Friday, January 24, 2020

Unethical Charity in Missouri Essay -- essays research papers fc

Unethical Charity in Missouri   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On a Saturday morning while running errands usually one might notice a few men collecting money at the corner of any two busy intersections. People give the sticky change that has been laying in their car baking for three months, to the organization. Little do they know that the money they worked hard to scrape from the bottom of the ashtray in twenty seconds while at a stoplight is not going where they think. A recent investigation found that a firm run by Missouri’s top police officials has raised millions of dollars on behalf of charity (Bill Smith A 7). More than 80% of the contributions have gone to the foundation’s Texas based fundraiser (Bill smith A 7).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Of a reportedly 3.1 million dollars raised between 2000 and 2004, an estimated 520,000 dollars, or about 17 cents of each dollar, has been returned to the Missouri Police Chiefs Charitable Foundation, state records show. The remaining 2.5 million dollars, or 83 cents of every dollar, went to the United Appeal Inc. United Appeal is profitable organization owned by Bruce Yablonsky, a businessman in Plano, Texas (Bill Smith A 7). Most of the moneys have gone to administrative expenses, such as salaries and benefits, according to the companies tax records. People believed they were giving to a charity and they were deceived. Not many would give to a profitable organization that pays salaries with the collections. The solicitors ...

Thursday, January 16, 2020

More than Black & White: I am Who I am Essay

One thing that truly sparked my attention for this assignment is the title, â€Å"Who am I and Why Does it Matter?† Over twenty-two years of my existence, I still ask myself this question every day. I cannot guarantee that I have an absolute answer, for I am still in the process of personal discovery and grasping the concept of personhood that differs at a particular time. What does it really mean to be me, especially at this point in time? Am I the same person now as opposed to say, a decade ago? As I take a step back and recollect all my past experiences in life, I noticed how much I have grown and how my perception of who and what I am has significantly transformed. Each year contributes to my development as I transition from an adolescent into adulthood; each life stage marks a new beginning as I approach closer and closer towards uncovering this indeterminate question of â€Å"Who and what am I†? I identify myself as a man; but what does it really mean to be a man? Is it solely defined by my biological features, the way in which I am genetically born with male genitals? As I continue to dive further into this question, I am reminded once again by John Locke’s Prince and the Cobbler analogy. If the prince, one day, wakes up in the cobbler’s body, is he no longer the prince—and vice versa? To what I remember in my philosophy course, Locke’s objection to the Same-Body Theory, argues that the sameness of body cannot be the gauge of identifying whether or not two individuals are the same person. Similarly, in contemporary times there are individuals who are genetically born as males but identify themselves as females—and vice versa. So if the body is not the sole definition to define gender variations, then what is? Growing up, I was taught that men are expected to be masculine, strong, and brave. Residing in a male-dominant society, often times men are expected to suck up their pain—physically or emotionally. We must play the dominant role and cannot show signs of fear or we would be seen as incompetent. Women, on the other hand, are depicted as a motherly-figure, the nurturer and homemaker; and believe it or not, women are perceived as inferior in contrast to the superiority of male counterparts. It is due to these gender roles that every individual must â€Å"act† a certain way in order to uphold society’s stereotypical views of what is considerably the norms  given these gender variations. And believe me, I am everything NOT what was described above. I am scrawny like a twig, unafraid to show my emotions, still cry like a baby when I need to, and there is relatively a feminine touch within me. I see myself as a man, not because of my physical body or how society shapes the image of what a man is supposed to be. I am a man, because of my own personal values, beliefs and how I was raised—my culture, character, and most importantly, my own shaped image or interpretation of what a man truly entails. In other words, I can associate a man who is unafraid to break boundaries’ directing to traditional gender roles, someone who is confident in his own skin and fearless to show emotions. He is a hero not because he portrayed no signs of weakness or fear. He is a hero because he is unafraid to show those weakness or fear in public, and to conquer them in becoming stronger. It does not matter how society sees you, what