Compulsory School Age Essay

â€Å"Any young person without a high school diploma is at a severe disadvantage in our high-tech labor market, with its accompanying demands for advanced education. We can’t prepare students for the 21st century who aren’t in school. Increasing graduation rates requires a continuum of strategies that engage students, including ensuring their presence in the classroom.† The above-mentioned quote by National Education Association (NEA) President Dennis Van Roekel sizes up the situation crisply. Although critics contend that students inclined to dropping out of school will quit school anyway and education is a responsibility of local and state governments and raising the compulsory school age will have little effect, research indicates there are benefits in raising the national compulsory school attendance age to 18. Current Problem Compulsory school attendance refers to the minimum and maximum age required by each state for students to be enrolled in and attending public schools or some comparable education program as defined by law. The good news is student in the United States are graduating from high school at a rate better than any time since 1976; the bad news is about 20 percent still drop out, most of whom are minorities. The figures are from the National Center for Education Statistics’ report, â€Å"Public School Graduates and Dropouts from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2009-2010.† Dropouts face extremely bleak economic and social prospects. Compared to high school graduates, they are less likely find a job and earn a living wage, and more likely to be poor and to suffer from a variety of adverse health outcomes. The statistics are sobering. Both in the short-term, when dropouts first leave school, and in the long-term, over their entire working lives, dropouts are severely disadvantaged relative to students who complete high (Rumberger, p. 88, 2011). Dropouts are almost twice as likely to be poor—in 2009, 25 percent of high school dropouts had incomes below the poverty level compared to 14 percent for high school graduates with no college (Rumberger, p. 92, 2011). The economic disadvantages of not completing high school have grown more sizeable over time as the availability of low-skilled jobs has  declined. The median annual earnings of full-time, full-year dropouts were 15 percent less than high school completers in 1980, but increased to 21 percent by 2008 (Rumberger, p. 93, 2011). In recent years, the drop-out rate in US schools, currently estimated at over 20% overall and overrepresented among low income, Black, and Latino and other minority students, has gained a great deal of attention, because of its im pact on the students and on the communities in which they live. There are some dynamics that fuel these inordinate rates for minorities. By raising the compulsory school attendance age and providing supports for struggling students, 25 percent of likely dropouts remained in school because of compulsory schooling laws (â€Å"Raising the Compulsory School Attendance Age,† National Association of Secondary School Principals. May 2010.) To remain in school, students must devote their time and attention to their schoolwork and their school activities. They must also get along with their teachers and fellow students. But some students engage in a number of behaviors in and out of school that increase their risk of dropping out. These behaviors include misbehaving in school, delinquent behavior outside of school, drug and alcohol use, and sexual activity and teen childbearing. The research literature finds that engaging in any of these behaviors increases the risk of dropping out of school ( Sanchez p. 172). Potential dropouts will not get the specialized help if they dropout because they were not required to stay in school until the age of 18. Dropouts are generally unprepared to contribute to society and are a burden on the nation’s economy. Lower local, state, and national tax revenues are the most obvious consequence of higher dropout rates; even when dropouts are employed, they earn significantly lower wages than do graduates. State and local economies suffer further when they have less-educated populaces, as they find it more difficult to attract new business investment. Simultaneously, these entities must spend more on social programs when their populations have lower educational levels. The nation’s economy and competitive standing also suffer when there are high dropout rates. Among developed countries, the United States ranks twenty-first in high school graduation rates and fifteenth in college attainment rates among twenty-five- to thirty-four-year-olds. Dropouts represent a tremendous loss of human potential and productivity, and they significantly reduce the nation’s ability to compete in an increasingly global economy. Furthermore, recent estimates project that the future domestic workforce demands will require higher levels of education among U.S. workers. However, without significant improvements in the high school and postsecondary completion rates, the nation is on track to fall short by up to 3 million postsecondary degrees by 2018 (Junn, p. 7). Critics Those contending that raising the compulsory school attendance age would be useless are mistaken. Research indicates that approximately 25% of potential dropouts remain in school because of compulsory school laws. Compulsory school attendance laws provide for the direct enforcement and policing of school attendance. In addition, overall enrollment rates among 16 year olds are lower in states that allow them to drop out when they turn 16. Philip Oreopoulos, in two separate studies using information gathered by various surveys analyzed the issue of implementing compulsory attendance laws (Oreopoulos-2005, p. 12). Using additional information from countries like England and Ireland, he concluded that students who are compelled to complete at least one more year of school will earn 12 percent more than those who choose to drop out earlier (Oreopoulos-2005, p. 13). In the second study specifically concerning that increasing the drop out age (above 16) increases an individual’s scho oling by .12 to .16 years, thus better preparing them for the labor force. In his study he also observed a decrease of 1.2 and 2.1 percentage points in the overall dropout rate. As with some of the other studies, he concluded that the policy does not affect the rates; other factors such as funding and alternative measures must be put into place (Oreopoulos-December 2005, p. 17). Critics also argue that education is primarily a State and local responsibility. While this is established by the 10th Amendment to the US Constitution, the United States has a fundamental responsibility to promote policies nationally that effect all of its citizens. The dropout rate is alarming and could pose national security issues. An independent task force launched by the Council on Foreign Relations (2013) is warning the U.S. education system is barreling toward â€Å"a national security crisis.† The report highlights a Defense Department statistic that 75% of American youth don’t qualify for the armed forces because of a lack of a high school diploma, obesity or a criminal record. The disproportionate number of minority groups with high dropout  rates could be further investigated by the office of Civil Rights (OCR). Why are so many minorities leaving school? We live in a highly mobile society with people constantly moving from state to state. This mobility will result in different compulsory school attendance ages in different states. In 1980, Congress established the Department of Education (DOE), as a Cabinet level agency. Today, the DOE operates programs that touch on every area and level of education. The official mission of the Doe is to â€Å"†¦.promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.