Friday's Follow Up

Fremont High: Will it perform?
Fremont High School was closed due to low-academic performance and re-opened with some old and new teachers. This blog talks potential educational reforms that are needed.

Tuesday with Mentor and Mentee - Kameron and Stephanie
Stephanie thanks her mentor Kameron for always being there for her and she is also glad that the program taught her how to be more outgoing.

Also, check out the pictures from out last surfing session.

Stay cool in this heat and enjoy the amazing summer nights that are upon us.

Agueda

It's time our annual campaign drive! Partner with us to mentor our youth from the threats of gang violence, drugs, and dropping out of school. Everyone who donates will be entered to win two tickets to our benefit concert with Jackson Browne in October.

YOUR DONATION WILL CHANGE LIVES! Donate here: Youth Mentoring Connection Annual Campaign

Fremont High: Will it perform?

Fremont High's grand experiment begins

It is officially time to see if Mayor Villaraigosa’s grandiose plan of shutting down Fremont High School, due to low-academic performance, and re-hiring new and old teachers will work. The school re-opened July 7, 2010 with new and returning teachers.

Many of the experienced and caring teachers chose not to re-apply for their positions. It is not surprising that some of these teachers are missed by many of the students. The thing is that the educational system cannot punish all teachers at one school for low-academic performance when not all of them are to blame. There are many external factors that lead a student to perform low. Societal issues such as poor neighborhoods, gang violence, lack of employment, etc all play factors in a young person’s educational experience.

The school system needs to properly implement evaluations. Once a teacher reaches tenure the amount of times that they are reviewed decreases over time. It is obvious to me in my educational experience and from talking to actual teachers that such practices may not be the most reasonable considering that some tenured teachers are not the best teachers. The accountability of some teachers needs to increase as well as the evaluation methods and practices.

I know that some of the best learning I did from K-12 was in classes in which the teachers really cared about the progress of the students. Recently, I had a conversation with my 8th grade science teacher about the status of the California education system. I wanted to get insider perspective on it, especially from a woman who was by far the best, most dedicated and caring teacher I had in my youth. I voiced my thoughts about how teachers should have a passion for their career and not look at it as a job; they should care about the learning and progress of their students because that gives a space for students to reach their full potential. She replied, “The thing is, teachers are not paid to care, their paid to teach.” It suddenly struck me that she did not have to constantly remind kids to do their homework or provide extra tutoring and counseling when needed, she did that all on her own. Even though she wasn’t paid to care she still did. The reality is though that some students do not have the opportunity to have teachers who truly value their growth and as a society, how do we solve that? How do we address the teachers who simply have a job and not a calling? How do we measure each teachers commitment to their students when they are not paid based on those standards?

I feel that until something is done to address such issue as well as all the other societal issues that effect a student learning, simply shutting down and re-opening a school with some new staff will not bring the reform our education system needs.

Agueda

Tuesday with Mentor and Mentee- Kameron and Stephanie

"I would like to thank my mentor for being there for me whenever I needed her. I know she will always be there. She showed me she cared when she talked to me and told me she would always be there. From this program I learned to become more outgoing. This is helpful for when I grow up so I won’t be a shy person".

-Stephanie

One Sunday, July 11, mentees from our Adams Middle School, Odyssey, Shout! Factory and Rhino Entertainment learned how surf.

Justice For Who?

Oscar Grant Verdict: Involuntary Manslaughter; 2-4 Years Jail

Thousands of us have seen the shocking video of the shooting of Oscar Grant at a BART station on New Year’s Day in Oakland, Ca. Anyone watching the video can clearly see that Grant was handcuffed, on his knees, and surrounded by cops. The murderer, or officer, was Johannes Mehserle a BART cop who alleged that he meant to reach for his taser instead of his gun. Today, at 4p, the jury announced Mehserle was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, for which he will face 2-4 years in prison.

Whether he serves those 2-4 years in prison or petitions for probation it is appalling that he was not charged with murder, or at least voluntary manslaughter. The defense argued that Mehserle intended to tase Grant and was shocked when he shot Grant instead. This argument is coming from a man who had been an active duty cop for 3 years, had been trained to use a taser, and whose taser was on the opposite side of his gun.

