Safe Schools for Everyone

Hot Topic: Having a safe school environment for all students including Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, and Transgenders.

Why am I interested?: I'm interested because one of my best friends from high school was gay. Like I have mentioned before in my blog, I went to a private Catholic school. This was a little bit controversial, I guess. A lot of the kids in my high school were awful; they were so judgemental and hurtful. I hate to say it, but before I really got to know my friend I too had been judging him. I think this is a really important issue because it's 2008 and we need to learn to accept people's lifestyle choices and make them comfortable, especially in a learning environment.

What have I found?: The National Education Association (The NEA) believes in making public schools a place that is comfortable and condusive for learning for all students. This, of course, includes gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders. The NEA knows that it is their responsibility along with that of the school administration and teachers to make their best effort for every single student to learn and thrive. Of course, the rate of success is higher if students feel safe and supported. The stratistics are scary. Because of the bullying and homophobic language and ignorance of other students, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students are much more likely to drop out, abuse drugs and alcohol, suffer academically and socially, have low self-esteem, and even comit suicide.

I think...: I think this is terribly ALARMING! We need to educate our youth and do a hell of a lot better job than we are now at teaching them to be accepting of all their classmates, no matter what they look like or how they choose to live their life. If a kid has grown up learning to be racist or homophobic or thinking the sky is purple, until somebody tells them otherwise that kid is still going to think the sky is PURPLE! We are the ones at fault because we are the educated ones. We can't let this continue, we need more people like the NEA to be proactive in making our schools to be comfortable, supportive learning environments for ALL students!

Week 2- School Lunch

This is such a spot-on illustration of a nasty school lunch. Greasy pizza, dehydrated-rehydrated corn, canned fruit cocktail- the whole nine yards. The quality of school lunches at today's public schools is scary! So what is the course of action to get our hot lunches better and kids healthier?

Since obesity and the complications and diseases that come along with being overweight are sweeping across the country, a set plan to improve the food in cafeterias at public schools is imperitive. A recent report published by a research team at Johns Hopkins University predicts that if current trends continue, by the year 2015, 75 percent of all Americans, including almost 25 percent of all children and adolescents, will be overweight or obese (HealthySchoolLunches.com). These are horrifying numbers. The two main components school systems and programs are honing in on are (1) obesity and chronic disease prevention and (2) health promotion and adequate nutrition at lunch time. Ways to achieve this include having vegan, vegetarian, and dairy-free entree options on cafeteria menus or atleast available by request. Further, offering fruits, veggies, and whole grains as an option with every lunch.

If we keep striving to imporve the quality of lunch for kids in the public school cafeteria, then we are making a contribution to a healthy lifestyle for all of those kids. It's critical that we do everything we can to keep the future of this country healthy!

Sex Education

So from Pre-K til 12th grade I went to Catholic Schools. Last year when I came to Salem State I was absolutely stunned by the difference. I went from having to raise my hand to go to the bathroom, no swearing, no kissing in the hallways to, well, college, where you can basically do whatever you want. Throughout just about all my years of Catholic schooling, I never had sex ed. We never learned about boys parts or girls parts, the birds and the bees or anything like that. We learned about abstinence, of course. No sex until you're married, and that's it. Non-negotiable.
In high school, we would have speakers come in every once in awhile. Sometimes we would get a drinking and driving lecture, or a no drugs seminar. One time, though, we actually got someone interesting! This good-looking, twenty-something year old guy came in and talked to the 11th and 12th grades about abstinence. He told us about how he was waiting until his wedding night and why. He was funny and captivating and he really made sense. He didn't say "sex is bad" or "if you have sex you'll die," he just told it how it was. Why sex was created and why we were supposed to wait until marriage. He told us about how love making was completely giving yourself to that other person, saying that you are ready to create life with them, and if you really aren't ready to do that, why would you?

Ever since this talk I've been a little torn. I had always felt like my school was lacking something. Sex education maybe, or maybe we just needed better abstinence education, either way, something was missing. But which was it? This is a big issue now concerning the public school systems since the increase in teenage pregnancies and pregnancies out of wedlock.
The experts are torn: is there an effective way to combine sex education with abstinence education? I think YES there is. You can't leave kids in the dark. They need to understand sex, the logistics of it and the responsibilities that come with having sex. Also, I think public schools should be teaching abstinence in sex ed, it's you're best bet if you are talking safe sex! :) Why shouldn't public school kids hear about waiting until they are old enough and smart enough to have sex? They should and they need to. Further, I think it's critical that they know about safe sex options, getting tested, and that not much is left to the imagition, basically. It's really important to educate our youth. They need to be able to make an informed decision, ESPECIALLY when it comes to something as big as having sex.

First Post

Hi my name is CHRISTINA. I am nineteen and this is my second year at Salem State. I work full time as a waitress and go to school full time so my life is always crazy and fun.

My best friend AMY and I.

When I'm not at school or working I love to go out to eat, cook, go shopping, hang out with my friends, visit friends at their schools, and spend time with my family. I love taking naps, getting manicures and pedicures, and listening to music to relax. I like reality TV (guilty pleasure) and the Food Network and I love movies. I try to always be really positive and live a healthy, happy life. I don't think there are that many things in life worth getting worked up about so I try to always be chill and take things as they come.
(<--- My best friend JOHN and I.)I laugh at the things in life I can't control and love the people in my life because they are all that matter! I am excited for another school year, new classes, new people.. so we will see what this year brings. I guess that's all about me!

<3christina>