M~Squared

By Charles Taylor

Youth Commission members (r-l) Jude Bruno, chair; Brenda Abreu-Molnar; Anyssa Chebbi; and Emily Freeman, pose with students and faculty from Belen Jesuit Preparatory School. The boys, members of the school’s new Social Studies Honor Society, were one of three winning teams in the commission’s first “It Ought to be an Ordinance” competition.

The lobbyists approach the lectern. Taking the lead, a spokesman says:

“It’s no secret that today in government we see a lot of political divide at every step of government…. This is one of those rare areas in politics where both sides can really get along, albeit for different reasons.”

If only this were in the halls of Congress. But perhaps even better, it’s at County Hall in Miami-Dade, Fla. The “lobbyists” are a group of high school students participating in the county youth commission’s first “It Ought to be an Ordinance” competition.

The team was proposing that the roofs of all county buildings be painted white to save energy, and that incandescent lighting be replaced by fluorescents or LED bulbs — measures, it said, that could save the county more than 20 percent on its annual electric bills.

“Democrats champion the cause of helping the environment, where as Republicans champion fiscal responsibility,” the Belen Jesuit Preparatory School team’s spokesman said. “This accomplishes both at the same time.”

read more here

http://www.naco.org/newsroom/countynews/Current%20Issue/3-11-2013/Pages/Miami-Dade-teens-judge-ordinances-proposed-by-peers.aspx

“Social Media can be our best friend or worst enemy.”
Jacksonville Urban League – Leadership Summit

The ability of Facebook to allow educators to share their thoughts, ideas, and feelings has created a platform that questions just because you can say something, do you say something and encourages, think before posting on any Social Media platform.
The recent firing of counselor, Karon Wright after she made statements concerning the death of several people in the West, Texas fertilizer explosion, sparked discussions of First Amendment rights of Freedom of Speech and being responsible for what is stated as an educator.
The statement leading to her firing stated by school district comments made reference that her statements were, “highly offensive, insensitive to the tragedy happening to our friends and neighbors in the West, and disrespectful to the very human bond that we share with the people of the West, especially those who have lost their loved ones.”

Social Media allows for quick and unfiltered comments, this content represent the person and how they perceive events, people and situations at their level of understanding. Educators need to remember they are held to a higher standard when commenting on situations and circumstances
in light of public events.
The counselor employed in Grand Prairie ISD was fired for making very poor judgment and insensitive comments on Facebook. Karon Wright was immediately fired after school administrators received word of a Facebook comment she made on television stations
(WFAA-TV) Facebook page regarding the explosion in West, Texas.
Educators should never allow frustrations and personal challenges to prompt posting of inappropriate content online. A professional educator should always remember to reposition and refocus their minds to that of professional educators and the responsibilities they have to the public. Even when not in the classroom or on school campuses, educators are held accountable
for their actions, including online postings.
In Pickering v. Board of Education case, the Supreme Court held that it’s not a First Amendment violation to dismiss probationary teachers for what they say or write, if their speech involves
merely personal things or if the speech might disturb the workplace. Unprofessional and inappropriate Internet postings by college students can be used to prevent them from entering the
teaching profession. This shows unprofessional judgment and lack of responsibility for the potential effects of their postings. Young teachers are prone to make rash and unconsidered comments when using Social Media.
Social Media has created a paradigm shift in the exposure educators are receiving. Vocal words carry weight, but are not alone now with text, pictures and video being used to judge the instructional abilities and professionalism of educators. That being said, teachers
should be mindful of their online content that is not temporary, but will remain online for years. Online content can present a distraction that may cause unforeseen professional
ramifications.
The debate continues on an educator’s privacy as individuals, but in the field of education in many ways educators and administrators loose privacy when working in the public spotlight in a profession that has great exposure. Working with children automatically puts educators in the spotlight and with the progress of interactivity on Social Media platforms, growth in Social Networks, and integration of  Web 3.0 protocols (tools) online content is scrutinized even more
whether teachers like it or not.
In any social media situation educators should be careful of what is said about students, their families, politics and other discussions.
Posted on the web site “The Drum” it is stated about teachers and students that, ”teachers (should) keep their private and professional lives separate.” The statement has proved challenging because increased access to Social Media has created a hyper-sensitivity to information.
Online information has ramification for years. As I have shared in presentations with teachers the way you present yourself online in social media today may be scrutinized for over 5 years. Teacher evaluations may also be subjected to Social Media postings as professional behaviors.
Teacher’s will need professional development in media literacy, Marketing and Branding themselves in this digital world. The ability to think critically is important when posting and replying to Social Media content.
Teachers, administrators and support staff should remember that anything posted online will never go away, it will always be located some place. Simplistically do not share or post any information about any student in a social media environment even if you think your security or personal settings will protect you. THEY WILL NOT!!! Be cautious about posting your
ideas and opinions on social issues, religious issues and political issues that may seem demeaning, insensitive and destructive. You do have the right to free speech, not demeaning or slanderous.
Educators should make sure that information posted is not out of frustration, aggravation and argumentation. Social media is not the place to vent and even to be sarcastic. You never know who could be reading your entries, looking at your photos and videos, importantly
who could be telling others what you said. In the digital age information is never discarded, it is archived, stored and housed on a computer sever some place. That is why those in professional positions as educator, physicians, law enforcement, etc must be mindful of the information they create and share. It could be used against you in the future and has happened in recent court cases against educators and even Homeland Security officials.
Posted on Teachers and the Dangers of Social Networking (2011) a reminder that, “teaching is a public profession and it’s a public image issue.” An educator’s private information through social media is made public. As we teach students, education will empower us to make intelligent
decisions that affect our lives. Use information and knowledge to empower and protect yourself as professional educators and role models in our respective communities.

