Wolfpack Press » Viewpoints

The State of the Union in 2012

Mr. Adams — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:10:42 +0000

[From the NY Times. A version of this editorial appeared in print on January 25, 2012, on page A28 of the New York edition with the headline: The State of the Union in 2012.]

A year ago, after the last State of the Union address, we applauded President Obama for challenging the Republicans’ blame-government, slash-and-burn rhetoric. He explained why Washington must do more to help put millions of struggling people back to work and why any credible plan to wrestle down the deficit must include the wealthy paying a fairer share of taxes.

After a rough start to 2011, economic numbers have improved, and Mr. Obama has pushed Congress to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits and outlined an ambitious jobs agenda. But the country’s problems are profound. There are 13.1 million unemployed, and the risk of stagnation is real. Republican candidates are pounding on the wrong, but seductive, notion that the real problem is government spending — especially on the “others,” the poor and minorities. Congressional Republicans have barely wavered in their obstructionism.

Mr. Obama has become steadily more assertive, but he will have to push even harder. The State of the Union address was a chance to do that, and he did not squander it.

He sounded many of the same themes as last year, but his tone was sharper and he was far more willing to apportion blame, particularly singling out the financial industry for its excesses and politicians who are still determined to defend tax cuts for the rich and undo desperately needed financial regulations. “We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by,” he said, “or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules.”

Mr. Obama’s talk of “an economy built to last” was a bit too folksy, but he is right that the country can’t rely on some invisible hand to develop a strategy to compete in the 21st century. Washington must do a lot more to create good jobs, to encourage new industries, to build the infrastructure to support a vibrant economy and to address climate change and promote energy independence.

The president’s calls to deny tax breaks to companies that outsource and provide a tax credit to companies that bring jobs back home are good ones. The real challenge will be to ensure that those repatriated jobs are good-paying jobs. The president called for better job training and education, but a skills gap isn’t the main problem. Employers aren’t going to do a lot more hiring until consumers buy more products. Demand is unlikely to recover until Congress agrees to more federal spending, including aid to states for hiring.

Mr. Obama’s idea to use half of the savings from winding down the wars for public-works projects is laudable and could put hundreds of thousands back to work. Republicans are sure to insist that the money be used for deficit reduction, setting up another battle to simply do the obviously right thing. Mr. Obama has pushed banks and Congress to make it easier for borrowers who are current in their payments to refinance. On Tuesday night, he called — finally — for a full investigation of the lending abuses that inflated the bubble and led to the crash. That is the best hope for getting meaningful redress for borrowers.

In addition to his longstanding call to let the high-end Bush-era tax cuts expire, Mr. Obama called for a “Buffett rule” to ensure that millionaires pay an effective rate of at least 30 percent, ensuring that they never pay less than the middle class. “You can call this class warfare all you want,” he said. “But asking a billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary in taxes? Most Americans would call that common sense.” We agree.

Over the last year, Americans have become more aware of the deep inequities in the economy and of the government’s responsibility to act. Mr. Obama deserves some of the credit for that, but it has a lot more to do with the unrelenting tough times and the efforts of Occupy Wall Street and other protests. What Americans want now is strong political leadership.

Nuclear Weapons: A Cause for Concern? (An Opinion Piece)

Mr. Adams — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:26:10 +0000

By: Kelli Moe Staff Writer

A recent report by the I.A.E.A. (International Atomic Energy Agency) has many countries on edge. The report which was given on November 8th stated that there is a great deal of evidence suggesting “Iran has carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear device”. The report does not offer any confirmation of an actual bomb. However, it does support the fact that Iran’s nuclear program is making more progress than previously thought. This is of concern to the U.S., who spoke with Israel and other countries about what should be done.

Nuclear weapons have been around since World War II, so they are not a new threat. Many countries have weapons of mass destruction in their hands. Countries such as China, North Korea and Russia are all in possession of weapons. Therefore, it would not be unusual for Iran or other countries to have nuclear devices as well. In fact, it’s probably inevitable.

