News for the Week of 4/19/15
1. Medical Marijuana
The topic of medical marijuana is a very touchy subject to many, and in this article, Doctor Sanjay Gupta tries to persuade the reader, that medical marijuana should be legalized nationally. Medical marijuana can help treat many diseases and disorders including, bipolar disorder, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's. An example of this drug's helpfulness was from a little girl named Charlotte who was diagnosed with epilepsy. After being given marijuana as medicine for her seizures, she went from having 300 seizures a week, to having only one or two a month.
Honestly, I don't care very much about the drug marijuana. If people smoke it I don't really have a problem with it. However I think we should legalize marijuana as a medicinal drug, for medical practice at hospitals. The reason is so our country can find more alternative cures to sickness. Marijuana can be dangerous, but it's only if you go too far with it, like any other thing that's bad for you in big amounts (i.e. alcohol, cigarettes, prescription drugs). If you're smart enough, you will know how much and when to use it. This is a pretty broad topic because there are varied opinions between Democrats and Republicans. But if it came down to it, I think it would be fine to legalize marijuana as a medicinal drug.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/16/opinions/medical-marijuana-revolution-sanjay-gupta/index.html
Gupta, Sanjay. "Sanjay Gupta: Time for a Medical Marijuana Revolution - CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.
2. NY Students Opting Out of Common Core Testing
So far this year, more than 175,000 students have opted out of the Common Core tests due to parents, students, principals, and superintendents realizing that maybe the quality or honesty of these tests aren't what they seem to be. The group counting the number of students is the New York Allies for Public Education, a group that advocates public education and is against standardized testing. The amount of opt outs is getting to the point where this might have to be seen as a national issue. There is a lot of debate on whether we should go ahead and stop these tests or keep them up.
I believe we shouldn't have adopted the method of the Common Core tests. I'm part of the first grade that has to do these tests in my classes and I feel like it is very unneeded and is a waste of time. You have to learn not only extra things because of the Common Core, but also a whole new way of doing something you already know, causing confusion and lower grades. And if the grades get lower, the teachers are the one to blame? That's not fair at all, the adults in the government should know that teenagers and kids deal with just as much stress, if not more than adults. So the point of putting more tests in our schedules than we already have is completely stupid to me.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/04/18/report-175000-plus-n-y-students-opt-out-of-common-core-test-more-expected/
Strauss, Valerie. "Report: 175,000-plus N.Y. Students Opt out of Common Core Test, More Expected." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2015. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.
The topic of medical marijuana is a very touchy subject to many, and in this article, Doctor Sanjay Gupta tries to persuade the reader, that medical marijuana should be legalized nationally. Medical marijuana can help treat many diseases and disorders including, bipolar disorder, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's. An example of this drug's helpfulness was from a little girl named Charlotte who was diagnosed with epilepsy. After being given marijuana as medicine for her seizures, she went from having 300 seizures a week, to having only one or two a month.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/16/opinions/medical-marijuana-revolution-sanjay-gupta/index.html
Gupta, Sanjay. "Sanjay Gupta: Time for a Medical Marijuana Revolution - CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.
2. NY Students Opting Out of Common Core Testing
So far this year, more than 175,000 students have opted out of the Common Core tests due to parents, students, principals, and superintendents realizing that maybe the quality or honesty of these tests aren't what they seem to be. The group counting the number of students is the New York Allies for Public Education, a group that advocates public education and is against standardized testing. The amount of opt outs is getting to the point where this might have to be seen as a national issue. There is a lot of debate on whether we should go ahead and stop these tests or keep them up.
I believe we shouldn't have adopted the method of the Common Core tests. I'm part of the first grade that has to do these tests in my classes and I feel like it is very unneeded and is a waste of time. You have to learn not only extra things because of the Common Core, but also a whole new way of doing something you already know, causing confusion and lower grades. And if the grades get lower, the teachers are the one to blame? That's not fair at all, the adults in the government should know that teenagers and kids deal with just as much stress, if not more than adults. So the point of putting more tests in our schedules than we already have is completely stupid to me.
Strauss, Valerie. "Report: 175,000-plus N.Y. Students Opt out of Common Core Test, More Expected." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2015. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.
I think you have an interesting, and shared by most students view on the Common Core. I know that when I first heard about the Common Core, my opinion on it was influenced by my teachers' opinions, many of which were negative. However, I did see something on the news a while back about a school district that implemented a system similar to the Common Core many years back, which has become a success. While the Common Core definitely has its flaws, I do believe it has the potential to become a successful program, with a few adjustments. I think that often we are reacting to something new with uncertainty distrust, and especially so in the Common Core.
ReplyDeleteWhat adjustments would you have in mind to change the Common Core for the better?
DeleteI can't really speak on this with authority, but adjustments such as less standardized testing, or having teachers fill a quota might reduce the amount of stress the Common Core puts on some teachers or students. I also believed that when they first implemented the Common Core, they should have started with the younger students instead of suddenly implementing it on middle schoolers/high schoolers who have learned a different way for most of their life. However, we also have to make an effort to cooperate the Common Core; how will it work if we constantly repel it?
DeleteHi Bijan! Regarding your post about marijuana, I am in complete agreement. I think that marijuana can be very beneficial in certain circumstances. Legalizing marijuana in the field of medicine would greatly improve the condition of some patients. It really made me happy to know that Charlotte, a young girl who you referenced in your article, used marijuana and went from having 300 seizures a week to only one or two seizures a month. I think that marijuana is a medical breakthrough drug, and if it can produce such great results for illnesses, it seems to me to be a no-brainer to legalize it in medicine.
ReplyDeleteHi Bijan! Regarding your post about marijuana, I am in complete agreement. I think that marijuana can be very beneficial in certain circumstances. Legalizing marijuana in the field of medicine would greatly improve the condition of some patients. It really made me happy to know that Charlotte, a young girl who you referenced in your article, used marijuana and went from having 300 seizures a week to only one or two seizures a month. I think that marijuana is a medical breakthrough drug, and if it can produce such great results for illnesses, it seems to me to be a no-brainer to legalize it in medicine.
ReplyDeleteHi Bijan! Regarding your post about marijuana, I am in complete agreement. I think that marijuana can be very beneficial in certain circumstances. Legalizing marijuana in the field of medicine would greatly improve the condition of some patients. It really made me happy to know that Charlotte, a young girl who you referenced in your article, used marijuana and went from having 300 seizures a week to only one or two seizures a month. I think that marijuana is a medical breakthrough drug, and if it can produce such great results for illnesses, it seems to me to be a no-brainer to legalize it in medicine.
ReplyDelete