The Lone Star State boasts the sixth-highest number of minimum wage workers and the second-lowest wage rate for hourly workers. The 287,000 minimum wage workers in Texas live closer to the brink of poverty than a living age. It's time for Texas to raise the minimum wage to protect workers and ensure that they live a life without poverty. I completely agree with one of my colleague's blog "TEXAS SHOULD RAISE ITS MINIMUM WAGE."
Free market crusader and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott argues a minimum wage hike would kill Texan jobs. According to me, moderate raises in the minimum wage have no adverse effect on employment or worker hours. In fact, states that raised the minimum wage in 2014 actually saw faster job creation than states that kept their wage flat. Moreover, a living wage of $10.10 would directly impact almost 2 million Texans and provide a $ 3.1 billion boosts to the state's GDP.
Ultimately, a minimum wage raise would target the poorest families, alleviate the burdens of high rent, reduce the cost of government welfare programs, garner bipartisan support among Texans, improve education outcomes, and reduce the consumption of nutrition-poor food. Thus, by raising minimum wage, Texas could get benefit and workers might get out of poverty living a better life.
Friday, May 12, 2017
Friday, April 28, 2017
Blog #7: Texas needs a child care quality rating system
Many Texans watched in horror on their smartphones, Facebook feeds or local news this past week a video of a Plano child care provider carelessly tossing and pushing toddlers under her supervision. The video was disturbing and it raises a huge question to every parent that how could actions like this happen at a licensed child care center? One thing is clear from the video that parents as consumers need and deserve a guide on how to recognize and find quality child care.
Decades ago, child care became a national need, and licensed child care business flourished, as did women in the workforce. Child care may have begun as a support for working parents, but today, early care and education is much more. Brain scientists, researchers, educators, and even economists agree: The first five years of children's lives have the tremendous impact. Quality child care must fundamentally ensure a child is safe from harm while outside of parent's direct care and supervision. However, quality child care can do much more. Children's early experiences impact the developing brain and their future academic success. Quality child care fundamentally supports a growing child and his or her health. Warm relationships with an adult caregiver guide the young child toward developing strong emotional bonds and social-emotional skills. And as we've all heard, quality early education and care is foundational to a child's school readiness.
Quality child care, however, is not easy to find. Many parents are not sure what to look for and can be overly impressed with buildings and sales materials vs. analyzing the stuff that matters. Now, 48 states have child care quality rating system available for all licensed child care facilities. Sadly, Texas is not one of them.
Texas does have the rating system for child care, but its reach is only to child care programs that accept state-funded subsidies. Without a reliable star rating to communicate the quality of child care program, parents are left as uninformed consumers. We can do better. It's time for Texas to better inform the parents. Parents deserve a simple way to identify quality child care in our communities. It's time to expand the current Texas Rising Star child rating and quality improvement system to include all licensed child care.
Decades ago, child care became a national need, and licensed child care business flourished, as did women in the workforce. Child care may have begun as a support for working parents, but today, early care and education is much more. Brain scientists, researchers, educators, and even economists agree: The first five years of children's lives have the tremendous impact. Quality child care must fundamentally ensure a child is safe from harm while outside of parent's direct care and supervision. However, quality child care can do much more. Children's early experiences impact the developing brain and their future academic success. Quality child care fundamentally supports a growing child and his or her health. Warm relationships with an adult caregiver guide the young child toward developing strong emotional bonds and social-emotional skills. And as we've all heard, quality early education and care is foundational to a child's school readiness.
Quality child care, however, is not easy to find. Many parents are not sure what to look for and can be overly impressed with buildings and sales materials vs. analyzing the stuff that matters. Now, 48 states have child care quality rating system available for all licensed child care facilities. Sadly, Texas is not one of them.
Texas does have the rating system for child care, but its reach is only to child care programs that accept state-funded subsidies. Without a reliable star rating to communicate the quality of child care program, parents are left as uninformed consumers. We can do better. It's time for Texas to better inform the parents. Parents deserve a simple way to identify quality child care in our communities. It's time to expand the current Texas Rising Star child rating and quality improvement system to include all licensed child care.
Friday, April 14, 2017
Blog #6: Comment on a colleague's work.