Iran might say they would be used for protection, but most would argue that they would be used for harm. This is why people are becoming so worked up about the issue. On November 23, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denied all claims that they were developing a nuclear weapon saying “The West tells us, you should prove you don’t have atomic bombs. How can something that doesn’t exist be proved? It’s nonexistent.” He went on to say that if they were developing any weapons they would openly say so. He said the U.S. is making false allegations and that what their program is trying to achieve is nothing of anyone’s concern. The program is apparently being used to develop nuclear energy as a standard power source, not a weapon, and it would help to conserve oil.

The U.S., Canada, and Britain decided that sanctions would be a good form of pressure because provoking another war would just be crazy. The sanctions were applied on the 22nd and were mostly aimed at Iran’s central and commercial banks. There were also some sanctions placed on companies involved in Iran’s nuclear industry. Iran is of course unhappy, because they say they are doing nothing wrong. There’s no telling what the outcome will be.

Any country that has nuclear weapons is a problem, because a weapon of that size could do so much harm. That is why nuclear weapons in Iran scare a lot of people. But right now it’s nothing to be extremely worried about. With Iran, there are just a lot of “ifs”. Will they have one in the future? Quite possibly. Will they use it? Maybe. The world will just have to wait and see.

Sources

Kissing Up: The Native American Symbol at Park High School

Mr. Adams — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:08:05 +0000

By Staff Writer – Cora Layman

Having to kiss the Indian mark if you step on it has been a tradition at Park High School for a very long time. Many people do not even know why they have to do this. The Park Wolfpack used to be called the ‘Park Indians,’ which is why the Indian symbol is on the floor by the gym. There was quite a bit of controversy over this mascot name when the high school had it in place. Some people believed that it was not ethical to be calling the mascot an “Indian,” when the correct term was “Native American.” It would be considered an insult to the Native Americans to be calling them Indians, so the name ‘Park Indians’ was dropped.

Park officially decided to change the name from Indian to Wolfpack. Park left the Indian symbol where it is now as a symbol of respect to the Native Americans. If you step on the Indian, it is very disrespectful, so you must kiss it to prove that it was an accident. Kissing the symbol shows you did not mean any harm.

What is striking, even now in this 2011/2012 school year is that opinions still differ on whether or not the tradition stands as a good tradition. Maggie Bunton, a Freshman at Park High School said: “I think the tradition is a great thing to have! It really bonds everyone together because if you see someone step on it, you’re going to make them kiss it! It is a really unique thing to have in our school, and it is something I will remember after I graduate.” There are also people who disagree with this. Sarah, another freshman at Park High School said: “I think it is really annoying. You always have to avoid it, and it seems pretty pointless.” Even as these opinions change throughout the years, one thing remains forever true, Park High School is a unique place and should be proud of its respective traditions.

Career Exploration– What Do The Student’s Think?

Mr. Adams — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:47:36 +0000

Career Exploration– What Do The Student’s Think?

By: Aubrey Asleson

It’s called Career Exploration, and for the first three months of the school year, it’s the ninth grader’s English class. Throughout the trimester, students learn how their hobbies and interests can tie into certain jobs, and use the information to browse careers that appeal to them. By the end of the trimester, Ninth graders are expected to choose a career that they would like to pursue. The first trimester of English class is somewhat different for freshmen student’s this year. You won’t find them writing summaries, learning about pronouns, or composing poems. Instead, ninth graders spend their class trying to find out who they want to be, and what they want to do with their lives.

But what do the students think about this? Feelings vary. Some say it is “unhelpful,” and “frustrating,” for students who can’t decide on a career, although others have a positive outlook. One 9th grader described Career Exploration as, “helpful,” and went on to say, “I learned a lot about myself . . . but it’s also a little too much.” Students had contrasting opinions also, toward pursuing these careers. Some said that they most likely will not pursue their chosen Career Exploration path, while others have said that they are realistically planning to pursue what they chose during this unit. But on the subject of substituting an entire trimester of English class for this, they were mostly unanimous in disagreement. Some students claimed that Career Exploration is, “wasting our time,” and another stated, “we need to focus more on English.”

