You might notice...

A few changes on the website over the next couple of days. All the things you need for your summer assignment will still be there, but I need to start getting us ready for the school year and we will continue to use this blog a lot. So, please be patient and look around if you can't automatically find the page you are looking for. It's there. And if you really can't find what you need or have questions, just shoot me an email. I'm happy to help.

You're all probably done with the assignment already, right? So this next point really doesn't matter:

Any comments posted after midnight on Wednesday, August 24th, will be counted as late and I will knock some points off. You need to go to bed early...you have school the next day.

Current Event #8: Arne Duncan to Override NCLB

This one hits a little close to home, because it's all about schools. Read the latest news on the Obama's administration's plan for No Child Left Behind. Then tell us what you think--does it make sense to let states or schools that are not meeting 100% proficiency to get out of that requirement? Think about your own experience in public schools--is high-stakes testing meaningful, perhaps not as a way to gauge all of your learning, but at least as a way to set minimum requirements? There is a lot to talk about here.

Also, note that current events 1-3 are locked and you can no longer comment on them. I will try to post a few more possibilities this week as we get closer to school. 

Good luck!

Current Event #7: Could a 3rd Party Work?

The frustration with the Republicans and Democrats over the debt issue  has left some pundits wondering if perhaps this is an opportunity for a 3rd party to make a difference. Read the New York Times editorial on the issue, and let me know what you think. Is there room for a 3rd party in American politics? If so, whose voice do you see it representing? Do you think this organization, Americans Elect, has a chance?

August is Upon Us...

Which means its crunch time for summer assignments. A reminder to read the whole assignment before you get to work.

While the online comments and responses are important, don't forget that on day 1 you will be quizzed on content and vocabulary AND that you will need to turn in hand-written copies of the answers to the content questions and primary source analyses.

Enjoy the last few weeks and let me know if you have questions!

Current Event #6: The Debt

I've been avoiding the debt issue because it's a little complicated. However, the length of the debate over whether or not we raise our debt ceiling I think reflects the major concerns and political conflicts in our time. Essentially, this is an issue that in the past has not been an issue. The 7.s. sets a limit on how much debt we let ourselves have, we get close to that number, and Congress typically votes to raise the limit. Not raising the ceiling and going over it would hurt our international economic reputation, as it would mean we were defaulting on some loans, and could cause market troubles in the U.S. However, some politicians have raised the issue that maybe the U.S. should cut our spending before we allow our debt to increase...which makes good sense from a personal financial perspective, right? You wouldn't want to take out new loans just to continue buying shoes you don't need. The problem is, the government isn't buying shoes, they are spending money on programs that benefit U.S. citizens.

That's a simple overview. Read what President Obama says on the issue, summarize his thoughts, and share your own reaction. Are there some services a government must provide, or some we can cut?. Why is this decision taking such a long time to make--is it a tough issue or bad politics?

Also...I've locked the comments on Current Event #1 and #2. Time to focus on some more recent issues. Don't forget about your primary sources either!

Update: I'm locking the comments on this since the debt bill has been passed.  A good overview of how that ended is here.

Current Event #5: Stumped

Hi there. So this week I am still in Mexico, learning lots to share with you all in September. For this week, since my internet is a little wonky here, I am going to invite you to post a link to a new sorry from a reputable source, and explain why you think it is important for Americans to pay attention to this particular story. The rule, however, is that you cannot post on the same topic as someone else, unless you are linking to an article that reflects a different point of view.

Oh, and no new Harry Potter movie stories!

Current Event #4

I am at the start of a month long trip to Mexico right now (in fact I saw a few Jordan students in airport at 5 a.m. on the morning I left), so I may be a little slow to respond to emails or post. But, that's no reason to ignore U.S. politics! Read a little about SC governor Nikki Haley here. What do you think makes her an appealing choice as a leader of the Republican party? Looking ahead to the 2012 election, what kind of candidate do you think the Republicans will need to choose in order to try and defeat Obama?

Happy early Fourth of July!