Saying Goodbye to Issues

In order to finish out the year, you have two tasks to complete:

1. Complete this EVALUATION for the Marketplace of Ideas and the class overall.
2. Do a final blog post that says good bye to your readers and followers (or describes how you will be continuing to blog on your Issues blog or a new one you create).  Consider the state of "issues in America" (actual issues, not the class).  What issues continue to be important today?  What do you want your readers to continue to pay attention to, do, or watch out for?  Are you optimistic about the world today or not?  Why?  

We'll say our goodbyes in class on Monday, where it is ask Kramer anything day...

Issues Making News

A couple of issues for your consideration today:

Climate Change

Prayer at Govt. Meetings

The Marketplace of Ideas is Here!

Marketplace of Ideas Instructions
Topic Proposal Form

BRAINSTORMING LINKS

• Browse the topics at any of the "issues" based subscription databases:
• CQ Researcher
• Opposing Viewpoints
• Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society
• Check out the documentaries at:
• Frontline
• Sixty Minutes
• Read the news:
• CNN
• FOX
• NYTimes
• Chicago Tribune
• Read Blogs:
• Huffington
• Newsmax

Affirmative Action in College Admissions

Your tasks:

1. Read the last two articles in your packet-The Price of Being Black and Bright in 2014 and Affirmative Action Fading From the College Scene. 
2. Then write a short (1-2 pages, single spaced) essay in which you respond to the question-Should race be a factor used in college admissions?  In other words, how should the Supreme Court rule in the case of Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action? The first sentence of your essay should a specific assertion that answers one of these questions. (Colleges should/should not use race in their admissions decisions because ____________; or The Supreme Court should decide that the State of Michigan's ban on using race in college admissions is/is not Constitutional because________________.)
3. Be sure to use specific evidence from what we've discussed in class including the Bakke case, the admissions policies of Harvard and Michigan, the Grutter and Gratz cases, Whites Swim in Racial Preference, If I Were a Poor Black Kid and the responses to it, and the two articles cited in #1 above.  You must use at least three of these sources in your essay.  Essay should be carefully proofread and free of all errors.  You should not use 1st person.
4. You have today and tomorrow to work on this in class.  It is due to be submitted to turnitin.com by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, April 22.

Agenda, 3/21

Greetings Issues Scholars,
Two tasks for today:

1) Gather additional information about issues related to Haze the Movie.  I've shared some links that I found to be interesting or relevant below.  Feel free to search around and find additional links to consider.  Think about how you might use this  information to make change personally or within our community.  Feel free to share  links with others, or consider a potential blog post on the film or any of the issues raised.

• Main web page for "Gordies Call"-organization started after Gordie Bailey's Death
• Alcohol Education Resources
• College Drinking-Changing the Culture
• Safe Spring Break
• Alcohol Poisoning Info from the Mayo Clinic
• Blood Alcohol Content Calculator
• Less Than You Think campaign
• Aware Awake Alive
• Harvard School of Public Health Studies on College Alcohol Us
• Medical Amnesty Initiative
• Amethyst Initiative (Drinking Age)
• In defense of 21

2) Next week, we are going to have a series of mini-discussions led by YOU on a topic of your choice.  Each discussion will be approximately 8-10 minutes long.  You must sign up on the respective Google Doc for your class (Per. 3 Sign Up Sheet or Per. 8 Sign Up Sheet) for a time slot and discussion topic.  By Monday, you need to have selected a topic, have at least one article or source about your topic that can easily be summarized or explained (quickly) and 3-5 open ended discussion questions about your topic.

Live Blogging Sexual Harassment Per. 8

 

Live Blogging Sexual Harassment