really matters, is how you see yourself. Furthermore, it is important for the younger generation to understand the concept that it is okay to be different, and that, gender is in the eyes of the beholder. Women are not any less competent than men, and men are not any less emotional than women. This is an important point to address when working with others either in an academic or working environment. A better understanding of these concepts can help better equip a team-building atmosphere. Placing ourselves in each other’s shoes and seeing things at a different prospect—at different angles, can help improve gender equality. As a result, this constitutes to producing results at its most efficient and effective way. If we take another step back and evaluate other characteristics regarding my personal identity, my race and ethnicity is only a dime size in the deep ocean. I was born in the Guangdong province located in the south of Chinese borders, and again, it is a size of a pencil point if you were to locate it on the map of China. When I first arrived in the United States, my family was exceptionally traditional. It took them approximately a decade to slowly assimilate into the American culture. Furthermore, my parents forced me to study the Cantonese language, along with Mandarin, and my mother constantly remind me to never forge my origins. And now that I am an adult, I take her words dear to my heart. I associate myself with yellow skin and I am proud to be a part of my Chinese heritage. Nonetheless, China has over five  thousand years of history, and countless cultural differences across all regions of People’s Republic. And, because there are so many variations within the Chinese heritage, it is inevitable for others to project misconceptions of Chinese people. Especially in western and European societies, we are being seen as those with squinty eyes, loud, animal abusers, and lack of etiquette and mannerism. I am not saying that there are absolutely no Chinese individuals who fits into those categories, but generally, this reflects upon everyone across all cultures. We live in such a diverse world, and especially in San Francisco, there are innumerable different faces that comes in all shapes and colors. It is important that because we live in a society where diversity is so prominent, we need to learn how to appreciate and accept these differences. Every culture and heritage consists of their own practices, values and beliefs. Do not be shy to showcase who you are, and only judge others similar to how you would like to be judge. I think the reason why there are so many fallacies, and discrimination against a particular race or culture is due to the fact that people are simply unaware, and afraid to accept differences—fear of change . When one is accustomed to a particular culture or language all their lives, they begin to draw barriers and become close minded with regards to the outside world. They become frightened of exploring the new and unfamiliar, and refuse to accept diversities that resides outside their comfort zone—the ambiguous. As educators, peers, working professionals, we need to instruct others to embrace diversity in comprising an all-inclusive environment. That is the reason why I joined ASI Project Connect, is due to the different faces I see, and how they appreciate and accept me for who I am—my race, culture, gender. In order for me to contribute back to ASI, I will use similar attitude to recruit and retain new members, educating them that the beauty of living lies not in all similarities and perfections, but for all the differences to help broaden our knowledge and learn more about other parts of the world. In turn, we improve ourselves on how to treat others with dignity and mutual respect, keeping an open mind and appreciate race and ethnicities at a more personal level. Similar to what Socrates once said, â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living†. We must not be imprisoned in Plato’s cave forever, not knowing what really occurs outside our familiarity; but instead, we must formulate questions and explore life  outside the cave. Even though it is relatively factual to say that we all share similarities, exposing ourselves with familiar characteristics which reflects another key point in relating to others with parallel interests and retaining them. But within those similarities consists of differences that we should all learn to value and appreciate in order to serve as role-models for new generations. That way, we can better recruit and retain members across all parts of the world who share both similarities AND differences. In this world, there are more than simply black and white, but we live in a society filled with compound colors. How you see yourself is more important than how others see you. You are who you are, and you should not change to fit into certain expectations or societal roles. At the end of each day, ultimately, I am who I am and there’s nothing you can do or say to change me, for I am proud of being simply†¦me!