More information to support teachers and social media can be found at:
NEA Social Media Nightmares
http://www.nea.org/home/38324.htm

NPR – Teachers Beware of Facebook
http://www.npr.org/2011/12/07/143264921/friendly-advice-for-teachers-beware-of-facebook

Texas Counselor Fired

http://www.yourblackworld.net/2013/04/black-news/texas-counselor-fired-for-making-offensive-facebook-comment-about-whites/

by William Jackson, M.Ed.
Educator and Blogger
My Quest To Teach

High school students and their parents experience high stress and anxiety the closer a students’ senior year comes. Senior years are a time for celebrations, high expectations, looking towards future careers and entering into higher education. College and university entrance opens doors to brighter futures for youth especially Black youth seeking to better their lives.

A young person with a college degree will make a million dollars more than a young person with just a high school diploma. Even McDonalds, Burger King and other establishments will or are requiring their
management people to have a minimum of two years college education.
New standards would dim many students Bright Future opportunities as the Bright Future Scholarships
goes under many changes and modifications. Florida is known for its educational reform, but many parents wonder if these reforms are designed to keep minority students and students of color from obtaining a college education. More students of color are attending some type of higher educational institution and entering in careers that they normally don’t show an interest. Even in STEAM – Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics there is a growing minority presence because technology allows Black students better opportunities for exposure and employment. Are minorities being systematically being closed out of earning a college degree to keep them from growing?

The Bright Futures program was designed to reward high-achieving high school students with the cost
of college. Orlando Sentinel’s Scott Travis and Denise-Marie Ordway have written that new state
rules may slash the number of Florida students eligible for the state’s most popular type of Bright
Futures scholarship. One of the requirements students will have to score higher on tests to be eligible for the scholarship rewards. This will drastically impact students and hurt many students particularly minority first generation college students. The opportunities for a quality college education are slowly diminishing for youth and parents need to be prepared to provide more financial support and look for alternative financial resources. The state of Florida has four Bright Futures scholarships the most popular is the Florida Medallion scholarship. The Legislature in 2011 toughened criteria so that students entering college in the fall of 2014 will need higher ACT and SAT scores than in the past to be eligible to qualify.

Students will have to score at least an 1170 on the SAT in 2014, up from 980 in 2012.
The best possible SAT score, when math and critical-reading sections are combined, is a 1600. The minimum required ACT score rises to 26. The cutoff score last fall was 21, the highest possible composite ACT score of 36. That means students will really need to focus on academics skill sets when taking these assessments. As a parent I had my children take both the SAT and ACT twice to obtain as high a score as possible. I encouraged them when they entered into high school to be a part of academic clubs and organizations to build on their academic abilities early, looking towards the future. Sports was secondary academics was primary, but the involvement in extra-curricular activities was important to because of the exposure to new ideas, critical thinking skills and higher order learning. During the summers we attended events at the libraries, museums, etc. to continue to build on knowledge.

Parents need to understand that even in high school they need to stay in contact with their children’s
teachers, administrators and even guidance counselors. On several occasions I had to meet with guidance
counselors because I felt that I was not taken seriously and provided with enough and the proper information to make good decisions about my children and their college entrance.
That is the responsibility of a parent to stay engaged and ask questions. There are no stupid questions when the needs of your child are the priority. Don’t rely totally on your child and expect them to know everything, they are still children and concerned with academics, assessments and other stresses. Parents should talk to their children regularly.

A disservice is being done to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The changes will affect the
tuitions at these schools and the desire of students, not just Blacks, but other races from attending. The fear is that many freshmen entering HBCU’s would not qualify for Bright Futures in 2014. My son attends #FAMU, his major is Microbiology and he is an honors student. These changes may not affect him, his sister will be affected, she is a junior in high school and will graduate in 2014, so it is vital for her to continue to be academically successful and a strong test taker even if it means tutoring. Black
parents need to realize if their children are struggling there is no shame to ask for a tutor. Malcolm X
made the statement: “By any means necessary” this can be used in education also, use all means to
make sure your child is successful tutors, visits to libraries and museums, academic programs, etc.

Major universities will see the affects in their Freshmen classes, many freshmen at the Universities of Central Florida, Florida and Florida State University received scholarships last school year. Their numbers may drop when the new requirements are imposed. The opinions from school administrators
and parents is rising, Michele Erickson, Principal at Orlando’s Edgewater High
School, “I’m definitely concerned that not as many students will have the benefit of such a great opportunity.” Conner Gilbert, Assistant Principal at Harmony High School in Harmony, “such a jump makes the Florida Medallion almost untouchable for the vast majority of our students.”
Parents talk to guidance counselors about scholarships, grants, Internships and other financial options. Don’t wait until too late as deadlines get closer. The competition will be fierce for what
little monies are available, research scholarships where ever possible.

Resources:
Video:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/videogallery/75297556/Video-Florida-could-see-drop-in-Bright-Futures-scholarships

Hi everyone!
 
I thought these might be interesting opportunities available to some of our kids. I’ve been working with these organizations to develop community partnerships and find more volunteers:
 
1.       Cutler Bay is looking for bright, young students to become members of a Youth Council for the city. You can find more information on the website: http://www.cutlerbay-fl.gov/ (under the column on the right). Disregard the deadline, they are still accepting applications.
2.       http://www.avenuesofexcellence.com This organization helps youth develop life, social and employment skills. This may be good for kids aging out in care, looking to enter the workforce.
 

Be a Volunteer! For more information on the Guardian Ad Litem program contact (786)422-3417