† Raising the national compulsory school age to 18 would carry out this mission perfectly. It is difficult to determine how many students would choose to pursue a higher education or technical training, once they graduate, it is extra difficult to reasonably argue tha t they should be allowed to give up on school. Faced with the reality of trying to get a job and raise a family, most students who dropped out wished they had remained in school. The facts are well documented—the economic consequences of dropping out are dramatic (John M. Bridgeland, John J. DiIulio, Jr.and Ryan Streeter argue: Their concerns are merited – the economic consequences of dropping out are dramatic. In the United States, high school graduates earn 43 percent more than individuals without a high school diploma, and college graduates earn more than 150 percent – one and a half times – more. Median earnings for people who have not graduated from high school are currently a mere $415 per week. Research has shown a 10 percent rise in earnings for people who simply stay in school one year longer. Over their lifetimes, female high school dropouts earn between $120,000 and $244,000 less than female graduates, and males $117,000 to $322,000 less than male graduates. College graduates earn between $800,000 and $1,387,000 more over their lifetimes than high school dropouts. Not only are earnings prospects bleak for dropouts who have jobs, but the prospect of having a job at all is not guaranteed: dropouts are much more likely to be unemployed. The unemployment rate among individuals who have not graduated from high school is 65 percent higher than it is for graduates and three times higher than it is for college graduates. Clearly, dropping out of high school is often equivalent to choosing a life of financial hardship. It also places a burden upon society as a whole. Annual public health costs for dropouts have been estimated at $58 billion, and  approximately $10 billion could be saved each year in public assistance if all our students graduated from high school. (p. 10) In their overview and survey of research on the importance of compulsory school ages (Hoor & Reynolds p 3-4) find that raising the age is an important component of confronting the dropout problem. In their study, â€Å"Understanding and Addressing the Issue of the High School Dropout Age,† the authors find evidence that raising the compulsory school age is gaining support across the United States in part because doing so helps reduce dropout numbers. The paper also provides a sampling of evidence-based interventions that help reduce the dropout rate. Solutions There is no simple way to nationally raise the compulsory school attendance age to 18 years. Just raising the age to 18 is not enough. It will take cooperation from many sectors to realize this needed policy change. Evaluating past reform efforts and the existing more recent research literature on implementation will provide information needed for developing more successful programs in the future. Though all states will benefit from raising the age to 18, states have varied factors they must consider and must do what fits for that state. Making schools and schools districts accountable for implementing and maintaining the national compulsory school attendance age of 18 is a great start. Thankfully, No Child Left Behind is is being left behind. However, a fair, consistent and reliable means of effectively addressing dropouts must be developed. The school environment itself determines whether at-risk students succeed. Students who are supported, motivated, and encouraged by their teach ers, who regard their teachers as caring, and who receive guidance from their teachers usually like school. In contrast, dropouts often report leaving school because they did not get along with their teachers or classmates. Smaller class sizes or counseling and guidance programs for struggling students are ways to improve how students perceive their teacher support networks. (Oreopoulos, Philip 2006 p. 31). Making funding available to hire and train teachers and providing smaller classes will help ease these issues. Providing other school-appropriate proven resources will also help. Currently, many school districts expel or suspend students for long periods of time, but are still  able to receive FTE (Full-time equivalent workload of a student) funding for much of the time period the student is not in school. They are not providing services, but they get the money whether the student is in school or not. This must stop. Otherwise, schools have no monetary incentive to keep students in school. School-based approaches as standalone programs are unlikely to solve the dropout crisis without providing adequate support to families and communities. In particular, even widespread school reform that raised the persistently lowest-achieving schools to even average achievement levels will unlikely raise the graduation rate sufficiently and at best eliminate about one-third of the achievement gap differences between racial and socioeconomic groups. Therefore, to improve graduation rates and to close gaps in graduation will require interventions in two other arenas: families and communities (Rumberger p. 274). Making families and communities more responsible by empowering them will go a long way. Family involvement is one of the most important contributors to school completion and success. The most accurate predictor of a student’s school achievement is the extent to which his/her family encourages learning. Success is more likely if the family communicates high, yet reasonable, expectations for the student’s education and future career and becomes involved in his/her education (Schargel & Smink, p. 99, 177). Although t he research explicitly confirms the positive and long-lasting effects of parent, family, and community involvement on student learning, this data is often overlooked in local, state, and national discussions about raising student achievement and closing achievement gaps (Berliner, p. 975). As much as the nation should be alarmed by the scope and gravity of America’s dropout problem, we should also be encouraged by the leadership that states across the country are demonstrating to address it. The District of Columbia and 17 other states already require students to be in school until they are 18. The pessimists will exclaim that changing the compulsory graduation age to 18 will not stop those determined to quit school from quitting and the responsibility of school laws should be left to states, however, there is a compelling body of research that indicates benefits to raising the compulsory age of school attendance to 18 nationally. Works Cited Allan, Kenneth. A Primer in Social and Sociological Theory: Toward a Sociology of Citizenship. Los Angeles: SAGE/Pine Forge, 2011. Print. David, Berliner C. â€Å"Our Impoverished View of Educational Reform.† Teacher’s College Record 108.6 (2006): 949-975. Print. â€Å"Despite Interventions, No-Show Students Drop Out : NPR.† NPR.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Oct. 2013. Junn, Jane. â€Å"The Political Costs of Unequal Education.† Department of Political Science & Eagleton Institute of Politics Rutgers University (2005): 14. Web. 24 Oct. 2005. Nakamura, David, and Scott Wilson. â€Å"Middle Class is Under Threat.† Washington Post [Washington] 12 Jan. 2012: 1. Print. Roderick, Melissa R. The Path to Dropping Out: Evidence for Intervention. Westport, Conn: Auburn House, 1993. Print. Rumberger, Russell W. Dropping Out: Why Students Drop Out of High School and What Can Be Done About It. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 2011. Print. Rushton, Rosie, and Kathryn Lamb. Staying Cool, Surviving School: Secondary School Strategies. Puffin, 1995. Print. Sidlow, Edward, and Beth Henschen. Govt: Student Edition. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2013. Print. Smink, Jay, and Franklin P. Schargel. Helping Students Graduate: A Strategic Approach to Dropout Prevention. Larchmont, N.Y: Eye On Education, 2004. Print.

