintive and I would have to see alot of research for before I would sway in my opinion that it worked. By research I mean long term results of the students and where they end up. I think it should be a parents personal decision on how to reward their children out side of school, and that traditional methods of rewards such as scholarships should remain in place. I think kids should get good grades because it is expected of them to. My father use to tell me you don't get rewarded for doing what you are supposed to do any way. I think cash for grades falls in line with what advice my dad was giving me at the time. As a mom I expect my kids to go to school, study hard, do their homework, and yes bring home good grades. As a parent I think it is my job to assist them by providing them with materials needed, answering questions, and cooperating with the school and staying informed on their progress. I understand that not all children have a support system at home. It is my hope that the children that don't would already be targeted by the school and recieve some extra incentive or assistance by the school. I think in the end education in its self is the greatest reward, and a child's drive to reach his or her goals rely greatly on many outside factors.

Smoke on that

Many states have made medical marijuana legal. I think at this point 18 states have made medical marijuana legal to smoke. But what some don't know is that in states like Arkansas we have something else called Marinol , a pill that is that is prescribed by a doctor in chronicly ill or terminal patient.Ingredients of Marinol are capsules contain man-made dronabinol (THC). THC is also a naturally occuring component of Cannabis sativa. (marijuana). So it sounds to me medical marijuana is already legal and avaliable for those who truly need it. My main concern if marijuana was legalized would me the message it would send to our youth that drugs are ok that coupled with the theory of Marijuana being a gateway drug could open our kids to other stonger drugs. My stance on this issue is on the fence. On one hand I know the sick and dying could benefit from the use of THC as pain reliever and appetite increaser. Obviously the benefits are enough for the major drug companies to want to replicate it with Marinol.
But to legalize it for the general public would be a mistake. I think it would be abused by many more then those who truly needed it, and drug dealers would have to make up in loss revenue. I think if legalized we would find an increase in addicts. Aslo there are down falls and health risks to smoking marijuana ,marijuana can cause low sperm in men and can increase the risk of cervical cancer in women.Who knows, it all comes with a risk. I am interested to see how it's working for other states before i give my vote to  jump on the puff puff train.I wonder if it would be taxed or if people could grow their own? I wonder what stiplations would be placed on it by the government?