Its Time To Rethink Our Education Borders

The article below contains a very interesting proposal and I think its time that people start thinking outside the box about how things are done in CNY. Sadly, there are too many people unwilling to try something new and yet wonder why things don't get better. 

Reading through the comments on this article you begin to realize just how bigoted and closed minded people are, referring to students in the SCSD as "hood rats" and "hoodlums." As someone who graduated from the district I take serious offense to these depictions and also would like to point out that these are the type of people who don't take the time to do research and realize that what he proposes would in fact make a difference.

Over the last 20 years it has become clear, through deep research, that mixing income levels raises all boats, not just those of the disadvantaged. For those who comment saying that allowing city residents into suburban schools would increase problems and decrease the education level have not read the many reports pointing to the fact that low income students who have the ability to attend a better district tend to over perform, providing them a better opportunity to move up the economic ladder. This has been the guiding view of urban planners since the housing dispute in Yonkers in the 1990s. It has been repeated throughout the country, placing public housing in better neighborhoods and allowing for porous school district borders has only helped to improve neighborhoods, not reverse fortunes for those already succeeding. 

Will this proposal be enough? Probably not, but it at least starts a much needed discussion. The only problem that arises is that it would need the buy-in of the very same people who seem to look upon city residents as a lower class of citizen. These are the same people who want I-81 rebuilt, not understanding how it would further tear apart neighborhoods, leading to the same issues they constantly complain about, just to save 2 minutes on their commute. 

I guess what I am trying to say to those in the suburbs is: Understand that you can make a serious difference in our greater community by being open to change.

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Ask Questions On The Important Issues

As we approach January 20th I think its important to reflect on some of the challenges that lay ahead of us and that will challenge our new leader. I had the pleasure of meeting Malcolm Nance, an incredible intellect with vast experience and just a interesting person to converse with. He mentioned this encounter he had on Morning Joe months ago and how he's no longer welcome on the program, which you can see why. Joe Scarborough has long been a thorn in my side, a man who changes his opinion each day so he can point back to something and say he was right down the line.

Mr. Nance, a man with a deep understanding of our military tactics and challenges, does everything he can to explain how Scarborough is misinforming the public in a polite manner. We cannot have the someone like Scarborough misrepresenting his understanding of these serious challenges that we face. He claims to have spoken to agents who found actionable intel from torture, seemingly without realizing that Mr. Nance was the head of the department that trained our military in those techniques and how to respond when those techniques are performed on them. He's even had the unfortunate experience of being waterboarded himself, but that seems not to phase Scarborough in his righteous belief that he's right.

If that were not enough, he had Trump waiting on the line ready to come in once their conversation was over. This is not proper journalism, this is a man with an incredible ego aiding another egomaniac who will soon be our president regardless if it harms our understanding of national security.

I have not read Mr. Nance's book on ISIS, but after speaking with him and watching numerous interviews with him I plan to pick it up soon. I think its important as a citizen to inform yourself on these topics and go beyond the talking points of people like Joe Scarborough. Hopefully this inspires some people to take a look themselves.

She Is One With The Force, The Force Is With Her

Very few individuals, especially those living such a public life, have lived such an open life. She never shied away from tough subjects, including her own battle with bipolar disorder, embracing every inch of herself. She was one of the first to openly discuss the double standard of women in Hollywood, but using humor to her advantage. Outspoken in every way, creative beyond belief, there are few people who deserve to be remembered as Princess, probably the most badass princess in history at that. And to her I say, may the Force be with you.

Diners - America's Public Square

I've made my way through my fair share of New York diners, including the Metro that the writer so fondly describes, and diners in all sorts of cities. It's true, the diner is a place where people tend to feel at home. The amount of conversations I've had with complete strangers as I've traveled that sprung up in diners is amazing. It's where you really learn about a place and feel as though you belong there. In Cleveland we had a great conversation about the Indians and the odd quirks of a scoreboard; in Chicago we saw a couple people who spent the night a little too happy about a Cubs win; on my trips out west I always loved asking the servers what their favourite dishes were to get some hometown advice. I haven't yet, but one day hope to find the place that becomes my personal "third place," but I also hope that some of these diners can find a way to stick around until then. It might not be the fanciest fair, but it's the type of food our cities and towns are built on and where we all come together over some cheap eggs and bacon.

In recent years its been well discussed how technology brings us together in many different ways, and yet somehow draws us apart at the same time. We have online public squares, preaching our points to friends on Facebook or on our blogs, and yet we seem to miss each other. One place that has always seemed to bring out a personal conversation, big or small, has been at the diner. 

The home-away-from-home atmosphere that the best diners possess invites a sort of comfort that is unrivaled elsewhere. When you sit down in front of those comfort foods, you're not always surrounded by your carefully curated friends that reign supreme on your social media, but instead you're interacting with people from all walks of life. You talk to your server who may have grown up with their parents running this diner, or maybe they're new immigrants finding their first job. You talk to your neighbor on the counter who ordered something that looks absolutely delicious. These aren't people you've chosen to be in your life but at the same time they add something to it that may shape your view of the world.

With diners in some places disappearing, I think its time for us to really think about what we may be losing if this trend continues. I'm thankful for George Blecher for bringing this conversation to my attention and I hope to continue it.

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The Dangers of the Congress to Come

In Speaker Ryan's first official remarks since the election he began to list off all of the "accomplishments" that he looked forward to in the new administration. Every single one of them involved the not so slow destruction of our environment; pumping up coal mining, getting loggers back to work, weakening EPA standards on farmers, etc. This is the reality we now face, all of the environmental progress we made, though not perfect, is going to be gone. This is what the middle of America voted for.

Some will rightfully argue that Speaker Ryan was doing the job he was elected to do; fighting for what benefits his constituents, seeing as Wisconsin has a large logging community, farming network, and energy workers. What this view does not take into account is the fact that our representatives are also elected to make the difficult decisions, decisions that sometimes cause short term suffering for long term gain. Their concerns should never be focused on reelection, but instead on working towards the greater good.

When you begin to piece together the policies the new Congress and administration want to pass you begin to realize the future of our climate and planet come into question. The argument that humans do not affect climate change is unacceptable in this day and age, and yet we still pursue policies that laugh in the face of science. If this is the vision for our legislative future, it will hopefully trigger average citizens to finally get involved in the fight for the environment. If our legislators are concerned with reelection above all else, perhaps we make sure that they hear our voices on this matter.

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