Indra Nooyi: Keeping Cool in Hot Water

Indra Nooyi joined PepsiCo in 1994 and was named president and CFO in 2000. Nooyi has directed the company's global strategy for more than a decade and led PepsiCo's restructuring, including the 1997 divestiture of its restaurants into Tricon, now known as Yums! Brand. Because of her desire to win, Nooyi fought hard for PepsiCo’s successful $3. 3 billion acquisition of Tropicana in 1998, eyeing the transaction as a vehicle to increase PepsiCo’s earnings and enhance its image as a premium brand for convient foods and drinks.The crowning glory in her career was serving as lead negotiator of PepsiCo's $13. 8 billion acquisition of the Quaker Oats Company in 2001, which led to her being named one of the top five officers at her company, which also brought Gatorade to PepsiCo. As the highest-ranked Indian American woman in corporate America, Nooyi led some of PepsiCo's most significant strategic moves. In 2007 she became the fifth CEO in PepsiCo's 44-year history.According t o Business Week, since she started as CFO in 2000, the company's annual revenues have risen 72%, while net profit more than doubled, to $5. 6 billion in 2006. Nooyi was named on Wall Street Journal’s list of 50 women to watch in 2007 and 2008, and was listed among Time’s 100 Most Influential People in The World in 2007 and 2008. Forbes named her the #3 most powerful woman in 2008. Fortune ranked her the #1 most powerful woman in business in 2009 and 2010. On the 7th of October 2010 Forbes magazine ranked her the 6th most powerful woman in the world.The information in this articles is just a more in depth description than our text book had given of the impact that Indra Nooyi has had on the PepsiCo. I found all of these article worth while. I enjoyed learning about Indra Nooyi and the great strides she has made for herself and for the PepsiCo. I think it is great to hear of the changes and advancements that Pepsi is undergoing with Indra Nooyi in the lead. She has prove n herself to be a wonderful role model and example for others to follow. I'm interested to see how Pepsi continues to grow with her as CEO.

