2010 Elections

For this being a mid-term election (that is a year without the Presidential Election) there sure seems to be a tremendous amount of coverage and anxiety concerning the candidates, their views and the needs of the people.

We are in historic times in the United States and across the globe. We are faced with record unemployment, record home foreclosures, and crazy, polarized political campaigns, making this an important election for all of us.

The most pressing issues taking center stage are concerning the economy. The national unemployment rate has been around 9.5% for the past 14 months. This is the longest and deepest recession since the 1980's. Over six million Americans have been out of work for more than six months. While there are predictions the unemployment rate may reach as high as 10%, (that is one out of every 10 people, which means you know many of them...) there are few measures indicating a turnaround in the near future. Even though many in the media and politics claim the economy is turning around, it is my opinion, until the people are back to work, we are not out of the woods.

The crazy times have brought out the extremes in politics. The New York Gubernatorial debate received national attention due to the diverse candidates and the issues they are fighting for. One gentleman is running under the party affiliation of "The Rent is Too Damn High". Crazier still, he obtained the 15,000 signatures required to participate in the debate.

The Tea Party has furthermore stolen headlines and gained notoriety over the past months. Although true Tea Partiers deny affiliation with the Republican Party, a considerable number of the members describe themselves as conservative. Many would say the Tea Party is promoting the removal of everyone, democrat and republican, and abdicating a clean slate. (Think the American Revolution and the Boston Tea Party)

At every level you can see and hear candidates debate issues surrounding immigration, health care, social security, the size of government, and government bail outs. Whether you consider yourself a Democrat or Republican, Conservative or Liberal, a member of the Tea Party or the Green Party, this is an important election for our country, our state, and our communities.

What are the issues you think are the most important facing us today? What would you look for in a candidate that would earn your vote? How would you go about finding out about the candidates and where they stand on issues? Keep in mind, since you are all 12 years old, you will have the honor of voting in our next mid-term election in 2016. Oh, how time flies....

Chilean Miners

After 69 days beneath the Earth, 33 Chilean miners are in the process of being rescued. These miners have been trapped 2,300 feet below the surface since August 5th. The rescuers have finally completed the 28 inch hole extending half a mile into the ground to retrieve the survivors and hoist them to safety. The men will be rescued one at a time, each taking approximately 20 minutes to recover. During the extraction, engineers will be monitoring the stability of the walls of the evacuation tunnel.

The gold and silver mine collapsed on August 5th. Rescue workers immediately began to search for the missing 33 men. Any attempt to enter through the ventilation shaft proves to be dangerous. The rescuers are forced to drill 6 inch holes from surface to the area which they believe the men located. After 17 days, a drill hole finally reaches the victims. They attach two notes to the drill letting the world know they are safe and well.

Engineers reinforce the 6 inch hole to make certain no rock or debris come down on the men and they are able to use the passage to provide supplies. The hole becomes the only means of survival. They use the hole to send oxygen, food, water, medicine, communication, and to the delight of all, tooth brushes and beer. While staying alive was critical, they must now turn their attention to survival after the catastrophe.

The aftermath can often times be worse than the tragedy. The men have been in extremely close quarters for over two months. They have had limited ability to move, no sunlight, and little interaction with the outside world. What they did have was hope. Hope and faith in God and their rescuers would be comforting to the trapped victims. An entire team of people from all over the world, including NASA, submarine commanders, and survivors of previous catastrophes have made themselves available to the miners to help them transition back into the world.

What would help you survive if you were in this situation? What does their survival tell you about the strength of the human spirit? What does the willingness of others to help in the transition tell you about the importance of caring for your neighbor?

National Bullying Prevention Month

Bullying is a problem. It has gained a tremendous amount of attention over the past years and months. We have heard, seen, or read of horrific acts of bullying, whether through face to face contact, email and Facebook, or spreading rumors. These despicable acts have at times resulted in senseless acts of violence committed against oneself or one's neighbor.

October has been given the honor of being National Bullying Prevention Month. This is the fifth year in a row PACER has promoted bullying prevention education and awareness. This year prominent organizations, including Facebook and Yahoo!, as well as distinguished celebrities such as Demi Lovato and Ellen DeGeneres, have joined the cause to raise awareness and encourage prevention.

Each day more than 160,000 students stay home from school due to the fear of being bullied. No one should have to go to school scared. While we may seem to live in a sheltered environment, we would be remiss to assume acts of bullying could not exist at our school or within our city.

Below are links to websites to provide you with additional bullying prevention information and what you can do in our school and community to put an end to bullying. The sites define what is bullying, explain why kids bully, and provide resources to help if you are bullied or witness bullying.

TeensAgainstBullying.org

StopBullyingNow.hrsa.gov

Please use these sites to help you answer the following questions.

Are there actions we should take at school to raise awareness and prevent bullying? How should you handle a situation where you saw someone being bullied? What are some steps we can take to encourage acceptance and tolerance at school and in our community?