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Author Archives: racemf
Let’s all just be cool.
I know it seems extremely bad, quite horrible, depression worthy and an utter catastrophe of unprecedented proportion, but…
We’ve been through worse and we will get through this. As a matter of fact this is an opportunity. An opportunity to see the depths of what we are dealing with. Now that it’s been laid bare with great anger, vitriol and malice there can be no mistaking on the depths to which the divisions in this country run.
It’s been said,
The problem is not the problem, it’s the way that you see the problem that’s the problem.
So how are we going to see this problem and better yet, what are we going to do? That’s what I implore everyone who is upset by the outcome of this incredibly long and demoralizing election, to think about what you are going to do. Think about the reasons why this happened and what you can do to stop it from happening in the future. It takes all of us to participate in this democracy in order to make it what we want it to be.
I am not happy with the outcome, but experts have said that in this election, no one was actually going to be happy because we disliked both candidates. Both candidates were weak and the lowest of the low won out because they’re stuck in a time warp and the republican candidate told them all the things they wanted to hear with full knowledge that he couldn’t deliver, nor is he actually interested in doing so.
Big Black Scholar would like to let you know that, yes it is ugly, but it will make it. So let’s all grieve, regroup and keep moving forward.
Illinois, their budget and higher education
The Illinois Legislature has been locked in a budget stalemate with Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) since last summer. Rauner sought a 31.5% cut to higher education, but legislators wanted to limit the cut to 8.6%. In the meantime, schools have received no funds from the state government, nor have students who rely on state-awarded Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants.
To keep their doors open, schools are deferring maintenance, redistributing funds designated for special projects, laying off staff, cutting sports teams, and considering cutting academic programs.
This is really sad. It’s a microcosm of what’s happened in the country nationally. Two sides fighting over things that do not effect them directly, but they are personally invested in, to the point of where they cannot (or will not) compromise.
And those most ill equipped to endure this kind of high level gridlock, get nothing out of it but suffering. The people who’s lives are being stymied could care less about the ideological battle that politicians are waging, and just want to be able to go to class, tend to the work of educating students and maintaining and operating a university.
This once again shows what our leadership has devolved into, they are so wrapped up in their “anger and ideals” that they are unable to agree on the the basic premise that regardless to how they feel about work still needs to be done. And they’re not getting it done. Most of the time, one’s boss is more interested in the task being completed than anything else. With this kind of failure to carry out their duties, all these “leaders” should be replaced for people who are fit for government, because these people are not.
notes: eab
Want to improve schools?
This was an interesting article. But I think it comes down to the classic workers versus management debate. Administration has a set of parameters that they have to work with and teachers are trying to educate to the best of their ability with limited resources. Perhaps there is an issue with not allowing those who have the most contact with the student have the least amount of say so over what ultimately happens in the schools, but if all parties are supposedly in agreement with trying to educate children, why is there a schism?
Without taking into consideration the larger issues of school finance and administration, a school that fully supports its teachers in a way that is not solely monetary can only be to the benefit of the students.
A breakdown of the NCAA money policy
This is true
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Imagine America without Black People.
#BlackHistoryMonth
For everyone that comes across this post, I want you to really sit back and think about what life in this country would be like if Black people had never been chained and delivered to this country. I would great appreciate if you spent just a little bit of your mental time to consider exactly what it would be like if Blacks were never brought to North America, The Carribean, South America. This is not something that should be lightly considered.
If you would, please share with me your thoughts on the comments. I’m interested in knowing what you come up with.
I’ll start it off: If there were no Blacks, there would be not be a monopoloy on music by 6 record companies. There would be no allied victory in WWII and there surely would be internet for you to read this post on.
Student Loan Debt Hits a New High
1.2 Trillion dollars.
Let that sink in and after you get finished with that, this site will help you visualize what a trillion dollars actually is
In one way I reckon that large student debt is evidence that people are seeking their education, which is a wonderful thing. It enriches one’s life in numerous way, not just having the parchment that makes you acceptable to employers.
But on the other hand, I cannot help but ponder why an education is causing so many SO much financial burden. $1000+ student loan repayments, just 6 months after you’ve graduated? What kind of situation do the holders of these loans expect graduates to be in?
If you look at it from a business standpoint, opportunities are rarely richer or more guaranteed than loaning money to people who need to get an education in order to make money and hope to have a middle class lifestyle. It’s almost like ransoming education. School is so expensive, (or should I say the “better” schools)… it might be justified by the quality of education, but its also the weight that the degree holds, which allows for more opportunities for the holder, along with many other factors, but for loaners the more it costs for the learner the higher stream of income that one can expect. On $100,000 in student loans, one can expect a return of perhaps $125,000? Sweet! A college education is supposed to allow one to “make it”, but how can you make it when a mountain of student loan debt is weighing on you before you really have a chance to get started.
The first years of one’s career are the most lean, and they become even leaner when you have a $500 bill coming right along with it.
I propose that student loan debt be treated like a mortgage, because it is more akin to a lifelong investment than it is to a payday loan, which is what it seems like now. It should be structured at an interest rate that is no more that 1.25% and should be spread out over 30 years. That means a student borrowing $100,000 for the life of their education would be paying $105 a month. I think that is fair and solid. It would prevent predatory lending to students and allow them to not be burdened with a huge sum before they are able to establish themselves.
1.2 Trillion is a lot of money.
Code.org wants to help you learn computer science 1 hour at a time.
I think this is fantastic because we are in such dire need of computer science education. As I have said before, it is a way to bridge the skills gap, and the more computerized this world becomes the more important it will be to have the skills necessary to not only navigate, but manipulate it.
1 Billion Dollars for Early Childhood Education
President Obama has pledged 1 billion dollars for early childhood education; the federal government along with corporate sponsors are going to help kids get a leg up in life.
“The effort being led by the First Five Years Fund will challenge the private and public sectors to spend more on early childhood education. Among those supporting the campaign are The Walt Disney Co. with $55 million, the LEGO Foundation with $5 million and the J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation with $25 million.”
Some questions to ponder are: How significant is this? and Does it bother anyone that there is a corporate sponsorship of the earliest and most basic formal education of future children? Is this a trend that we will continue to see in the future?