There are a variety of life changing events occurring in our world that affect each and everyone of us. Regardless, keeping up with news and current events for reasons such as, knowing what is happening around you or in your community, can help you understand different cultures and lifestyles in different parts of the world, and could also teach you about how hard daily lifestyles can be for others.
With that being said, I will incorporate an index of current news that is being established around the world. I assure you to take your time and read about these phenomenons occurring in our world today.
Topic: “Should We Eliminate Gifted and Talented Programs?”
Stated on the New York Times website, New York City is facing a conflict of interest whether or not to “cut out” these programs in order to desegregate public schools. Citizens are coming to a disagreement in considering whether this is the right thing to do.
Mayor Bill de Blassio has continued to withstand the city’s talented and gifted programs for almost eight years. A school counselor, Meisha Porter, convinced the mayor to regulate these conditions.
Elementary school students who are currently enrolled in gifted classes would be the final students to attend in the existing program. The system would be replaced by a program that offers a higher level of education for students in the later years of elementary schools. Kindergarten kids who were given the test, were screened for the gifted programs, they would be suspended because the city’s school board refused to renew it over a year ago.
About 70 percent of the 1 million public school students in New York are Black and Latino. 75 percent of the roughly 16,000 students in gifted elementary school classes are white or Asian American. Over the years, rising kindergarten students have gained access to the program.
On the other hand, the programs are considered a stepping stone for students seeking to advance their education and learning skills. Many parents, including Black and Latino parents, have sought out gifted classes as an alternative to the city’s struggling district schools, and have come to rely on them as a way to set their children up for future success. But, many other parents and experts state that the system has increased segregation and weakened instruction for children who are not in the gifted track.
Topic: “Lesson of the Day: A Civil Rights Pioneer Seeks to Have Her Record Cleared”
In today’s current event, Claudette Colvin, a 15 year old girl who stood up for civil rights in 1955 was sentenced to probation after refusing to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery bus(nine months before Rosa Parks). Even so, now 66 years later, Ms. Colvin is seeking justice from the court system.
Opinion: with the information that has been given, this is a hard topic to talk about because it was an event that occurred many years ago. But for someone now- 66 years later is seeking justice from the system, is outrageous.
Ms.Colvin stood up for her constitutional rights because everyone has the right to sit where they want. Back then, during the segregation time period, the law was for a black person to sit behind a white person. It shouldn’t have to matter what color you are- you should feel free to sit where you please. Overall, the main purpose of why Ms.Colvin took a stand was because she wanted the people to come together and unify to fight segregation.
3. Topic: Lesson of the Day: Inspiration From The Times’s ‘It’s Never Too Late’ Series
The “It’s Never Too Late” series is about people who pursued their dreams later in life. The main idea is to let students/teenagers make a plan to pursue dreams of their own.
The stories mentioned in the series are a reminder that not everyone knows what will happen in the future but that everyone has the power to change and shape it. A woman named Dierdre Wolownick climbed El Captain in Yosemite National Park to celebrate her 70th birthday. This is one example of how people can prove to you that there are ways to change your life, no matter what age you are at or how far into life you are. It is never too late to alter your future, and it is never too late to pursue your dreams.
4. Topic: The Fight to Ban Books- Critical race theory battles hit libraries: New York City’s community is fighting over book ban
Some parents are fighting over the books that address ideas about race and as well as sex and L.G.B.T.Q. issues. In some parts of the world, hundreds of students and teachers won the battle, and the ban is at least temporarily banned a selection of books told from the perspective of gay, Black and Latino children.
Due to the circumstances back in August 2020, a diversity committee addressed a list of books, documentary films and articles, to help students and teachers with the idea of racial and social turmoil. Some parents disagreed with the idea and claimed that the material would be used to teach students or make “white children feel guilty.”
A little time has passed and now in November, the school boards have banned all the materials on the list. At the beginning of this school year, many teachers were disappointed. Students were as well. With that being said, they protested daily outside school, wrote letters to the local paper and read excerpts from the banned books on Instagram. Local and national news media picked up the story.
After some back and forth, on Sept. 20, the board temporarily lifted the abandonment of the items. Around the world, some schools are agreeing with the idea and some schools are going against the idea. In some states where Republican governors have signed legislation banning critical race theory, books are disappearing from shelves.
These current events are important for us to read and utilize. Young adults, such as ourselves need to keep up with the news and important days that are occurring in our world. I hope you took the time to read through these 4 events going on today.
Published by Anastasia B.
Resources:
https://lifestyle.allwomenstalk.com/good-reasons-to-start-keeping-up-with-current-events/
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/14/learning/should-we-eliminate-gifted-and-talented-programs.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/03/learning/lesson-plans/claudette-colvin.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/06/us/the-fight-to-ban-books.html
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