Violence Involving Weapons

The Board of Education has removed the principal of the troubled Martin Luther King Jr. High School after a spate of violence involving weapons at the school. Most recently, on Friday, a student sneaked a knife into the bustling five-story building and threatened another student. The removal of the principal, Ronald Williams Wells, came almost three weeks after a crush of students, teachers and administrators dashed from the building and for cover in classrooms when a man shot two students in what appeared to be a dispute over a girl. The school is at West 66th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, a block from Lincoln Center. On Friday, two students were arrested after one student displayed a folding knife during an argument. He passed it to a second student after security officers arrived to break up the fight. The first student sneaked the knife into the building by passing it inside a book bag through the school's weapons scanner. Martin Luther King school officials did not call th! e Board of Education until hours later, said Catie Marshall. The Board of Education requires school administrators to call the board's emergency information center immediately after such incidents. During an investigation into the timing of the report, Tony Sawyer, the Manhattan high school superintendent, removed Mr. Wells Ms. Marshall said. The New York Post first reported the dismissal yesterday. Mr. Wells has been replaced by Steve Gutman, a 36-year veteran of the system who retired in September but came back to the board at Mr. Sawyer's request. Mr. Wells's new assignment has not been announced. After the Jan. 5 shootings, Mr. Wells came under criticism for not being at work. He was on duty with the National Guard that day. Schools Chancellor Harold O. Levy, who toured the building after the shooting, found that some people who were not enrolled in courses were carrying photo identification cards. The school has had its share of trouble in the nearly three decades since it opened. Efforts to improve the curriculum have faltered, and principals have quit. Next year, the school – which is large, with about 3,000 students – will be divided into two smaller academies. The removal of a principal cannot be seen as having fixed the problem,† said C. Virginia Fields, the Manhattan borough president, who is a member of the task force working to phase out the old school. â€Å"There is much work to be done. We need to address safety and security, as well as other concerns that have been raised, including academics and student selection. † My opinion on the whole thing is that the school made the right decision to remove the princible from the school. For one reason what if something happened again like Columbine. That would not be good.

Social Aspects of Nation Building in Myanmar Essay

Social Aspects of Nation Building in Myanmar - Essay Example The weekly schedule will be carried out as follows:   According to Reid1 nation building and state, nationalism is of greater importance after the end of colonial rule. The Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League (AFPFL) took power in 1948 as an alliance of several factions.2 It was formed with an aim of ending colonial rule (Hlaing 2008)   The introduction of socialism created a socialist economy in which capitalist enrichment and exploitation of the underprivileged was impossible.3 Socialism would, in this case, enhance national unity (Steinberg 1982)   Myanmar was founded as a secular state but Buddhism came to play an important role in nation building after 1948 (Smith 1965). Nu the first Prime minister encouraged the appeal of Buddhism as a unifying national ideology.4   In 1962, Ne Win staged a coup d’à ©tat and took over power. The military considered the takeover necessary since the Union Government â€Å"†¦represented the interests of feudal elements; exploiting landlords; national and foreign capitalists; bureaucrats†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 5 The military, therefore, took over governance with an intention to restore unity and equality among the people. Nash, Manning. â€Å"Buddhist Revitalisation in the Nation State: The Burmese Experience.† In Religion and Change in Contemporary Asia, edited by Robert F.Spencer.