Mark Porter Viewpoint: Test results show District 833 successes, areas to focus on

Mr. Adams — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:26:57 +0000

[By: Mark Porter, South Washington County Bulletin]

Due to the summer state government shutdown we have experienced a delayed release of student achievement data from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). However, as each new piece of information becomes available, we continue to analyze our student proficiency results for last year. Recently, we received results for the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) in math for grades 3-8 and 11, and for reading in grades 3-8 and 10. We also received GRAD results, a test embedded into the MCA-II for grade 11 in math, grade 10 in reading and grade 9 in writing. GRAD tests (Graduation Required Assessments for Diploma) are required exams for high school graduation.

Overall, students enrolled in the district continue to demonstrate a high level of proficiency, meeting or exceeding grade level expectations in reading and math, and performing well above statewide proficiency rates. However, included in these results are specific areas of concern, particularly regarding achievement gaps between student subgroups of gender, ethnicity, special education, English Learners (EL) and socioeconomic status. Both our accomplishments and our opportunities for improvement are worthy of further discussion.

The reporting of math results this year are by far the most challenging due to recalibration of the assessment by MDE, resulting in a 9 percent statewide decrease in proficiency. A decrease in proficiency was also experienced in our district, but slightly less than the statewide decrease resulting in an actual increase in relative standing in all grades tested except grade 5. Students participating in the grade 11 Math MCA-II results place the district in the top 12 across the state of those with 100 or more students enrolled. On the more rigorous GRAD test for math, Woodbury High School demonstrated an almost unheard of 22 percent increase in proficiency.

In reading, 83 percent of students enrolled in the district are proficient compared to 75 percent at the state level. There were no changes made to the MCA-II Reading test this year, so results are somewhat more comparable to last year. Reading highlights include an increase in proficiency, and with the exception of grade 7 (at 78 percent proficiency) the district now has 80 percent or more of its students proficient on the state reading standards. Again, results at East Ridge, Park and Woodbury high schools place the district in the top 14 districts with 100 or more students enrolled. In addition, Park High School demonstrated a 7 percent increase in proficiency on the GRAD Reading test, with 87 percent of students identified as proficient.

These are just some of the outstanding results. We know that the progress of our students is evidence of the focus and efforts our team places on student achievement. We will celebrate the successes of the district as a whole and for individual sites, but we also know we need to work harder to change the results that weren’t as we’d hoped.

In particular, our initial analysis efforts reveal significant gaps in performance between student subgroups. While we have successfully addressed gender-based achievement gaps in most content areas, there continues to be a narrowing gap in proficiency between boys and girls in reading, with girls demonstrating greater proficiency. It appears that some schools have been more successful than others in addressing this concern. We will continue to share internal “best practices.” With regard to ethnicity, special education, EL and socioeconomic status the gaps are more significant, persistent and consistent.

In reading, proficiency gaps between our highest and lowest performing ethnic subgroups have been reduced at many grades, but remain as large as 17 percent. In math, the gaps for ethnic student subgroups are even more significant with some gaps as high as 35 percent. Clearly, this is where our efforts and resources need to be directed this year and in the years ahead.

The issue of gaps in achievement amongst student subgroups is not a challenge unique to our district, but just as we want to be a leader in overall student achievement, we also want to be a statewide leader in closing these gaps. It is our mission to ignite a passion for learning in all students.

Mark Porter is superintendent of School District 833.

Legalize Now

tjorgenson — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 13:31:25 +0000

For all of the wrong reasons it is illegal to smoke or have possession in some parts of the United States. “They’ve outlawed the number one vegetable on the planet” (Timothy Leary).