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Social Class And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work - 1161 Words

This country’s education system was built on the back of meritocracy and was created to function as an objective measure of a child’s performance and their intelligence. It was the gateway to the American Dream, and provided everyone with an equal chance of success in America. It was a place of not only intellectual, but also personal growth. In her essay â€Å"From Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work,† Anyon argues that this is no longer the case. Anyon’s study concludes that from the fifth grade, students in poorer communities are groomed to succeed in low-class, blue collar jobs, while children in wealthy communities are prepared for more desirable careers. Anyon analyzes four different types of schools that all varied based on†¦show more content†¦She goes on to explain how she will attempt to investigate the issue. Anyon’s use of credible background information within her thesis paragraph demonstrates a successful use of log os as she takes her audience on a tour of her thought process and how she came to investigate this issue. She continues on to warn her audience that her article â€Å"offers tentative empirical support (and qualification) of the above argument by providing illustrative examples of differences in student work in classrooms† (Anyon 138). In comparison to Kendall’s opening paragraph, Anyon clarifies that her study offers â€Å"tentative empirical support,† and does not make any outlandish leaps or conclusions. While Kendall chooses to draw her audience in by utilizing pathos, Anyon relies on logos and her well-conducted study to strengthen her ethos. Similar to Kendall, Anyon attempts to prove that meritocracy is no longer at work in America’s public education system. In schools where â€Å"the majority of the fathers are in unskilled or semiskilled jobs† like â€Å"platform, storeroom and stockroom workers,† the â€Å"work is following the st eps of a procedure† (Anyon 140). Anyon points out this coincidence, but does not validate it. She simply describes how the procedures are â€Å"usually mechanical, involving rote behavior and very little decision making or choice,† almost like working in a factory. In fact, she states that the work is â€Å"evaluated not according to whether it is right or wrong but according to whether theShow MoreRelatedSocial Class And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work960 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferent social-class. In the article â€Å"Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work† Jean Anyon states, â€Å"In the two working-class schools, work is following the steps of a procedure. The teacher rarely explains why the work is being assigned and how it might connect to other assignments† (2). Students are not taught to think for themselves. They are taught to follow their parent’s footsteps into the work force as very low skilled workers. Compared to the students in the capitalist class where theyRead MoreSocial Class And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work By Jean Anyon1447 Words   |  6 PagesIn the article â€Å"From Social Class to the Hidden Curriculum of Work,† written by Jean Anyon, he argues that the working-class and affluent communities both receive a learning-based education, the working-class lacks the fundamentals. Supporting this claim is Diane Ravitch in â€Å"The Essentials of a Good education† stating affluent communities provide classes beyond the essentials, including extra-curricular classes and activities with well-equipped material for their children to obtain. ContrastivelyRead MoreSocial Class And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work By Jean Anyon1247 Words   |  5 PagesIn the article â€Å"Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work† by Jean Anyon. She argues that there is a serious gap in quality and level of education in the public school system. The gap widens as you progress up from working class to middle class and on through affluent professional to executive elite. Based on her research I would have to agree with her. Anyons research revealed that the working class students are not given the same opportunities to learn as students in the other classes. WhetherRead MoreJean Anyon s Social Class And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work1245 Words   |  5 PagesJean Anyon’s â€Å"Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work† What does social class mean? Social class means a division of a society based on social and economic status. Now, what does hidden curriculum mean? Hidden Curriculum means a side effect of education, such as norms, values and beliefs in the classroom. Accordingly, Jean Anyon’s, author of â€Å"Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work† claims that each and every social class has it’s own very different way of teaching in schools. AnyonRead MoreAnalysis Of Jean Anyons Social Class And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work1369 Words   |  6 PagesSocial class is based on the relationship one has to the elements of society, and as children in the American education system grow and develop, it is a plausible query that these education systems might be the starting point to where social class based relationships such as people, ownership, and productive activity are fostered. In social activist and American professor Jean Anyon’s essay â€Å"Social Class and t he Hidden Curriculum of Work†, the relation to social class and the established cycle ofRead MoreAnalysis Of Social Class And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work By Jean Anyon1167 Words   |  5 PagesA Specific Social Classes Jean Ayon is a professor of educational policy, an American critical thinker, and a researcher in education. She works on race and class in urban education and is a social activist. In her article â€Å"Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work† she uses research from elementary schools that contrast in social class to try and understand if social class is the dictating factor that decides the future careers of children. Anyon examines the role of social class in educationRead More Social Class and Quality of Education Essay1197 Words   |  5 PagesOne of the concerns regarding social justice in education is that there are marginalised groups within society do not having equal access to the learning and life opportunities that they deserve. The concept of social justice stresses that every individual within society is entitled to have equal rights and opportunities. This means that an individual from a lower class background deserves the same opportunities as a person f rom a wealthier background. It is about becoming aware and recognising thatRead MoreClass And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work987 Words   |  4 PagesIn the article â€Å"Class in America,† Gregory Mantsios identifies the social classes in America as well as the growing gaps between them. He explains how people who are born in already wealthy families are well educated and take advantage of opportunities. He claims that people in the lower class are not given a chance to succeed and it is even more difficult for the minorities. Mantsios’ article relates well to Anyon’s â€Å"Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work.† Anyon attempts to find evidenceRead MoreEducation, Change, and Society1305 Words   |  6 PagesEDUCATION, CHANGE AND SOCIETY ASSIGNMENT 2 – ESSAY Success, achievement and participation at school are not simply a matter of intelligence or ability. Discuss this statement with reference to the concepts of cultural capital, hidden curriculum, class and socioeconomic status. Since the beginning of education there have been many forms, which have been passed on from one generation to the next. Over the years education has evolved and is now seen as the education system all over the world. Read MoreThe Problem Of Poverty Stricken Schools1257 Words   |  6 Pagesbook as â€Å"the process through which academic, social and cultural ideas and tools, both general and specific, are developed† (Conley 497). In America children and young adults get an education through schools, either public or private. The focus of this paper will be on the public school system, but mainly the lower class public schools. Many problems with schools can be traced back to social concepts such as social values and norms. The hidden curriculum being taught in schools plays a part as well