Texas allows college students to carry guns on campus, which means they can carry packing handguns with the textbooks into their classrooms. It sounds so terrific to me. Being a college student myself, I am against this law and I completely agree with one of my colleague's blog "Texas SHOULD NOT Allow Guns On College Campuses." I agree with her saying, "Someone carrying a gun could easily think someone is trying to harm them, and possibly shoot them in a matter of "self-defence" when the victim was innocent all along." As it takes no time in pulling a trigger instead of going through the effort of holding a knife to stab someone when the victim can still defend themselves.
Although, the people of the United States agree with the idea of keeping guns with them as they can defend themselves when they confront a violent person. I personally do not find it right to allow people keeping a concealed weapon especially the college students on campus. Colleges are emotionally volatile environment and allowing guns on campus turns classroom debates into the crime scenes. I think the gun on college campuses distract the learning environment and brings an air to the campus that you don't feel safe and you feel that you always have to be protected. In addition, colleges are too crowded to safely allow the carry of concealed weapons as any dangerous person might jump someone who is carrying a gun, take his gun, and use it to do harm. As our constitution allows ownership of guns, it's not easy to remove the guns. However, we can definitely slow the usage of it by using a pepper spray or a police baton as an alternative in the matter of self-defence.
Therefore, I completely agree with my colleague's blog and definitely, Texas should change the law soon making the college environment free from the fear of guns.
Although, the people of the United States agree with the idea of keeping guns with them as they can defend themselves when they confront a violent person. I personally do not find it right to allow people keeping a concealed weapon especially the college students on campus. Colleges are emotionally volatile environment and allowing guns on campus turns classroom debates into the crime scenes. I think the gun on college campuses distract the learning environment and brings an air to the campus that you don't feel safe and you feel that you always have to be protected. In addition, colleges are too crowded to safely allow the carry of concealed weapons as any dangerous person might jump someone who is carrying a gun, take his gun, and use it to do harm. As our constitution allows ownership of guns, it's not easy to remove the guns. However, we can definitely slow the usage of it by using a pepper spray or a police baton as an alternative in the matter of self-defence.
Therefore, I completely agree with my colleague's blog and definitely, Texas should change the law soon making the college environment free from the fear of guns.
Friday, March 31, 2017
STOP Separating Children From Their Moms.
Recent news reports have indicated that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is considering causing children psychological harm as a strategy to curb illegal immigration from Central America. It is contemplating separating mothers and children who cross the border without authorization. Regardless of whether this practice becomes official policy, it is already happening in
Texas.
Texas immigration advocates have recently noted cases of mothers who have their children sent to detention facilities 300 miles away from them. Even though family detention centers have the capacity for more families, children are being taken from their mothers at the border and bused to different locations. Mothers have no means of contacting their children or knowing about their safety. I think ripping children from their mother's arms and sending them to separate detention facilities is not a deterrent. Separating mothers from their children is inhumane and has not, and will not, deter unauthorized entry into our country.
Since 2011, the U.S. has seen a dramatic increase in arrivals of Central American immigrant women and their children. During the past two years, our government apprehended more than 100,000 immigrant families, primarily Central American women traveling with their children. So, it is clear from the above information that the number of women entering the United States with their children without any authorized documents has been increased. However, the prime motivation of women's to migrate U.S. are often tied to poverty, violence, and persecution in their home countries. I don't think any parent would ever do that journey with their kids unless the danger at home was so severe that they had no choice. So, crossing the border is often a decision of last resort as they search of safety and refuge.
Separating children from their mothers erodes mental health and disrupts attachment, dynamics that may persist even after families are reunified. I completely agree with our President's decision of preventing illegal immigrants entering our country. But I think this policy is not an appropriate way to handle this issue. Instead, women and their children should be released to the community together, where they can proceed with the process of applying for asylum without having taxpayers foot the bill for detaining them and without their children experiencing any kind of harm.
Texas.
Texas immigration advocates have recently noted cases of mothers who have their children sent to detention facilities 300 miles away from them. Even though family detention centers have the capacity for more families, children are being taken from their mothers at the border and bused to different locations. Mothers have no means of contacting their children or knowing about their safety. I think ripping children from their mother's arms and sending them to separate detention facilities is not a deterrent. Separating mothers from their children is inhumane and has not, and will not, deter unauthorized entry into our country.