Gender Differences and Similarities between the United States and Term Paper

Gender Differences and Similarities between the United States and Afghanistan - Term Paper Example The society in the US has undergone great transformation overtime while that of Afghanistan has resisted the forces of globalization with small changes taking place over time1. This term paper focuses on the gender differences and similarities between the United States and Afghanistan. Most of the differences between these two nations are founded on the differences between the traditional customary practices in Afghanistan and the modern setting of the American society. As a result, there exist many differences between the gender roles in both countries than similarities. Gender Differences and Similarities between the United States and Afghanistan There have been consistent principles in the Afghanistan society in matters concerning gender role. The principles reveal differences between genders in regards to the roles of the women and men in the society. On the other side, in US, there exist differences between the both genders and there are limited differences between the roles pla yed by men and women. Gender reforms have continued in US overtime, and are supported by most of the citizens. Contrary, in Afghanistan gender reforms have been limited despite the existence of contentious issues that need to be changed2. Since American gained independence in 1776, the gender reforms have continued to be implemented and the reforms are geared towards guarantying gender equality. In Afghanistan, the gender reforms that have faced great resistance, and are responsible for the 1929 fall of King Amanullah for his support of gender reforms3. The differences and similarities between the two distinct societies are displayed by the society level of transformation, acceptance, or rejection of change. The governments in the two nations have also played a critical role in the differences and similarities. Whereas the US is a democratic federal presidential constitutional republic, the Afghanistan has recently adopted a democratic government; in 2004, and the gender reforms are still underway but in a slow rate. More so, the number of major political parties in Afghanistan is nine whereas in US, they are two major parties. The number of political parties reveals the degree of democracy and the ease with which the government can make and implement policies. Similarities between the men and women in the United States and Afghanistan Despites resistance by some individuals who are non-reformist, a number of the Afghanistan women along with those of American origin have been allowed by their respective constitutions to serve in the public offices. However, those of Afghan origin are few because it comprises only those in the urban centers and can have access to higher education. More so, the Afghanistan education system mostly encourages education of the boy child. Majority of the American women have equal education and employment opportunity as the men. Many of the women work in senior public and private positions. Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, and Condoleez za Rice are among the most senior women public servants in the US history. In Afghanistan, very few women serve in senior government positions since most are not sufficiently educated and the educated are discriminated by the male dominated society4. Irrespective of that fact, reforms are taking place and it is expected that the effective equal employment opportunity for all gender will be achieved in the future. In reference to their

Sexually Transmitted Infections Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sexually Transmitted Infections - Essay Example Treatment is with azithromycin (single, 1g dose) or doxycycline (100mg twice daily for a week). A possible complication includes pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This may lead to chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility. Treponema Pallidum and Neisseria Gonorrhoeae are both infections caused by a bacterium. While the infection with T. Pallidium (syphilis) manifests in the form of painless ulcers on the sites of infection, infection with N. Gonorrhoea (gonorrhea) presents in the form of painful urination, bleeding between periods and discharge from the vagina in women and discharge from the penis and painful, swollen testicles in men. Both infections may be passed from mother to baby. Syphilis may cause anomalies in babies (Syphilis, 2006). Both are diagnosed by detecting the bacterium in scrapings and samples. Syphilis may be diagnosed by detecting antibodies too. Both are treated with antibiotics. Both organisms can pass through blood to other organs. Complications of syphilis mainly involve the cardiovascular system and brain. Gonorrhoea causes PID. This in turn may lead to chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility. Both infections make the sufferer more susceptible to acquire HIV and if not treated, both may lead to death. I will explain that HSV

Nursing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Nursing - Research Paper Example The stages of change can be accounted for by using the following measures or constructs: decisional balance and self-efficacy or temptations. The former construct mirrors the person’s reflection of the advantages and disadvantages of the behavior (â€Å"Transtheoretical Model,† n.d.). It involves grouping together different categories of pros and cons, and deliberating which among the two groups is deemed more important. Plotting of the results in a line graph will demonstrate that the perceived value of a pro or a con will have changed over time, depending on the stage of change that the person is at. The self-efficacy, or temptation, construct on the other hand, depicts the co-worker’s confidence to cope with the stresses associated with the behavioral change; or the temptation to fall back to old habits (â€Å"Transtheoretical Model,† n.d.). When plotted in a graph, data will show that self-efficacy increases, while temptation decreases, as the person p rogresses through the succeeding stages of change. By using this model, change of habits and behaviors will be more effective since change is voluntary. Theory of Reasoned Action and Theory of Planned Behavior The Theory of Reasoned Action proposes that â€Å"...the immediate determinant of behavior is intention...† (Kohler, Grimley, & Reynolds, 1999, p. 25). ... Subjective norm, on the other hand, is influenced by the approval or disapproval of the behavior by people important to the person. If washing hands gain a seal of approval from a child’s mother, then the child will have the strong intent to perform the act. A new modification of the aforementioned theory is the Theory of Planned Behavior; it adds an additional factor--perceived behavioral control, to the list that influences behavioral intention (Kohler, Grimley, & Reynolds, 1999, p. 27). Perceived behavioral control refers to the person’s perception of the barriers and resources that can aid or impede the performance of the behavior. Perceived difficulties can have a negative effect on intention, whereas resources can induce a positive effect. By employing these theories in the prevention of infection in the health care setting, the nurse will be able to identify the different beliefs that affect practices in infection control; and educate proper techniques, as well a s correct false notions, so as to focus behavioral intention on proper infection-prevention activities. The most encouraging messages are those that highlight the decline of incidence of infection, as well as the assurance of protection from harm (Kohler, Grimley, & Reynolds, 1999, p. 28). Use of Katharine Kolcaba’s Theory of Comfort The foundation of nursing practice, hence nursing theories, came into being in the late 1950s. Before this time, theories applied in nursing were borrowed from other disciplines. In order to affirm its relevance as a profession and to couple nursing art with evidence-based practice, a set of theories were established to support and prove the practicability, as well as the applicability of different nursing interventions. The