Short report of how the organisation will implement Total Quality Research Paper

Short report of how the organisation will implement Total Quality Management - Research Paper Example The success of Coffeehouse shall be evident if the 6Cs of TQM are applied and later the implementation recommended. Recommendations include the hiring of a new, qualified staff to prepare a higher quality of coffee than that of the competitor has in order to counter their recent stiff dominance in the market. Coffeehouse is a chain of coffee shops situated in different towns in Australia, and has been in existence since 2001, and owned by one person. The management envisions this business as the center of producing the best coffee, and its vision is to be the preferred coffee house across Australia in a period of 5 years. Even though it has witnessed some profitability- turnover was $4.5 for the year 2011/12-its market share currently is only 10% with stiff competition coming from newcomers Starbucks and Coffee-club. According to Bagad (2008, p.21), TQM involves several features without which success cannot be witnessed in any organization. These features include commitment from all the employees in the organization. In other words, for TQM to be productive, the employees need to be find pleasure in their duties. Additionally commitment to the quality of services offered by the organization must be emphasized. Morfaw (2009, p.20) noted that if there lacks a commitment on the quality, the staff commitment will not sustain the organization since clients will be disappointed and seek services elsewhere thus leaving an organization with losses. Moreover, total customer-oriented attitude and behavior is vital in the application of this philosophy. Even though, every business seeks to make profit, this feature requires that an organization show total commitment in serving its clientele failure to which the profits cannot be enjoyed for a long time. Further, continuous improvement within the organization is needed; all employees must also be united in the performance of their duties. Morfaw (2009, p.33) implied that an organization that fails to emphasize on

Summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 23

Summary - Assignment Example However, while doing this, controversies and tradeoffs have been the order of the day. Zoos have also had to deal with issues of conservation of endangered species, and determining which species are endangered. The issue of elephants in captivity has been raising standoffs between animal welfare advocates and zoos (Cohn 714). On one hand, animal rights advocated feel that zoos have inadequate space to house a sufficient number of elephants comfortably. On the other hand, zoos feel that they are constantly improving and expanding. Zoos further argue that they prefer to house elephants because those elephants living in the wild are exposed to human conflicts, poaching, habitat loss, drought, and disease, a scenario that is not experienced if the elephants are housed in zoos. Animal welfare advocates are known to claim that keeping elephants in zoos has been causing baby elephants to be separated from their mothers, and those that have lived together for many years being split as they are sent to different zoos (Cohn 715). Birdwhistell used a film showing elephants being visited by families at zoos to demonstrate that physical gestures are cultural specific and not universal. According to Birdwhistell, the elephants held in zoos are like captives (Rothfels 480). They are usually irrelevant to the people who come to visit and view them at the zoos. He does not understand why people choose to interact with extraordinary animals such as elephants in small confined spaces such as zoos instead of visiting them in their natural habitats. He describes these interactions as limiting and pointless (Rothfels 481). Zoos are not a reflection of the world as it because they simply provide a fascinating paradigm of how people view the world. The animals in zoos are not as they are in real life because they are simply a creation of how we, or the designers of zoos, want them to be. Captive breeding has been under scrutiny because many critics have been

Strategic marketing management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Strategic marketing management - Coursework Example Sony, a leading firm in the rapidly changing digital appliance industry has continued to explore and establish new markets globally. In addition, the corporation has been dealing with customer electronics from the time the World War II ended. The company with their wide experience and participation in the global market for long, it has enabled the company to grow and become the global company and the wealthiest. The company markets its products and services globally under the famous trademark â€Å"Sony†, which is registered in more than 204 countries globally. These subsidiaries both in Japan and those distributed all over the world, has the responsibility of marketing the company’s products and services (Hodgson, 1998, p19). The Sony Corporation has more than 30 Subsidiaries Company in Japan and more than 50 subsidiaries outside Japan. Sony Marketing (Japan) Inc. has the role of sales and marketing of the company’s products. ... es that excel from given technological advancement or have been experiencing new inventions at entering the market; thus, posing challenge to Sony Corporation. Secondly, company has also experienced the aspect of price fluctuation from technological advancement and competitive dynamics thus influencing the aspect of demand and supply in the world market. For example, when the product prices of HDD rise, the profits of products experience pressure, which cannot be warranted. Thirdly, the company’s products have rapidly become obsolete thus shortening the product life cycle. Apart from internationalizing its products, the promoting the company undertakes marketing strategies the engage on research and development of potential markets globally. 1.1 Marketing strategy The modern theories dealing with marketing strategies emphasize the need for business and companies embrace the modern competitive strategies on the business environment. The theory by Anthony Freeling suggests that there is the need for business to embrace the element of agile, marketing strategy. The marketing agile will enable the company to respond to the issues of market demands without any difficulty. The theories on the marketing strategies need that the companies develop competitive strategies that will allow them compete with other rival companies effectively. According to the modern theories of strategic marketing, the traditional marketing strategies have proved to be slow and laborious in nature thus results in increasing the cost of operations of the company. Marketing strategy is a marketing approach that companies to capture market niche in the consumer environment use that. The business set-up utilizes and employs the use of marketing strategy to gain and maximize the optimal profit