Since 2011, the U.S. has seen a dramatic increase in arrivals of Central American immigrant women and their children. During the past two years, our government apprehended more than 100,000 immigrant families, primarily Central American women traveling with their children. So, it is clear from the above information that the number of women entering the United States with their children without any authorized documents has been increased. However, the prime motivation of women's to migrate U.S. are often tied to poverty, violence, and persecution in their home countries. I don't think any parent would ever do that journey with their kids unless the danger at home was so severe that they had no choice. So, crossing the border is often a decision of last resort as they search of safety and refuge.
Separating children from their mothers erodes mental health and disrupts attachment, dynamics that may persist even after families are reunified. I completely agree with our President's decision of preventing illegal immigrants entering our country. But I think this policy is not an appropriate way to handle this issue. Instead, women and their children should be released to the community together, where they can proceed with the process of applying for asylum without having taxpayers foot the bill for detaining them and without their children experiencing any kind of harm.
Friday, March 10, 2017
Blog Stage Four: Substantial commentary or criticism #2
"I dare you to eat that!" is one of the old schoolyard taunt heard by the students. Texas schools will start putting a new, more positive spin on this old schoolyard taunt. March 6th marks the start of National School Breakfast Week, and this year's theme is "Take the School Breakfast Challenge." The article "Commentary: School Breakfast: The Most Important Meal in Texas" by Bob Sanborn and Alayna Sublette published in Austin American Statesman shows the importance of healthy meal in child's development. The article says that there is still much work to do as not all schools in Texas are utilizing best practices. It has been noted that every one in four child is food insecure in Texas, meaning that the only meals these kids might receive are those provided by their school.
In 2013, the Texas legislature passed Senate Bill 376, requiring school districts with 80 percent or more students eligible for free or reduced-price meals to offer free breakfast to all students. The Bill was passed to reduce food insecurity, while also supporting Texas farmers and agriculture. The effects have been tremendous, but again, not all districts are taking advantage of the available resources. The authors suggests that to overcome this situation, school districts must do more than passively offer breakfast; they must be proactive. Through better implementation methods and interactive events like National School Breakfast Week, Texas school districts can help us get one step closer to eradicating food insecurity among Texas children.
Ultimately, I completely agree with the article as research has proven that kids who aren't distracted by hunger do better in school and, unsurprisingly, are less disruptive in class. I think a healthy breakfast is not something we should support one week out of the year, every child needs breakfast everyday. It's just like our mom saying: Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.
In 2013, the Texas legislature passed Senate Bill 376, requiring school districts with 80 percent or more students eligible for free or reduced-price meals to offer free breakfast to all students. The Bill was passed to reduce food insecurity, while also supporting Texas farmers and agriculture. The effects have been tremendous, but again, not all districts are taking advantage of the available resources. The authors suggests that to overcome this situation, school districts must do more than passively offer breakfast; they must be proactive. Through better implementation methods and interactive events like National School Breakfast Week, Texas school districts can help us get one step closer to eradicating food insecurity among Texas children.
Ultimately, I completely agree with the article as research has proven that kids who aren't distracted by hunger do better in school and, unsurprisingly, are less disruptive in class. I think a healthy breakfast is not something we should support one week out of the year, every child needs breakfast everyday. It's just like our mom saying: Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Blog Stage Three: Substantial commentary or criticism #1
As we all know, Texas is one of the U.S. state having highest teenage pregnancy rate and nearly about one-third of the Texas high schoolers surveyed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are admitted being sexually active. It is because there's something terribly wrong with the sex education in Texas. The article "Why is Texas so afraid to talk about sex at school?" published in The Dallas Morning News by the Dallas Morning News Editorial Board shows how Texas school districts didn't teach sex education in school because of shame and fear.
According to Texas Freedom Network Education Fund Report, more than 25 percent of Texas school didn't teach sex education at all in the 2015-2016 school year. Because of lack of sex education among students in Texas, it makes Texas one of the state having highest teenage pregnancy rate. Due to teenage pregnancy, teen mothers drop out their school, which affects their future as well as their baby's life. It also increases school drop-out rate of the state. To avoid all these kind of problems, the state requires to talk about sex in public schools and give students medically accurate information. The state requires that when sex education is taught, public schools must focus on abstinence first; then, if they choose, they can also teach them about birth control methods. As Reams of Research has repeatedly shown that kids make smarter choices when they are provided with relevant science-based information. So, state Rep. Mary Gonzalez, D-Clint, is taking a step forward by filling HB 1547, which would require districts to adopt medically accurate abstinence-plus programs.