Building Accommodation for Horses, Sheep and Laying Hens Essay

Building Accommodation for Horses, Sheep and Laying Hens - Essay Example It is a vital skill for farmers and, in some countries, a form of art. Other countries have strict laws on the qualifications needed to treat animals and ensure that scientific methods are used to care for them. The science of animal husbandry, called animal science teaches us to care for the animals in relationship of their nutrition, habitation and reproductive physiology. Historically, certain sub-professions within the field of animal husbandry are specifically named according to the animals that are cared for. The common features of these animals are measured from their utility point of view. Horses are mainly used for aristocratic sports in modern times. Sheep cater the need of our clothing as well as meat and indigenous milk. Similarly domestic; no mechanized hens give us natural egg and meat. They all supply chemical free natural manure to grow vegetation when reared in a single sight. They need enough air through ventilation, adequate food management, water and other medical care in the farm. Frequent grazing in the wilder pesture land for both horses and the sheep yield natural ambience of their development each horse need at least ten by two metre space for their housing with enclosed food stock. A domestic hen needs minimum of two square feet area with hey ricks for living and similar area for laying eggs and hatching. They need to be taken care from reptiles and cats through adequate fencing. An Ideal site of accommodation of Horses, sheep and Hens surrounded by open areas Partitioned storied baskets for hens to live in The half walled with light grilled airy home of the 500 laying hens in the common nestle Stable of 50 horses in individual rooms of half walled accommodation with separate doors for each through the out side walls There are contrasting views on the ethical aspects of breeding animals in captivity, with one debate being in relation to the merits of allowing animals to live in natural conditions reasonably close to those of their wild ancestors, compared to the view that considers natural pressures and stresses upon wild animals vindication for captive breeding. The production of livestock industry has been practiced for centuries but is controlled by legislation today. Animal rights groups are playing vital role in the protection, welfare and conservation of the ever needed friends of humans HORSE BREEDING Horse breeding refers to reproduction in horses and particularly the human-directed process of planned mating of animals. While feral and wild horses breed successfully without human assistance, it can be beneficial to domesticated horses. Humans can increase the chances of conception, a successful pregnancy, and successful foaling. The male parent of a horse, a stallion, is commonly known as the sire and the female parent, the mare is called the dame. Both are genetically important, as each parent provides 50% of the genetic makeup of the ensuing offspring, called a foal. The word "colt" refers to a young male horse only; "filly" is a young female. Though many amateur horse owners may simply breed a family mare to a local stallion in order to produce a companion animal, most professional

