Phoebe Prince

          It's undeniable that this was an act of bullying. It is crazy to think that a girl could commit suicide because someone or multiple people harassed her so bad. I am very happy that this article was published. Why? Because then so many people understand that bullying is a major problem in today's society. We learn through reading this article that cyber-bullying also played a major role. Now, since the internet is used so much more often, children are finding it easier to attack someone on the computer rather then doing it to there face. The problem is that is equally as bad as bullying someone to their face. We see that cyber-bullying is a problem through the suicide of this young girl, Phoebe Prince. Hopefully other school districts and parents out there read this so they understand the problem and find better ways to prevent this from happening.
           I feel that through reading this article all of the students involved should be punished. Although they did not commit a murder and kill Phoebe, they are responsible for her death. If it was not for them Phoebe would still be alive. In my eyes there bullying was just as bad as killing her themselves. After reading through most of the comments I can see that there is two separate sides to this case. Many are stories about when they were children and how they were bullied, and others are questioning why all six are being charged. But what I also noticed is that although some are against all six being charged, there are reply's to their posts, and then the person who believed all should not be charged changes their mind. For example Mac McClelland states that he doesn't understand why all are being charger, then after Jason argues that Mac states "No, I've been completely won over by the strength of your argument." This makes me realize that if more understand why all should be charged then they will. Then more will understand the problems that bullying is creating.

Charging money for failing students?

Phaedrus explains in the excerpt from Chapter 13 in the book Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values, that the University of Montana was fined 8,000 dollars for every student who failed by the state legislature. How could you charge a school for a kid failing? As an act to talk against this, Phaedrus discussed this with his students. His students agreed with the state, and Phaedrus knew that they didn't understand the whole idea. He created his next day's lecture around this accreditation idea, naming it the Church of Reason lecture. Here he discussed why the school isn't a "material object" nor is it "a group of buildings that can defended by police." This lecture expanded on how everything should be taught the way it is taught and that the students will learn how they want to learn. I agree with his statement on why the teachers should not be responsible for the way a student learns. Yes, they should teach them everything possible and should not give up on anyone, but the school should not be penalized for a students failing grade. That is just un-heard of. I feel that Phaedrus's lecture about the Church of Reason really explained his ideas and helped others understand his ideas as well.

Drug Addiction

           Drug and alcohol addiction is very common during this decade. Why is this? Well in my eyes I believe because of society. Yes, we are told that drugs and alcohol are bad, but I feel that many use these things to be a rebel and go against what society is telling us. I also believe that because so many people use drugs that many others want to fit in by using them. In the article Does Teen Drug Rehab Cure Addiction or Create It by Mia Szalavitz, we read about drug rehab and how many feel it is not helping. This is because many that go to rehab feel it is only increasing their addiction. When in group therapy, patients discuss what they've done, not how to change their past. This creates images in the patients head of other types of drugs they can use.
           I know a couple of people that went to rehab. I have heard stories about what they have done there and I also know what happened to them when they came home. One of my really good friends throughout high school was sent to a rehab. After completing her time there she returned home, only to continue what she was doing before she left. Again her parents sent her back to rehab. Now she is sober. I feel that when she was sent to the first rehab she wasn't taken away from what she knew; she was only told what not to do. During her stay at the second rehab she was in a wilderness, completely secluded from society. Here she learned how she could handle life without the addiction. I believe that a choice to change is made by the person them self. They have to be convinced that they can change and get rid of there addictions.

Fat tax for America?

What would the United States come to if it were to place a tax on junk food or soda? Daniel Engber, author  of the article "Let Them Drink Water!" explains how junk food is effecting the health of Americans. Although junk food is eaten by almost everyone in the world, people that are poor and obese are the one's who would be affected. Why is this? Well, people that are unable to afford junk food will not be able to eat it, and if there obese then they may find it very hard to eat anything else. But there are plenty of people that are rich and obese, so by implementing this tax they would not be affected. The idea of making America healthier by placing a tax on junk food, in this case, would not work. Another argument in this article is what if they placed a tax on an actual obese person? They would charge them by how many pounds they were over weight. In my opinion by doing this you are targeting specific people. That is just mean and rude. What if the people are happy being obese? You can't just place a tax on them because you want them to be healthier. It is important to make sure everyone in the world is healthy. But although we may feel by doing this we have to create a tax on certain food, may not work in that favor. Obesity is a problem in the world today, but by changing this we have to make the obese people want to change themselves for the better.