In today’s epoch, there are three global perplexities that shape our civilization. One problem deals with college remediation. The other dilemma involves health education. Last but certainly not least, human rights.

According to The Institute for Higher Education Policy, remedial education has been part of higher education since the early colonial day. Beginning with Harvard College in the 17th century, where tutors in Greek and Latin were provided for under- prepared students. Continuing into the middle of the 20th century with the establishment of the G.I. Bill, remediation for inadequately prepared students has been an integral part of American higher education.

The 21st century is no different than any other era. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found that enrolled freshmen offered at least one remedial reading, writing, or mathematical course. You all know that this is accurate information. How many of you all have taken a remedial course or still taking one? Not to degrade anyone, but MOST of us have taken that remedial course road.

I realized that development courses slow us as students down. It also affects us graduating on time or even graduating at all. I view developmental courses as a way of weaving out students at a college or university. In fact, we spend more money trying to pass remedial courses than graduation requirements. Don’t we? I know somebody is feeling me. According to Breneman and Haarlow in 1998, most recent analysis of remediation absorbs approximately $1 billion annually in a public higher education budget of $115 billion—less that 1 percent of expenditures. The entire purpose of remediation is to help the students. Does remediation actually help us as students? Well, I can not personally answer this question… Though, it helps depending on that particular person. Remedial programs suppose to help assessment and placement, curriculum design and delivery, support services, and evaluation. Not many schools follow this plan. The question of the day is how successful is remediation? Personally, I see some remediation courses as a waste of time and money. Though, some individuals might need remedial courses to help review some coursework. I would like to direct this to the faculty, administration or endowed chairman reading this; I believe students in remedial courses should have an interview with that department they can not go into until the remedial is completed. Some students are just not good test takers. Some individuals might have to review specify coursework. There are psychological reasons why some people do not do well in school. It has nothing to do with intelligence. An interview can help save everybody time and some people’s money.

Another perplexity facing today’s world is health education. Health education is a significant subject matter to discuss. According to Medical News Review, poor diet and inactivity cause at least 300,000 deaths among U.S. adults each year. Do you all know that most individuals’ health is affected by their lifestyles? Lifestyles is an individual’s way of living, which can be economically, spiritually, emotionally, academically, physically and medically. Just to name a few. Though, money is related to health. Money affects our lives significant. An example would be how we think, react and cope with our environment due to our economical state of affairs. Health education can deal with our physical and psychological well-being. We all can probably agree that somebody we know are sick physical or mentally and can not afford to go see a doctor. That person we know might be us. As far as inequality of healthcare benefits, this situation can go on and on. But, for the wealthy individual their problems are always solved first. It all goes into inequality of human rights.

When we discuss human rights, some individuals become tenderhearted. There is a difference between people’s rights and citizen’s rights. See, as U.S. citizens we have the following: Religion (free exercise, and establishment), Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition; search and seizure; double jeopardy, self-incrimination and just compensation; protection as been diluted (Speedy trial, Public trial, Jury trial, Impartial jury, Notice of charges, Confrontation, Compulsory Process, and Counsel); cruel and unusual punishment. Amendments not available to U.S. citizens: right to keep and bear arms, quartering troops in homes (no cases), grand jury indictment, jury trial in civil cases, ad bail (mostly), excessive fines, and under equal protection. Since I have clarified what the difference is between the amendments to U.S. citizens and amendments not available to U.S. citizen, it is easier to understand why some people become humane.

The idea of human rights pre-dates the United Nations. On December 10, 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Most people do not know the Preamble. Preamble states “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people, whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to
rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law, whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations, whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge.”

I stated the Preamble to let you all know some of your rights. I hope it helped, and I anticipated that now you learn more of your human rights on your own. Sorry guys, that is too much to write about now.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 31st, 2005 at 12:39 pm and is filed under Project Progress, Week 02: 3 Big Problems. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.