It is obvious that Mehserle allowed his emotions to dictate his actions. If his argument is true, it means that he was not able to think clearly enough to distinguish between a yellow taser and a black handgun that weighs twice as much. Those in law enforcement are trained on how to properly shoot guns and use tasers yet this cop argued he made a mistake in distinguishing the two. Such argument evidently makes him unsuitable to be a cop but does it excuse him of killing a 22-year old? Apparently, the judge agrees he is not guilty of murder.

In order for someone to be charged with murder, the key factor that must be proved without any reasonable doubt is intent. Did Mehserle intend on killing Grant? Many say he did not. Several witnesses reported that prior to shooting his gun Mehserle announce he was going to tase Grant. The key detail that directly influences the charges that Mehserle faced is the fact that he was a cop. Because he was a cop who was apparently apprehending a suspect who was resisting arrest, under the law, he is given the benefit of the doubt that he did NOT intend to kill Grant.

This case touches on so many issues that is difficult for me to even write about without being tempted to cover everything. The fact the Mehserle is white and Grant was black brings up the racial tensions in our communities especially when the white individual is the one with “legal” power. Police brutality becomes an issue if we consider the fact that Grant was handcuffed and did not appear to be resisting arrest at the time he was shot. I can go on for days about the details of this case but the fats are: Mehserle resigned from the force a week after the shooting, Oscar Grant a 22-year-old man is dead, Mehserle faces 2-4 years in prison for which he can petition for probation instead, and a whole community cries over the injustice that has occurred.
The INjustice system provided Mehserle with the conviction that benefits him and it leaves the Grant family along with a whole community angry, confused, and disillusioned yet again, with our legal system.

Agueda

Tuesday with Mentor and Mentee- Rosalind & Azucena

"I would like to thank my mentor for listening to what I had to say. Yes, she might have had problems with getting a hold of me but overall I wouldn’t trade my relationship with her for anything. By listening, being there for me, and making me laugh she showed me that she really cared for me. I have learned not to give up and stay standing because I want to succeed".

-Azucena

Obama's Speech on Immigration Reform

Obama's Speech on Immigration Reform

Today, President Obama addressed American University and the nation on the topic of Immigration Reform. In his 35min long speech, the President covered a lot of old ground, offered very little new information to the masses and no real solutions.

It was nice to hear him cover the necessity and history of immigrant waives. It was nice for him to show gratitude to the hundreds and thousands of immigrants who have done something to shape this country. He briefly covered the SB1070 law in Arizona, the DREAM Act, and of course negated amnesty as a possible solution. Overall, it was “nice” speech. Yet in this “nice” speech he covered no real ground and provided no substantive solutions to the issue of immigration.
President Obama talked about the struggles that immigrants have when applying for legal status and how even that process is broken. He mentioned that closing off our borders completely was also not option.

There’s an argument that as a nation we need to secure our borders and increase vigilance in the southwest yet Obama stated that there are “more boots on the ground” in the southwest border than ever; personnel along the border has been doubled and the number of intelligence analysts has tripled. Obama’s immigration plan calls for $600 million, 1,000 agents, 7 gunrunner teams, 5 FBI tasks forces, and more prosecutors and immigration judges. Having dealt with the immigration legal process myself, I do understand that more immigration judges are needed to speed up the process for those waiting to have their cases heard but overall, what do these random facts do for undocumented individuals? They provide hope that a solution is pending but no real answer as to what type of reform they should expect.

I am glad to know that President Obama is taking this issue seriously by speaking about it and not being shy to really address what is needed. Yet I struggle with the fact that every time a President addresses such a sensitive and important issue their stance and potential solutions are never directly covered.

The DREAM Act is one solution that would help so many young people around the country pursue their dreams of getting a higher education. It would allow them to really reach their full potential in this country. Many of the youth that YMC works with would be able to made post high school education an option. Yes, Obama restated his support for the DREAM Act yet offered no comprehensive solution.

It is a fact that many political candidates stray away from such sensitive issues like immigration because of the repercussions that come along with it. Like past presidents, Obama said that undocumented individuals living in this country need to register and say they broke the law, pay taxes and fines, learn English, and “be right with the law before they get in line.” What this statement entails is that these individuals pay hefty fines and legal fees to get their legal process started, not considering the fact that many are paid below minimum wage and already struggle to make ends meet.

Overall, his speech was informative to those who may not know random facts about past immigrant waives and the current immigration issue. Obama said he is “ready” to do something about it, and although I am glad to hear that, our people have BEEN ready for years.

Agueda

Surfing 6/27