There are three reasons why it would benefit society to legalize marijuana. The first reason would be for the economical benefits. The second reason is the medical/therapeutic value provided by this plant which has been used by many cultures over the centuries. The third value that would be derived from legalizing marijuana would be for the usefulness that hemp has in providing oil, fiber, food, and fuel.

The economic benefits of legalizing marijuana would come from taxing the sale of pot in a manner similar to the way we tax tobacco and alcohol. Marijuana is a billion dollar business. The profits currently go into the pockets of a criminal underground which pays no tax and costs billions more to combat with armies of law enforcement personnel. Billions of more dollars are spent prosecuting and incarcerating tens of thousands of American citizens every year. The economic cost of imprisoning people for using and selling marijuana is astronomical and does little more than destroy families and individual lives while the underground and criminal enterprise of growing and selling is never diminished. The “War on Drugs” has been going on since the 1970’s with no significant reduction in drug use in nearly half a century. Much like the prohibition of alcohol from 1920 to 1933, the War on Drugs” is a failed enterprise.

The medicinal benefits of marijuana can be best described with this quote from Peter McWilliams, “marijuana…. Is the best medicine for reducing nausea for people being treated with Chemotherapy” (McWilliams). Marijuana is also an excellent treatment for glaucoma, which is responsible for 14% of all blindness in America and affects 2.5 million people. Marijuana has also been proven effective in treating asthma, Epilepsy, MS, back pain, muscle spasms, arthritis, cystic fibrosis, rheumatism, emphysema, migraines, reducing tumors, and – as should come as a surprise to no one who has ever smoked marijuana – in promoting appetite” (McWilliams).

The third and final argument for legalizing marijuana is based on the uncommon usefulness the hemp plant has an alternative to paper products (saving hundreds of millions of trees), as a fiber for textiles and fabrics and as a food source. Trees take twenty years or more to grow where hemp can grow to be twenty feet tall in one season. Hemp could provide virtually all of our paper, cardboard, and other packaging needs. (Half the paper used in America is for packaging.) Most clothing in the United States was once made of hemp (before the invention of the cotton gin). The hemp fiber is stronger, softer warmer, and longer lasting than cotton. “The hemp seed is an excellent source of protein. It can be ground, baked into breads and tofu-like food. Hemp seed also makes excellent oil similar to flax seed oil” (McWilliams).

In conclusion, legalizing marijuana will improve society. Three reasons why the economical benefits is, it is a good source of protein, food, clothes, and oil/fuel. Lastly, it has additional medical benefits for those who need it, mostly cancer patients or people with pains and eating disorders to promote appetite. All three arguments state a very good reason to legalize marijuana for those specific reasons. “The only “con” about marijuana is people are arrested for smoking and possessing a drug that does not kill or harm the human body like any other drug would such as meth or alcohol would do” (Conrad).

A Spot for Teens, A Bonus for Parents

Sam — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:19:51 +0000

95 thousand square feet of empty space: What used to be Home Depot here in Cottage Grove, is now a vacant lot of wasted money. Much needed money has been put to no good to make a building that has been closed for almost two years now. Why not put it to good use? Teens have come up with the idea to morph this abandoned building into a teen spot, a place strictly for teenagers ages 14 to 19, a place for teenagers to go here in town, a safer secure place for them to expand their social skills, to stay out of trouble, and to create more jobs in town. Teenagers would have freedom and fun they have been missing out on.

The town of Cottage Grove has very few things for young adults to do. No malls or recreation centers are located near by, apart from a few neighboring cities which teenagers need transportation to get to. Very few areas are strictly for teenagers, without the risk of encountering pestering children. Young women have shopping places like Target and Kohls, but that is only as fun as long as their money does not run out. Young men have their video games, but they do not get anything out of staring at a screen for hours on end. Once all that gets old, the next best thing for them to do is something they probably should not do.