ARM Holdings s response to changes in the microenvironment Essay

ARM Holdings s response to changes in the microenvironment - Essay Example The firm that is analyzed in the paper is ARM, the producer of most microprocessors used in mobile devices like mobile phones, smart phones, servers and embedded devices. Intel dominates the manufacture of microprocessors for laptops, desktops, tablets and other computer devices. Though they share a related field in different industries, both firms are different, and each dominates a section of the market that its competitor did not want to venture, until recently. Recent events in the information technology industry have caused a shift towards the mobile industry, and both firms have enough interest to invest in research that will enable them to produce microprocessors for use in the domain of its competitor. ARM intends to shift into building processor architectures for the PC, tablet, and laptop industry while Intel wants to shift to producing processors for the mobile industry. However, this shift is faced with limitations since the two companies are pushing their strengths that had resulted in their domination of their current market. ARM does not build its processors; rather it sells the architecture to firms like NVidia, QUALCOMM, Apple and Texas Instruments that have the necessary infrastructure to build the designs. It charges these companies for up to 2 % of the revenue from the processors for each processor that is incorporated into a device. The ARM processors are characterised by low energy consumption that makes them ideal for mobile devices, and the firm also designs some processor architecture that are incorporated into servers. ... ry has more potential for growth than the PC industry, and that is why Intel has shifted attention towards developing microprocessors for mobile devices. Intel aims at doing this by improving the energy consumption of its processors since their processing power is the best in the world. On the other hand, ARM has already developed processors for use in personal computers, tablets and other devices that use operating systems that are primarily built for computer systems. This will pose a threat to companies like AMD since ARM has the capacity to improve on its technologies since it does not build the processors (BDTi, 2011). Environmental Analysis Industry Cycle The microprocessor industry has reached its maturity stage as it has existed for a long time and firms have already established their niche markets. However, since this is a research, innovation and development-intensive market, the industry has retained the characteristic of an emerging market. In addition, due to the versati lity of information technologies, it is likely to remain so as firms come up with new architectures, forms, and configurations of processors. Therefore, in its strategy, ARM should not only look at current developments, but also anticipate future changes in order to have a competitive edge against leading market players like Intel, and avoid being overtaken by emerging firms (Porter, 2008: 89). Porter’s Forces There are five main environmental forces that ARM has to deal with in its quest to venture into the PC market and retain its competitive edge in the mobile market, three of which are macroeconomic and two microeconomic. The porter forces give an over view of the steps the firm should take in order to achieve its objectives; these changes include: The entry of Intel and other firms

To what extent can improvements in productive flow and product quality Essay - 2

To what extent can improvements in productive flow and product quality lead to an increase in sales and profit - Essay Example To meet the growing demand, it is viable to move production to a larger facility like a manufacturing plant. This can reduce the cost of production and increase the volume of sales. Increased production can reduce the cost of manufacturing per unit, and this can enable the company to lower the price of products thereby increasing sales. In order to earn more profits, it is necessary to boost sales and this can be done by producing better quality goods at reduced costs. This paper discusses how productive flow and product quality lead to an increase in sales and profit. Production and quality In any business, the traditional concept of enhancing sales and increasing profit is to increase the volume of production with innovative technologies so as to produce quality goods that will satisfy the demands of the consumers. Sales can increase when products become easily accessible and affordable for consumers. Therefore, the main focus of the management should be on increasing production an d also distribution efficiency. This concept of production is applicable in two different situations. In the first situation the demand of a product is so high that it exceeds the supply i.e. production of the product is below the quantity in demand. In this case, management should apply plans and strategies to increase production while keeping the cost of production per unit low. ... However, this same concept which is know as production concept may not work for other companies if the consumers do not find the product attractive in terms of quality, performance and innovative characteristics. In such case, it is required to follow the product concept. Under this concept the business organization should focus on improving production techniques to continuously increase the quality of products. However, there is a disadvantage, for instance, producing better mousetraps may not satisfy the consumers’ need for eliminating mice. The demand may be for other types of solutions like a chemical spray or an exterminating service. Moreover, even a good quality product cannot boost sales unless the packaging is done attractively, pricing is affordable and distribution processes are efficient. Also a good deal of promotion and advertising is required in order to convince the buyers that it is a better quality product. This calls for selling concept which implies that co nsumers will not respond to enhanced quality unless rigorous selling and promotion efforts are made by the business organization. Then there is the marketing concept which indicates that the objectives of business enterprises of increased sale volumes and enhanced profit structure can be achieved by understanding the demand curve of the target markets, and by providing quality goods for consumer satisfaction more efficiently than the competitors. The selling concept holds an inside-out perspective, which means it focuses on heavy selling of the existing products by rigorous promotions and advertisements. Contrary to this the marketing concept holds an outside-in perspective, which means it puts emphasis on consumer demand, coordinates all marketing

