Seeing is Believing

http://news.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=2&a=314259

I link this article because it talks about how a community must decide whether to build a new high school or remodel it. Personally i think that by building a new school is more beneficial since it guarantee that there would be no problems at least for some time. Meanwhile renovating or remodeling it would force the community to be prepare to deal with any future problems. Let look at our University we are all aware that Dickinson and Newing community are the oldest dorm room in the University, and that they will be torn down because they need to be updated according to Housing Association. I lived in Dickinson even though its maintain in good condition it has poor heating system. My bed was next heater and used queen size comforter to wrap around me to keep warm during the winter. The University realize that it will be more expensive renovate Dickinson and Newing heating system and built in sprinklers system that's why they have decided to torn them down and rebuilt them. Even though the construction of these two community would limit or decrease the amount student that university admits for some time but it will be benefitial in the long run because it increase the capacity of students in both dorms. In the article we faced a more difficult dilemma the closing of school either temporarily or permanently would leave teachers without a job and students must relocate. I think that transferring them to another the facility would be a better option. For example after September 11 attacks we temporarily shared our high school with nearby affected school. Since my was ten stories high school and there was plenty of space. Our teachers cafeteria was temporary their cafeteria for half a semester and they occupied the empty classroom (excluding sewing, draping, cutting, art and merchandising room) and our second gym. Even though there were little incidents of school rivally but we manage overcome our differences. If they are forced to closed down the School because of inhabitable conditions then board of education can make arrangements to find another facility to relocate the school instead of overcrowding other school by redistributing the students. What do you think the board of education should do close the school and relocate students, transfer the school to another facility while they build another school or renovate the school?

One of the group question was "How do we go about addressing these concerns? I think that the first step is making the problem public just like the students in our video "Saving Our School" did. The video provided us with a vivid view of the conditions in some school, as much as Kozol we enjoy and read the description of the school and classroom in his students in writing assignment, it does not give or create the impact that video does. When you read about the deplorable conditions of school, readers tend to just paint a temporary mental picture that is usually easily forgotten. The last thing we want for people is to ignored or dismissed the problem as if wasn't important. If authors such as Kozol, Anyon or England are raising awareness through their works of literature is a sign of hope and initiative to get us to take action and speak up. The next think we need to develop a committee or advocacy group that focus on creating to set up ways to regulate, set standard ways to check the conditions of school. It should composed of students, teachers, parents and representative from Educational Department to set up policies, rules and regulations for schools to abide to. There no one better that students, teachers and other school professional to know the type and quality of learning environment they need. There should be an assessment of school conditions every six months and the schools or department of education has a year to address or fix any problems discovered. This would prevent from school condition from getting worst to the point that they need to be closed down school just like the Pine Island.