Drugs and alcohol are very common among teenagers. It keeps them occupied, since all there is for them to do is homework and school. Where do teenagers go and what do they do on Friday night? A clean, safe place for young adults to go would keep them away from drugs and alcohol. It would also help expand their social skills. Meeting new people will fill a huge opportunity gap for growing minds. A teen spot would ensure security among its members and no drugs or alcohol would be allowed. A center for teens would not only open up time for them to have fun, but also open up more job opportunities in town.

As everyone knows, the economy is not at its best right now. Many people have lost their jobs and this could create an opportunity for teenagers to earn some side money to help prepare for college. Teenagers would be more motivated to get a job because it would be at a place that is fun, and they would be able to see their friends while working. It would be in town, so even if they didn’t have a car they could ride a bike or even walk since it is right in town. This could also be another beneficial factor to the youth of Cottage Grove.

Giving teenagers activities to stay out of trouble, give them job opportunities and to fill the empty store left behind by Home Depots owners are all valid reasons to build a teen spot. A recreational center might be just what our economy needs and with your help in fundraising, it just might be possible.

If you are interested in helping go to: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=100846779955138&ref=mf

Universe Exploration in High School and College

Emily — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:13:34 +0000

Albert Einstein once said “The most incomprehensible thing about our universe is that it can be comprehended.” Thus the functions of the universe and all it contains are studied because humans have a drive for knowledge. The presence of science classes in school play a key part in cultivating this questioning behavior, however, are all science classes the same? There are many similarities and differences between an AP science class at Park and a science class at the University of Minnesota. To even the comparison I chose to compare an AP course and a basic University course because the material taught is similar in content.

In an AP science course at the high school students do experiments and labs during class. In a college course the lab is a separate portion of the class, in some classes the labs are so separate that the professor doesn’t even know what goes on in lab. Labs are once a week for two hours. In most cases students get a separate lab notebook and have homework due for lab as well as for lecture. In my current physics class our homework for the week is collected in lab.

This brings us to another difference between an AP science course and a college one, the AP course is every day while most science lectures are two to three times per week. Therefore homework is due more frequently, while in a college course more is due all at one time. There are also various highs and lows depending on the day you schedule your lab. For example, in my physics course the professor posts the reading and homework for the next week sometime between Friday and Sunday. My lab is on Thursday so I have almost a whole week to finish the readings and do the homework. I have a friend though, who’s lab is on Tuesday so she has less time to do her homework.

A similar aspect between an AP science course and a college one are lab reports. In AP chemistry we had to write reports reviewing the procedure, outcome, and conclusions of the previous lab. In my current physics class we write reports on the previous labs as well. I wrote more long and complicated reports for AP chemistry than I do now for physics, but that will change as I reach higher courses.

The greatest difference between an AP science course and a college course is that the curriculum of an AP class is decided by the test at the end of the year. The whole purpose of the class is to prepare students to take the test. In college the professors make the test each year, therefore, if there was not enough time to cover a concept in class before a test the professor will just leave it off the test. This also allows students to give feedback on the layout of previous tests (short answer versus multiple choice) and potentially have their opinions taken into account in the creation of the next test. The professors can also tailor their review sessions to cover the material that is included in the exam because they wrote it and know what is on it.

An AP science course and a basic University science course share a similar curriculum, however, most similarities end there. Each class has a different layout and policy when it comes to labs, homework, and tests. However, this all depends on the type of science course taken, the level of difficulty and the professor teaching the class. In the end the main goal of the class is accomplished in both environments, the cultivation of questioning behavior and the drive to discover the mysteries of the universe.

Unofficial Gopher’s After Dark

Emily — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:12:08 +0000

Monday, March 15th marked the beginning of spring break at the University of Minnesota, however for many the break began on Saturday or for some lucky individuals, Friday. To mark the beginning of this wondrous week two other PSEO students (Navita Lakhram and Nicole Schank) and I decided to attend our first ever Gopher’s After Dark. To our disappointment it wasn’t an official Gopher’s After Dark, many of the free activities were not planned because most students would be gone due to spring break, but the movie was still showing.