Literature review on Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Literature review on Japan - Essay Example The various aspects of contemporary Japan that include geographical, political, economic, cultural, educational and religious phenomenon are discussed in detail (Japan, 2005). The role and constitution of families in Japan has undergone changes in the twentieth century with respect to their tradition. But the concept of continuing family keeps their dear ones close. The people of Japan believe that even if a family does not live together with grandparents and parent, the proximity of separated family should be so close that they can share a bowl of hot soup on a day. This reveals that the concept of family and values has much significance in Japan. The educational system of Japan and workplace culture has grabbed much attention for its severity. This may be recognized with the huge economic success and technological progress of the country. Japanese believe in working hard from a very young age to survive in highly competitive settings. Japanese consider themselves of belonging to a homogenous society. They have a strong sense of national identity and there are no much racial or ethnic divisions. Though they have a feeling of oneness of being Japanese, Jap an is most influenced by popular culture. The culture of young people in Japan is dominated by media with sitcoms like Pokemon, manga and Hello Kitty (Bestor, T. & Hardacre, H 2004). Japanese economy is second only to the United States in terms of having a high GNP. Major industries in Japan include automobile, real estate, manufacturing, communication, construction, services and distribution.

Justice for Lena Essay Example for Free

Justice for Lena Essay Lena Baker was a black woman who endured a horrendous ordeal during her life. Born in a small town in Georgia, Lena lived with her mother and three children. Accused of murdering her employer Ernest Knight, Lena Baker alleged that he verbally and physically abused her. Keeping her as a prisoner, Lena yearned for freedom and sought many avenues to obtain it. Ernest Knight was a white man, a local gristmill owner who was determined to keep Lena not only as an employee, but also as a sexual partner. Lena came to work for Knight originally hired by his son to help with chores as he recovered from a broken leg. However, from Knight’s point of view she was there to take care of all his needs. In this paper you will get the chance to walk in Lena’s shoes. I will attempt to tell her story through magazine articles, books, newspaper articles and other research. You will see that in the end Lena’s life no matter how terrible it was, it wasn’t all in vain, and still today she is remembered for her last heartfelt words and calm disposition. Ulysia Gayle Julie Warner English December 3, 2012 Justice for Lena Lena Baker was a black woman born with three strikes against her. The first was that she was born in the south. The second was that she was born black. The third was that she was born poor. She was a black woman born in a small town in Georgia. She lived with her mother and three children and later moved five miles southwest of Cuthbert Georgia. Lena was no stranger to crime nor was she a stranger to hard work. Looking for work she acquired a job for a local gristmill owner named Ernest Knight. Knight needed a caregiver due to a broken leg. He needed help with household chores and meals, and Lena needed money. She procured the job with intentions of a business relationship only. However, Knight had other things in mind. Their relationship eventually became sexual on many occasions without Lena’s consent. The introduction of verbal and physical abuse soon followed. Threats against her safety as well as her children and mother were used to keep Lena at bay. She complied with Kni ght sexually but during this time (1940) relationships of that nature between blacks and whites were prohibited. Making several escapes, Knight would find Lena, even going to her home during peak hours on numerous occasions to take her and do with her as pleased. Later during this forbidden relationship Ernest Knight’s son as well as the town learned of its meaning and taunted Lena for it, although Knight was the aggressor. Lena was eventually assaulted by Knight’s son, beaten so critically that she needed time to recover herself. Shortly afterwards she was jailed for the same relationship. Fed up with the abuse, Lena wanted desperately to return home, but Knight begged the differ. Imprisoned she knew she was fighting for her life, despite the threats she and Knight entered into battle over a gun which Knight was eventually shot. Panicked and afraid Lena fled the scene. She eventually turned herself in with hopes that all would work in her favor. Needless to say although the town knew of this relationship, no one said anything in Lena’s defense. No one came to Lena’s rescue. There was no justice for Lena. A black woman accused of murdering a white man didn’t stand a chance no matter the circumstances. Lena soon went on trial. The trial convened on August 14, 1944, at the courthouse in Randolph County under the jurisdiction of Judge Charles William Two Gun Worrill, who presided at court with two pistols on the bench. In her testimony, Baker described how Knight locked her in the mill house while he went to a church singing. When he returned, he brought her something to eat but refused to let her leave, she said. When she insisted on going home, the two began to argue, and Knight brandished an iron bar that was used to lock the door. Baker said she feared for her life and attempted to push past Knight to leave. As she did, Knight was shot through the head. Baker testified that she walked immediately to the house of J. A. Cox (the county coroner and a man for whom she had done fieldwork) and told him that she had killed Ernest Knight, (Lela Phillips, Andrew College, Published 12/09/2005). The jury consisted of twelve white men (not unusual for 1944), but many of the jurors were good friends who attended the same small churches, socialized with each other’s families at card parties, and shared morning coffee at a local cafe. (Justice Denied, THE MAGAZINE FOR THE WRONGLY ACCUSED, Issue 29 – Summer 2005, Page 8). Found guilty of murder in less than 6 hours, Lena received the death penalty as her sentence, earning Lena Baker a place in history as the first and only woman to be sentenced to death by electric chair in the state Georgia, (Netflix, lenabakerthemovie.com 2008). On March 5th 1945, after being held in a prison in Reidsville GA, she was executed but not before saying these last words calmly. â€Å"What I done, I did in self- defense, or I would have been killed myself. I am ready to meet my God.† She was pronounced dead after six minutes and several shocks as her family mourned. (Albany Herald, Closure for The Baker Family, August 30th 2012). In 2005 Baker was granted a full and unconditional pardon by the State of Georgia, 60 years after her execution. The movie â€Å"The Lena Baker Story,† is about her life. Her nephew, Roosevelt Curry, received the papers pardoning Baker posthumously. The pardon stated the 1945 decision to deny her clemency and execute her was â€Å"a grievous error†. Baker was buried in the Vernon Missionary Baptist Church cemetery in Coleman where she is currently resting in peace. Unfortunately, neither her mother nor her children lived to see that one day there would be Justice for Lena. (Albany Herald, Closure for The Baker Family, August 30th 2012). Work Cited Phillips, Lela. â€Å"The New Georgia Encyclopedia, History and Archaeology.† The Lena Baker Case. Andrew College, Published 12/09/2005. Phillips, Lela. â€Å"Justice Denied†: THE MAGAZINE OF THE WRONGLY ACCUSED. Issue 29- Summer 2005, Page 8. Wilcox, Ralph. â€Å"Netflix, thelenabakermovie.com.† Hope and Redemption. 2008. Phillips, Bond Lela. â€Å"The Black Commentator.† Execution In A Small Town. Andrew College Cuthbert GA. The Albany Herald, Closure For The Baker Family. Issue August 30th, 2012

