Issues in the community

What is the biggest issue we face in our immediate community? Why don't more people do something about it?

freedom or safety

Which is more important: freedom or safety? This is an important question that we will deal with in-depth as we approach the topic of creating a nation. It is a tough one, because too much freedom will mean total anarchy, while too much safety means things are way too strict.

Will women ever have the same power as men?

Do you believe there is equality between men and women? Do you believe that a woman recieves the same opportunities as a man in our society? Will there ever be true equality between men and women?

Why are the people who start the wars never the same people who fight the wars?

A student last year asked me, "Why are the people who start the wars never the same people who fight the wars?" He wanted to know why Bush and the Congress didn't have to go out and fight in Iraq while his brother was on his third tour. It wasn't that this student hated the government or even the War in Iraq. He simply wanted to know why the people in charge don't have to be on the frontlines. What do you think?

Is your generation selfish?

In class, we read about a person who thought that your generation was selfish and disrespectful. He mentioned the people who laugh at disabilities, who pick on others, who cannot seem to understand that there are others around them. At the same time, our team last year logged in over two thousand community service hours. So, what do you think? Is your generation a selfish generation?

Where does racism come from? Will it always exist?

Tupac said, "Still I see no changes. All I see is racist faces. Displayed hate makes disgrace for races." Although I often disagree with Tupac, he had a point here. Racism is a powerful force in our daily lives often influencing us in ways we cannot predict. So where does that racism come from? Is Tupac right in saying, "Some things will never change?" Or will there someday be an end to racism?

What are the pros and cons of technology?

We live in a Digital Age. It is a time when we communicate through text message and spend our free time watching television or surfing the internet. Technology is all around us, influencing what we do, how we think, how we communicate, what we eat and drink, how we feel, what we believe - pretty much every aspect of our lives.

What are the pros and cons of technology? At what point do we become androids dependent on technology for us to function?

Why is school so much like a prison?

A student once told me that school was like a prison. They tell you when to eat, when to drink, when to use the restroom, when to sit, when to stand, what to say, what not to say, how to think, what to learn, how to dress, who to hang out with, etc.

Is the student right? Is school like a prison? If it is, what other aspects are similar to a prison? Why would this be the case? (Really think about the motives of the adults who create the school system. They probably have a good motive, so what is it?)

Is it your responsibility to change the world?

Whose responsibility is it to change the world? Is it something left for adults? Is it something students can do? Or is it better to work on your own life and not try to change everything around you? If you do believe it is your responsibility to change the world, explain why it would be important to you. Describe some of the ways you, as a student, can change your world.

Which is more powerful: love or hate?

In many cultures, there is an idea that two forces work against one another. One is working for good, the other for bad. One chooses love, the other one chooses hate. What do you think? Which one wins? Which one is more powerful?

What is the biggest issue we face in our immediate community? Why don't more people do something about it?

quote

"History is a gallery of pictures, in which there are many copies and few originals"

Should we bother learning history if it's just going to repeat itself?

It has been said that history repeats itself. People claim that it is in an endless cycle that never completely stops. Is that true? Do things from the past happen again in a new context? If so, why would anyone ever want to change the world? Why bother studying history at all?

Social Satire: Talk Show

This was a fake talk show we created during a summer school class