The first portion of our Girls Night Out/Gopher’s After Dark Exploration was to buy snacks at Walgreens. The U is a lot of things but cheap is not among them. We managed to stuff four boxes of candy and three drinks into three average sized purses, not an easy feat. This turned out to be pretty entertaining because we didn’t even know if there was a rule against bringing in snacks, so we could have been making a large fuss over nothing. The movie was free to get into, we didn’t even need to show our student IDs. The theatre was a whole lot bigger than I thought it would be and the interior beautiful with large gold lights and maroon accents. They even played trivia questions about the movie before it began. We saw the Princess and the Frog. It was my first time seeing it and I thought it was very cute and creatively made; Disney strikes again.

After the movie we wandered into an international music festival that was being held in a different part of Coffman. To get in we just had to show our student IDs, no money required. The music was awesome and the dancing was excellent. We finished the night with a short walk around campus. The campus was quiet because many of the students went home for the week so it was a nice relaxed end to a busy day. I can’t wait to return to Gopher’s After Dark when the regular activities are planned.

Diversity Day Highlights Unique Dancing Around the World

Sam — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 06:18:43 +0000

Cheers, music, and applause erupted from the Park High School auditorium on Wednesday March 3 as Park High School hosted Diversity Day. This special presentation, set up by Guidance Counselor Dr. Vo, was an opportunity for students to see a variety of different cultures through the art of dance. Various members of the student body were involved in the assembly including Park’s Step Team, Hip Hop Club, and the break dancing group, the Funky Munkys. There were also some guest performers including Mexican folk dancers and a play. Presented during first, second, and fourth hour, the performances were a unique display of the various cultures and traditions in Park High School.

The presentation began with Park’s Step Team, known as the Wolf Riders. This popular group, which is in its second year,

performed their African style dance techniques in which intricate percussive rhythms are created by using one’s body as an instrument. The Wolf Riders combined these rhythmic moves with hip-hop dance and their signature howl to impress the audience.

Next, Park High School’s Hip Hop Crew performed. Dressed in green t-shirts and black pants, the team, created last fall by senior Sandra Yang, danced to a montage of songs including energetic tunes such as “Tic Toc” and some slower ballads.

Several members of the Hip Hop crew stayed on stage after their number to display their break dancing moves .These five young men, who won last fall’s talent show, are the Funky Munkys, and have become a very well known group at Park High School. The men impressed the audience with their break dancing skills including several handstands and head spins in their

short routine.

Finally, the last of Park’s students displayed their dance moves. Seniors Chris Nimely, Peterson Pierre, and Nick Pieper did a tribute to the late Michael Jackson by free style dancing to Jackson’s song “Smooth Criminal”. The three men were dressed in suit coats and fedoras, matching the outfit that Jackson wore when performing this song for the musical movie Moonwalkers . The student’s performance featured some Jackson moves including the moonwalk and some unique moves such as back flips by Pierre.

To close the event, Park allowed the special guests, a group of Mexican folk dancers to take the stage. The group had prepared a special routine for the students that included dance styles, music, and clothing from three states of Mexico. The first state shown was Yucatan and two women came on stage wearing white floor length dresses with flowered embroidery and bright bows in their hair. The women danced a singular da

nce that featured feet tapping and twirling a bright colored scarf around in the air.

Next, a young boy and girl came out to represent the Mexican state of Chiapas. The two teens danced a partner dance, in which the girl and boy would dance across from one another, making eye contact but not touching. The girl wore a beautiful flowing dress and the boy looked distinguished in a white dress shirt and black pants.

Woman dancing in a Mexican ribbon dress

Finally, the last state featured was Jalisco. This area’s style of dance, known as ribbon dancing, is the most well known dance style in Mexico. The routine featured a woman wearing a purple pastel ribbon dress that she twirled to make an intriguing optical display.

Diversity Day offered the students to see some of the unique cultures in the world through various types of dancing. Students of all different races were featured in the show and all came together to bring entertainment and awareness to the student body.