Religious and Ethnic Groups Essay Example for Free

Religious and Ethnic Groups Essay The religious group is chose was Jehovah’s Witnesses. I did some online research and also asked my children’s Foster Mother, Regina Metzger the questions. I wanted to see what the differences of what I found online and what she said the beliefs were. So this is a mixture of what I got from my online sources and what she said. Jehovah’s Witnesses differ from other religious groups because they believe that their entire bible is the inspired word of god, and instead of adhering to a creed based on human tradition, they hold to their bible as the standard for all their beliefs. Based on their bible, they believe that Jesus Christ is son of god, the first of god’s creations, that he had a pre-human existence and that his life was transformed from heaven to the womb of a virgin. They believe that god’s kingdom is the only hope for mankind. They are many different nationalities. They have no prejudices against any race or color. Their worship is through prayer, meetings and telling others about their bible. They believe that their bible is the inspired word of God, and instead of adhering to a creed based on human tradition, they hold their bible as the standard. The experience of the Jehovah’s Witnesses that other religious groups do not share is that they are viewed with moral standards that coincide with their bible. They are law abiding citizens that respect authority. They show, what they believe is, genuine Christian love to their neighbors. For example, let’s say there are two girls. One of which is a Jehovah Witness and one that is not. They both were asked to spit on the American Flag. In this situation, the Jehovah’s Witness won’t and the other would. One might ask â€Å"Why don’t you spit on the flag even though you don’t solute it? † The answer from the Johana’s Witness would be simply, â€Å"I don’t pledge my allegiance to the flag, but I wouldn’t disrespect it either. † They are neutral. Jehovah’s Witnesses contribute to the American Culture because they feel they are the advocates of their God’s kingdom. They are not of the political, economic, or social system of any nation of the old world. They did have their modern day start in the United States. They do pay taxes, which means they work regular jobs just like any other person. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not interfere with what others do about sharing in patriotic ceremonies. Like, sharing in the armed forces and joining a political party or even voting. They worship their god only. They believe that if Christians under one nation go to war against another nation they would be fighting against fellow believers. They believe that fighting against the same people who prayed for help to the same god is wrong. That is why they won’t go to war and will serve time in jail or prison to avoid killing their Christian brothers and sisters. However they are not afraid to die for their faith. If they are threatened with death or to renounce their faith, they will die for what they believe in. I know that before my children went into foster care I had limited information on what Jehovah’s Witnesses were all about. I was under the impression that they only went house to house on Saturdays knocking on doors. I thought they were annoying. Feeling like everywhere I went I was approached by one saying that they are the only true word of God, when I thought my god was. I learned quickly that everyone has a different idea of what their God was. Jehovah’s witnesses have been known to not celebrate holidays like birthdays, Christmas, or thanksgiving. I would use their religion as a type of threat toward my children saying â€Å"If you don’t knock it off we will become Jehovah’s Witness and then you won’t get presents during birthdays or holidays. † Since, my children are in a home with this as the main religion and belief system, I feel like I should apologize to them because I must have sounded like a bigot. I think that the discrimination and stereotyping that Jehovah’s Witnesses experience comes from a lack of understanding by anyone of a different belief. I think that what I have learned about this religious group did help me understand it. It helped me to realize that Jehovah’s Witnesses, like any other religion, just want to show everyone that what they believe is not bad. They want to show what their religion means. They want the same as others do, the belief that you can be saved by a god. The racial/ethnic group that I chose is the Pacific Islanders. I chose this group because I don’t know nothing about it. I think getting information on this group will be extremely interesting. Pacific Islanders are from many different places. American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Hawaii, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Mariana Islands, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna, and the Independent State of Western Samoa. (http://www. pica-org. org/websurf/websurf. html). In 2011 there were approximately 1,371,564 Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders who live within the United States. They significantly reside in California, Washington, Utah, Texas, New York, Texas, and Florida. They make up about . 