Sociology Asian Family Essay Example for Free

Sociology Asian Family Essay Myths about the Family Ever since the 1950s to this day, common discourse regarding the family, especially in the United States, has been based on Talcott Parsons’ (Parsons Bales, 1955) functionalism views. According to Parsons, the contemporary family form is the nuclear family composed of a breadwinner husband and a homemaker wife with their children. This particular family form emerged as a result of modernization and industrialization and displaced the extended family. This contemporary nuclear family is unctional in that the breadwinner provides for the instrumental needs of the family unit (food and shelter as well as other material needs) whereas the housewife provides for the expressive needs of the family unit (affective and emotional needs as well as socialization). As long as individuals perform their instrumental or expressive roles, the family is a functional unit that contributes to the stability of society as a whole. This gendered division of labor is therefore viewed as essential for the harmonious and orderly functioning of society. This view of the family is also called the male breadwinner model. This theoretical view became the dominant way of examining the family and family life and any deviation from the male breadwinner model is usually labeled a dysfunctional deviation. This is especially the case in the United States where Talcott Parsons’ brand of functionalism dominated social research until the 1960s. Social policies regarding the family are still designed with an eye to what is now considered the â€Å"traditional family,† such as policies encouraging single mothers to marry in order to get out of poverty through the re-creation of an intact nuclear family. Moreover, this model was not only generalized in the United States, it became the prism through which families around the world were seen as well. This view was especially promoted by William Goode (1963). In line with modernization theory, Goode postulated that as countries develop, extended families would be discarded to be replaced by the functional nuclear family, essential to modern society. The major problem with these functionalist views is that they are ideologies rather than derived from observable realities. The so-called traditional family, defined as the male breadwinner model, was an exceptional occurrence in the Western world after the Second World War, and it lasted only a few decades. In this sense, it is a socially invented tradition. Moreover, one of the main functions of ideologies is to maintain the status quo, thereby preserving privileges and maintaining oppressive social mechanisms. In this case, of course, the functional ideal is based on relegating women to the domestic sphere while proclaiming at the same time that expressive roles come more naturally to women and instrument roles more naturally to men. We have already examined how gender roles are socially constructed in our chapter on gender stratification. Also, the male breadwinner model of the family was only available to certain social classes (upper middle and above) as well as to the dominant racial group (whites). Finally, this ideological view of the family ignores cultural variations in family structures as well as the impact of changing socio-economic structures. This is what we turn to now. Family Systems Further evidence of the misleading and ideological nature of the functionalist the breadwinner model of the family is revealed by the variations in family structures across the globe. Using worldwide data, sociologist Goran Therborn (2004) identifies seven family systems, each with their specific regional social and cultural characteristics. According to Therborn, these different family systems do not have dynamics of their own but change based on external factors, such as modernization and globalization. Their inherent characteristics then make them more receptive or resistant to social change. * Sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa (map source) comprises all the countries south of the Sahara desert and that are not considered part of North Africa. As previously mentioned, European colonization had a strong impact of African family structures. Nevertheless, the African family was always strongly based on kinship ties. Depending on the regions, the family structure may patrilineal or matrilineal but in any cases, male relatives exercise authority. According to Therborn (2004), a specific African norm is that of substitutability: in the context of mass polygyny, if a wife does not bear heirs or simply becomes undesirable to the lineage, she can be easily replaced or substituted by the husband taking another wife. Similarly, if a husband dies, he can be replaced by his brother. Another norm that involves fluidity in kinship structure is the mass practice of fostering, lending and borrowing children among kin when necessity demands it. This practice also underlines the idea that individuals belong to a wide kinship network and not a narrow-based family structure. * East Asia The East Asian family system (map source) includes Mongolia, China and Japan. The Chinese society is still dominated by Confucian beliefs. Such beliefs involve a concern for social order and stability through the subordination of individual wishes to collective and familial interests. Central to the Confucian view is the notion of filial piety, that is, the respect for elders as pillars of childrearing. In other words, the typical Chinese family is a strongly patriarchal and hierarchical arrangement based on the three rules of obedience: a daughter obeys her father, a married woman her husband, and a widow her son (Chen and He, 2005). As part of the collective outlook based on Confucianism, there are still a considerable number of households comprising three generations based on patrilineality (parents of the husband, husband and wife, and usually, one child). There is a strong emphasis on family interdependence which maintains the divorce rate at a low level. These traditional patterns are mixed, and sometimes conflict, with the Communist regime’s law mandating equality between men and women as well as with the rapid urbanization and modernization of the Chinese society and the import of western influence on intimate relationships. South Asia The South Asian family pattern (map source) – geographically including countries such as India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Burma – involves high fertility as well as extended family networks as well as strong religious influence (Laungani, 2005). Although not all family members live under the same roof, the Indian family system is extended in the sense