Ultimately, I completely agree with the abstinence-plus programs in the public schools, which would provide students medically accurate information. I think school board members should address this issue without being afraid so that teenagers might get the basic knowledge and would make smarter choices, which will decrease several problems such as teen pregnancy, school dropout, and STIs.
According to Texas Freedom Network Education Fund Report, more than 25 percent of Texas school didn't teach sex education at all in the 2015-2016 school year. Because of lack of sex education among students in Texas, it makes Texas one of the state having highest teenage pregnancy rate. Due to teenage pregnancy, teen mothers drop out their school, which affects their future as well as their baby's life. It also increases school drop-out rate of the state. To avoid all these kind of problems, the state requires to talk about sex in public schools and give students medically accurate information. The state requires that when sex education is taught, public schools must focus on abstinence first; then, if they choose, they can also teach them about birth control methods. As Reams of Research has repeatedly shown that kids make smarter choices when they are provided with relevant science-based information. So, state Rep. Mary Gonzalez, D-Clint, is taking a step forward by filling HB 1547, which would require districts to adopt medically accurate abstinence-plus programs.
Ultimately, I completely agree with the abstinence-plus programs in the public schools, which would provide students medically accurate information. I think school board members should address this issue without being afraid so that teenagers might get the basic knowledge and would make smarter choices, which will decrease several problems such as teen pregnancy, school dropout, and STIs.
Friday, February 10, 2017
SCHOOL CHOICE WOULD BENEFIT TEXAS AND RGV
It's not a new thing about our public education, as we all know that it has been riled with low graduation rates, low state scores, and failing schools for years. The article "SCHOOL CHOICE WOULD BENEFIT TEXAS AND RGV" by Rafael Bejar and Christopher Gambini published in Texas Public Policy on Feb 5, 2017 offers a welcome solution for our educational system. The authors states that school choice is a conservative, liberty-loving, economically shrewd solution to our educational system. Above all, this educational reform would provide relief to Rio Grande Valley Texans.
According to the Texas Education Agency's Public Education Grant List for 2017-18, there are 65 failing school districts in the Rio Grande Valley alone. This affect the children from low-income families, which has no resource to move or send their children to private schools other than getting stuck in failing schools even though the school is not meeting the needs of their children. Consequently, it is usually well-off families that can choose and find a good for their children, while the disadvantaged students are left without school choice.
The article shows that in 2017 Legislature session, however Texas House and Senate members have the chance to embrace school choice and give parents the financial resources to find their children an adequate education. Our Texas elected officials have a opportunity this session to provide Educational Savings Accounts or a tax credit scholarship to Texas parents, and empower them to choose private school, to home-school, take online courses, provide tutoring or therapies- or any combination, which will best suit their children's unique educational needs. Also the Governor Greg Abott said in his State of the State Address: "Parents, not government, are best positioned to make decisions about their child's education. Parents should be empowered to choose the school that's best for their child."
As every child should have a chance to succeed in life, School choice will give students of Texas an opportunity to get a better education, whereby they can harness their academic and intellectual potential. It is proven that school choice is truly a win-win solution and I think Texas House and Senate members should use their chance and should embrace policies that give every child a chance to succeed.
According to the Texas Education Agency's Public Education Grant List for 2017-18, there are 65 failing school districts in the Rio Grande Valley alone. This affect the children from low-income families, which has no resource to move or send their children to private schools other than getting stuck in failing schools even though the school is not meeting the needs of their children. Consequently, it is usually well-off families that can choose and find a good for their children, while the disadvantaged students are left without school choice.
The article shows that in 2017 Legislature session, however Texas House and Senate members have the chance to embrace school choice and give parents the financial resources to find their children an adequate education. Our Texas elected officials have a opportunity this session to provide Educational Savings Accounts or a tax credit scholarship to Texas parents, and empower them to choose private school, to home-school, take online courses, provide tutoring or therapies- or any combination, which will best suit their children's unique educational needs. Also the Governor Greg Abott said in his State of the State Address: "Parents, not government, are best positioned to make decisions about their child's education. Parents should be empowered to choose the school that's best for their child."
As every child should have a chance to succeed in life, School choice will give students of Texas an opportunity to get a better education, whereby they can harness their academic and intellectual potential. It is proven that school choice is truly a win-win solution and I think Texas House and Senate members should use their chance and should embrace policies that give every child a chance to succeed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)