Death Penalty Debate

New Mexico is the most recent state to repeal the use of the death penalty in its criminal justice system. Read the article below:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/03/18/new.mexico.death.penalty/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

and then comment on or more of the following questions:

What are some arguments Governor Richardson and others in New Mexico offered in support of this change?

What might be some reasons to keep using the death penalty?

Should public opinion play a role in deciding whether a state uses the death penalty? Why or why not?

What is your opinion on this issue? Be sure to substantiate your position with sound, logical arguments.

Texting at School...A Conundrum

First of all, if you don't know what a conundrum is, go look it up at http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conundrum.

Then, check out the article "6473 Texts a Month, But at What Cost?" at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29328966/page/2/.

Finally, share your thoughts on this important topic right here on the blog. Schools all over the country are struggling with this issue, so it's a very important dialog that needs to happen among administrators, teachers, parents and students. So I'm hoping some people from all those groups get into the discussion.

Here's the question you should consider and address: When it comes to cell phones, how can schools best serve their students to maximize learning and prepare them for the 21st century?

Tech Czar

Barack Obama is being hailed as the most tech savvy president we've ever elected. So perhaps it's not surprising that he has a plan to appoint the first national chief technology officer ever. The article at the link below is co-written by Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia. First, read the article:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/01/07/wales.obama.cto/index.html

Then, respond to one or more of the following questions:

Do you think it's a good idea for the U.S. to have a CTO (Chief Technology Officer)? Why/why not?

Based on Jimmy Wales ideas, what the goal(s) of the CTO be? How would these goals benefit Americans and American society?

Do you think it's possible for the CTO position to be "non-political" as Jimmy Wales suggests? Why/why not?

Athletic Gene Testing: Next Sci-Fi Movie?

It was only a matter of time before we discovered how to tell if young children had the genetic potential to become world class athletes. The article linked below describes a genetic test that supposedly can determine whether a young child has the inborn ability to be good at particular sports or none at all. Some people think it's great, while others think we humans are messing technologically in areas in which we don't understand the consequences to children and to society.
Check it out at

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/sports/30genetics.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=born%20to%20run%20little%20ones%20get%20test%20for%20sports%20gene&st=cse

and then consider answering one or more of the following questions:

Do you believe the test really determines a child's potential in sports? Why or why not?

Do you think it's a good or bad idea for parents to have their children tested in this way? Why or why not?

Do you think developments in genetic research like this one have the potential to be more beneficial or more damaging to our society? Explain your answer.

The Ethics of High School Students

The article linked below describes the results of a major study recently completed regarding lying and cheating by U.S. high school students. Almost 30,000 students from 100 high schools around the country participated in the study by completing surveys. Among other results, the researchers found that 30% of high school students have stolen from a store in the past year, and 64% have cheated on a test.

First, read the article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081130/ap_on_re_us/students_dishonesty

Then, respond to one or more of the following questions:

Do you agree or disagree with the explanations provided for why some high school students cheat and/or steal? Explain your position.

Do you think these levels of dishonesty are cause for alarm in our society? Why or why not?

Do you think these levels of dishonesty are higher, lower, or about the same as at other times in our history? Explain your answer.

Terrorist Attacks in India

This past weekend, the city of Mumbai (formerly Bombay) in India was attacked by terrorists who have yet to be identified. Over 160 people, including 6 Americans, were killed. The article I have linked below, entitled "What They Hate About Mumbai" is written by a man who grew up there. He offers an explanation for why the terrorists chose to attack Mumbai. Here's the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/29/opinion/29mehta.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=what%20they%20hate%20about%20mumbai&st=cse

Questions to ponder:

What reasons does the author give for why terrorists chose to attack Mumbai?

The terrorist group al Qaeda has targeted the United States on a number of occasions. Are the reasons Mumbai was targeted similar to the reasons the U.S. has been a target? Explain your answer.

Do you agree with the author that the best response to these terrorist attacks is for people to keep going to Mumbai? Why or why not?

Global Economic Downturn Making the World a More Dangerous Place?

This is the perfect article for both World History and Government students. The author makes the argument that as the global economy gets worse, security risks for the United States become greater. Historically, this is always true. As economic conditions worsen for some groups, jobs become less available, and people have few means of supporting themselves and their families, people act out on their frustrations and fears, and violence is the result. Consider this pattern as you read the article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/14/AR2008111403864.html?referrer=emailarticle

Can you think of any other times in history when economic problems have resulted in more violence? Describe them in your answer.

In light of the perceived increased security threats to the U.S. and around the world, what should be the U.S. response to these circumstances?

The U.S. is currently experiencing our own economic downturn and running a national debt in excess of $10 trillion. Do we have the ability to beef up our security by devoting more money to intelligence and defense capability? Explain your answer.