that most social relationships and decisions take place within the network of relatives in the context of mostly Hindu religious norms. For instance, in India, the sacred nature of marriage creates a low divorce rate based on the economic and financial dependence of women as well as the strong social stigma associated with divorce, especially for women. The Indian family system is therefore strongly patriarchal supported by strong social norms that may cover up dreadful domestic situations. The Indian family is strictly hierarchical along age and gender lines. The caste system is still pervasive so that endogamy is still the norm, especially in rural areas (over 70% of Indians still live in villages). In order to preserve such endogamy, arranged marriages are still practiced whereby marriages are negotiated between the parents of the potential husband and wife. As with other family systems, the impact of globalization and the massive urbanization has strongly impacted the traditional South Asian system. * West Asia / North Africa The West Asia – North Africa system (map source) covers countries such as Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt in Africa, as well as the Middle East in Asia. This is the area commonly called the Muslim world because this is where Islam seems to exercise the most influence. In this system as well, collective family interests take precedence over personal preferences. Moreover, the concept of family honor is particularly strong. The behavior of each individual in a family reflects on the family honor and its standing in the community. It is in this family system that we find the practice of honor killing: the murder of female family members who are seen as having shamed the family and tarnished its honor, by being raped for instance or by not conforming to the dictates of family, tradition or religion. The fact that the victims of honor killings are women is another indicator of the extreme patriarchal nature of this family system which is centered on the strict control over the sexuality of women. This control can take the form of body cover, such as veiling, or of seclusion, whereby women are not allowed to interact with other men except under very restrictive conditions. This system also emphasizes high fertility with a strong preference for boys, especially in rural areas. The value of a woman is often based on her virginity prior to marriage and her fertility once married. Southeast Asia The Southeast Asian system (map source) – which includes countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Malaysia – enjoys religious diversity that comprises Muslim and Confucian populations whose marital and sexual norms have been relaxed under Buddhist influence and Malay customs (Therborn, 2004). For instance, in parts of Indonesia, Muslims do not follow the usual patriarchal family patterns. On the contrary, they observe matrilinearity. However, the great ethnic diversity of the Indonesian population generates some degree of extended family-enforced endogamy. Decisions on who can marry whom are made collectively (Sarwono, 2005). Similarly, Indonesia has a strong family planning program that emphasizes smaller families and the health of women through education and improvements in quality of life thanks to reproductive health clinics. In this sense, the status of Indonesian women is very advanced compared to other non-western family systems even though Indonesia is a largely Muslim country. * Creole America The Creole American system originated in the European colonization of the Americas and the Caribbean (which includes countries such as Antigua, Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobaggo) and the development of the plantation economy largely based on slavery. This estate system of stratification involved a white European dominant culture with a patriarchal family system alongside black African, mulatto, and mestizo family patterns. The Creole family pattern is present throughout the Americas, including African American ghettos in the United States. According to Jaipaul Roopnarine et al. (2005), the Creole system in the  Caribbean is characterized by a large number of nonmarital unions where fathers and husbands are largely absent and women assume the most responsibility in childrearing. Such marital patterns come from the colonial economic system whereby African Caribbean men were forced to leave their families to work in mines or plantations. A value system developed whereby African masculinity was based on successive but temporary sexual relationships and motherhood became the utmost form of femininity. When men and women live together, it is usually in cohabiting or common law relationships that reproduce the traditional patriarchal division of labor. This family system is also characterized by child-shifting, that is, the passing of children to other relatives or acquaintances if the parents find themselves unable to take care of them. As a result, multiple women are involved in childhood socialization. * European And New World Settlements The Western European system and its New World Settlements (such as the United States and Canada, as well as some parts of Central and South America) has always been the least patriarchal of all family systems. Apart from the European monarchies and nobility where marriage was strictly family-controlled with limited individual choice, this system has been based on marriage by consent, supported by the Catholic Church (family pressure was not absent, to be sure, but it was not enshrined into the law). Neolocal pattern has prevented the practice of child marriage: newlyweds were expected to create their own household, something that required financial means. As a result, people tended to marry later and to decide on their own fertility within monogamous arrangements. The Western system is also the one characterized by dramatic changes over the past centuries, changes that are still going on today and define the contemporary supposed marriage and family â€Å"crisis. † Before industrialization, as in other parts of the world, marriage and family formation patterns were patriarchal and fulfilled economic (production) and political (alliance making) functions. With industrialization, families were stripped of these functions taken over by the market and the state. What were left to the families were emotional and social functions. This became known as the love-based male breadwinner model that persisted until the late 1960s. Since then, cultural and economic factors, such as increased women’s independence and entry into the workforce have shattered that model to replace it with a more egalitarian one, with a progressive acceptance of different family forms.