When Expectations Do Not Meet Funding

                 There are many problems plaguing the current educational system in the United States; however, one problem stands out. There is an increasingly high burden being placed on public schools without the funding to match. This is especially true for inner city public schools and other schools in poorer communities. In order to fix this glaring issue, schools must be given greater, more adequate funding.

                 Across the country, schools are expected to provide various services to students. One major expectation is the offering of breakfast, lunch, and sometimes after school snacks for low or even free prices. Obviously, this is no small task for schools. On average, according to the Institute of Education Sciences, schools spend 431 dollars a year on lunch for each student. Furthermore, this number is even greater for inner city schools where fewer kids are packing lunch and more kids are using fee waivers. As you can probably see, this creates a colossal problem for schools across the country. In response to the growing cost to feed children, schools have cut down on portion sizes and the quality of the food. If schools are not given greater funding, the quality and portions of food given will continue to drop.

                Another burden being placed on schools across the country is having to care for kids after school has ended. More than ever, this issue is extremely prevalent in lower income areas. It is increasingly common for schools to provide some sort of day care of after school program. However, this is a surprisingly costly endeavor. At these after school programs, schools are expected to provide some sort of snack and entertainment for the kids. Furthermore, a handful of teachers or employees are paid to stay after school and watch the children. These after school programs further increase the monetary burden placed on public schools. This being said, these programs are extremely beneficial to lower income communities. In these areas parents are often working two jobs and arrive home late at night. In many cases children in these communities may have only one parent who has to soley provide for a family.. Furthermore, these programs partially prevent kids from being exposed to drugs and gangs. To sum up, after school care programs provide parents with a much needed respite and children with an opportunity to continue to learn and stay out of trouble. However, the longevity of these programs may be in jeopardy without greater funding.

             Education is a privilege that we, as Americans, often take for granted. Currently there are a few major issues straining public education, yet a lack of funding for increasing expectations stands out as the gravest and most severe. The cost of food and after school programs are just two examples of expectations of public schools that are not adequately funded. Moreover, both these services provide a great relief and service to the community. If we want public schools to continue to provide services like these, there must be an increase in the funding.

              

A Corruption of Innocence

The Sheer Barbarity

The Sheer Number

 

Minding their own business

Innocence

 

So it goes

"The Finished Product"

Steak in Reverse

         The steak began to move up the esophagus. The seasoned chunks of meat flew out of the affluent diners mouths and back onto their plates. The individual pieces morphed in to one, forming a 20 plus dollar piece of meat. The cooked, flavored meat sailed back into the kitchen; the seasoning evaporated off and the meat was uncooked. The meat was then put into the fridge, where it would stay until the delivery trucks arrived.

        After waiting in the fridge for about a weak, the meat was picked up by the truck. It was loaded back into specialized coolers, along with a plethora of other meats. The meat was then shipped across the country to an ominous looking slaughter house. The beef was unloaded from the truck and stashed, awaiting reconstruction. A few hours later, the meat was transferred to the main slaughtering chamber for reconstruction. The meat then did something incredible. Each piece of meat corresponded to a specific part of the cow. The tenderloin formed the thigh and the sirloin formed the back of the stomach. When all the pieces of meat came together, they formed one innocent, virtuous cow; a creature that had done nothing to deserve being brutally murdered. The newly formed cow then proceeded to return to the meadow. It began to graze peacefully, minding it's own business. Time continued to move backwards. The cow was now just a small calf, having no knowledge of it's bleak future. It continued to mind it's own business, never bothering a sole. The calf was now being born. The calf returned to it's mother's loom. It was a site of pure joy and innocence.

      The meat had finished its journey. It had gone from the digestive system all the way back to the loom. When looked at in reverse, the journey of the meat is virtuous and filled with joy. However, when looked at in the forward direction, the journey of the cow is filled with horror and wrong -doings. As humans, we need to learn to better respect and honor life in all forms.

   

   

The Jump

  About five years ago, my family and I went on a trip to Oregon. It was an amazing trip filled with adventure and enjoyment. However, one event on that trip stands out as something that changed my life forever. On the fourth day of the trip, I found myself standing atop a 30 foot high rock overlooking a briskly moving river. I had scaled the rock with the intention to jump off into the frigid, piercing water below, but I could not bring myself to jump. A surge of fear hit me like a tsunami, and I was paralyzed atop that rock. Disastrous thoughts clung to my mind like leeches . I was stuck in a state of uncertainty: should I jump or walk back down in humiliation. Fear had corrupted my mind, and I began to walk back down the rock. As I was walking, I realized that I had made a fool of myself. I had bitten off more than I could eat. As I saw my sister, mom, and dad laughing at me, my emotions changed. Fear was replaced with determination. My worries were repossessed with hope and conviction. I got back on that rock and looked down at the seemingly miniscule drop below. What had once seemed like 30 feet now felt like 10. What had once felt like frigid water now appeared to be warm and inviting. My entire perception of the world had changed. Instead of seeing everything from a cynical lens, I now saw the world as filled with opportunities and challenges. I preceded to jump off that rock into the depths below. Even though the actual temperature of the water was around 60 degrees Fahrenheit , it felt as warm as the Caribbean. I was filled with adrenaline and pride. My family was cheering me on from the bank, and I had never felt better. I was in my own world; a world filled with happiness, opportunity, and no challenge that I could not conquer. For the first time, I was not afraid to fail or take on any challenge that was in my path. I had overcome my fears, worries, and complaints and replaced them with courage, conviction, and optimism.

The Engine We Take For Granted

        Every day we take for granted the complexity and intricacy of our cars. A car entails freedom; it allows us to connect with our friends and explore new places. We put our lives in the hands of our cars, yet we seldom wonder what lies under the hood. We couldn't care less how our car works as long as it gets us from point A to point B.  The car has become mundane: just another means of transportation we take for granted. 
        
       In reality, however, the car is the exact opposite of mundane. It is a machine made up of an amalgamation of thousands of parts working as a cohesive unit. If one part fails, the whole operation is doomed. These parts can be equated to ingredients in a recipe. If you use a smudge too much or too little of any one ingredient, the finished product will be off. However, if a car malfunctions, the result will be far more detrimental than a slightly salty cake. It is imperative that each and every greasy, oily part performs its job meticulously. Every day our car engine does its job accepting nothing less than perfection, yet we still do not appreciate the complexity of its work. A car is just another blunt tool we abuse and do not respect. We do not realize how lucky we are to be operating a 15,000 dollar plus piece of machinery. Furthermore, we do not appreciate the tortuous mechanical assembly line that is translating our every desire into a reality. We have become so preoccupied with what we want that we fail to appreciate and recognize what we have.

       

                           Introduction

        This is my first time writing a blog. I have always been a bit reserved about sharing my opinions, thus I have never been compelled to start a blog. My title, "The Start of Something New", represents my first experiment with blogging. In the future I envision my blog becoming a place where I can express my opinions on topics ranging from my favorite sports teams to controversial issues. Furthermore, I hope my blog can manifest into a forum for conversation and debate.
      
           In my free time I enjoy spending time with my friends. I also play soccer year round, and I play basketball during the winter. I am also an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan. I enjoy watching the NFL and the NBA; however, I do not watch  much TV. Another one of my hobbies, being fairly unique, is whitewater kayaking. I try to go out on the Potomac River at least two times a month during the spring and summer. Stay tuned throughout the year for more entries on a plethora of topics.