Feb 15
Recently I read an article that told the story of a former child soldier who fought in the civil war in Burundi. The story recounted his tale and brushed on his use of narcotics as a means to escape his memories of the war. As I read this I could not help thinking; this man …
Feb 14
How do political campaigns influence voting turnout? During electoral periods, the average citizen is encouraged to vote and make a political decision. Media and government encourage us all to vote. I claim that media and politicians should not be the ones responsible for encouraging voting because their encouragement is inherently biased. When politicians encourage voting, …
Feb 13
Education has been an issue that I have touched upon time and time again, and many times I have mentioned the ill reputed No Child Left Behind law. The law, which was revamped under former President George W. Bush’s term, has left a bitter mark on teachers and schools across the nation. Thousands of teachers, …
Feb 09
American children face a new and exciting environment, especially in their preschools and elementary schools. The faces, languages, and cultures of children in our country are incredibly diversified, offering a huge opportunity for kids to learn about families that are different from theirs. In large part, this diversity is being embraced, as is evident with …
Feb 09
For many young people, listening to music while walking down the street has become a pretty common practice. Thousands of students on college campuses, as well as high school and middle school students, can be seen bopping about to their iPods or mp3 players. However, there is a major issue coming out of this new …
Feb 09
Immigration in the U.S. is a very hot topic that often gets simplified to one word: poverty. It can very well be that poverty is one of the key issues that has increased immigration trends to the U.S. However, it is often too easy to compile all the structural and political problems into one big …
Feb 08
The education system in Cambodia used to be the envy of most other Asian countries. Going as far back as the thirteenth century, Cambodians have valued knowledge and schooling and the power that they bring with them. In pre-revolutionary times, six levels of grade school existed, followed by four years of what would be the …
Feb 06
Khalil, a six year old in first grade, attends elementary school in Southeast D.C. We just finished reading The Little Engine That Could, and began discussing what it means to overcome obstacles and believe in oneself. Khalil is one of the sweetest kids I know, with overwhelming positivity and optimism for the future. He always …
Feb 03
Prosecuting human trafficking offenders in the United States is a difficult task at best as public policy does not always support the criminal justice system. Over the past ten years the United States implemented strong public policy measures to address human trafficking and implemented sentencing guidelines to punish traffickers. Prosecution is what I would call …
Jan 30
Phillip Parker grew up in Tennessee with a loving family and a supportive group of friends. He was upbeat and energetic throughout most of his childhood, and was respected by many. He was also openly gay. Unfortunately, with his confidence in being out of the closet came the consequence of bullying. To a number of …