4% of the U. S. Population (http://minorityhealth. hhs. gov/templates/browse. aspx? lvl=2lvlID=71) On May 29, 2013 President Obama spoke about AAPI (Asian-American and Pacific Islander) Heritage Month. (http://www. whitehouse. gov/administration/eop/aapi/blog) I thought that was very interesting. He talked about his Pacific Islander ethnic background. He said: â€Å"We value these voices because from the very beginning, ours has been a nation of immigrants; a nation challenged and shaped and push ever forward by diverse perspectives and fresh thinking. And in order to keep our edge and stay ahead in the global race, we need to figure out a way to fix our broken immigration system-to welcome that infusion of newness, while still maintaining the enduring strength of our laws. And the service and the leadership of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have proved that point in time and again. † Listening to him give a speech about the greatness of Pacific Islanders made me appreciate that ethnic group even more. Pacific Islanders speak over 100 different languages and come from more than 56 ethnic groups. (http://www. cdc.gov/features/aapiheritagemonth/). They are parts of many different religions. Like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Growing up in my church there were many Pacific Islanders members of our church. I can remember many of them having big families with many children. The Pacific Islanders do many things to contribute to American Culture. They contribute by working jobs. 7. 4 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are employed in the United States. They make up 5. 3% of the total workforce in the United States. About 300,000 workers are Pacific Islanders. (http://www. cepr. net/index.php/publications/reports/diversity-and-change July 2011, Hye Jin Rho, John Schmitt, Nicole Woo, Lucia Lin and Kent Wong) Like many other cultures, they bring their delicious foods. They have a multitude of food from different countries. They bring that all to the table here in the United States. Although some of them have changed their diets to a more of an American way of eating, some still eat the foods of their lands. Throughout history, there has been many instances of racism and sexism toward Pacific Islanders in the United States Pacific Islanders continue to face oppression, racism, and discrimination in the United States. Since Pacific Islanders have a higher rate of diabetes they were charged higher rates for health insurance. The Affordable Care Act Will be a very good change for Pacific Islanders. They are known to suffer from higher rates of all types of circular diseases like, stroke, hypertension, and coronary heart disease. They also have the highest rates of obesity. The Affordable Care Act will change it so that it will be easier to get health care for them. Some states have had an English-only type of initiative. They seem to be for people who only speak English. I had no idea they were even allowed by law. It seems as though that people find ways to discriminate even with the laws that have been put in place. Just because some people cannot speak any other language, besides English. For them everything needs to be in English and no other language. About a century before, European-Americans did not allow people who didn’t speak English to learn English because they were afraid that they would become a minority. They were afraid of being â€Å"out-smarted† by others. They didn’t want to have to compete for fear of losing. I don’t believe this is fair. That is why I am glad there are some many laws coming into effect as well as more to come to make this country an even better place. (http://aspe. hhs. gov/health/reports/2012/ACAAsianAmericansPacificIslanders/rb. shtml) Most European Americans have discriminated against Pacific Islanders because they didn’t know English. The European Americans were afraid that if the Pacific Islanders learned English they would exceed them in many ways. They would become the minority. Many of the European Americans were believed to be threatened by this. I think I now have a better understanding of what it is like to be a Pacific Islander. The discrimination they have faced has seemed to make them a stronger people. I am happy to have them as part of my country. In conclusion, both Jehovah’s Witnesses and The Pacific Islander, people have experienced a discrimination that seems to have happened because of people who do not understand what they go through daily. They both seem to succeed in their lives because of the discrimination they have experienced. The Jehovah’s Witnesses hold up to their beliefs like the Pacific Islanders stand strong with their ethnic background. They are different because one is a religion and one is an ethnic group. An ethnic group is a group of people who have the same customs or origin. A religion is a belief in a god or a group of gods. I think that both the Pacific Islanders and the Jehovah’s Witnesses get discriminated against because of a lack of understanding.