Spring break blog post UPFRONT

The gaokao is a test that high schoolers in China must take in order to determine what college and eventually job they will go to and have. There is much stress riding on their single test for millions of Chinese students. The magazine Upfront has an article called “China’s Cram Schools” that discuses the process many take preparing for this test and all the stress involved. This stress is damaging, unneeded, and unfair to students. For example, this test creates super high stress levels that are unhealthy for students, a bad environment for the students in general as well as an unfair situation for the parents and teachers of the students.

            Super high stakes such as these for the gaokao lead to an unhealthy amount of stress on the students. Loads of stress can be physically and mentally damaging especially at such a young age.  It states in the article “teenage suicide rates start to rise as the gaokao nears. It also states from a boy named Cao, “My mother constantly reminds me that I have to study hard because my father is out working construction far from home to pay my school fees.” This is a crazy amount of pressure and for most there is no way to escape this.

            These students also have work in horrible environments. Many go to “cram schools” where they are packed into rooms with thousands of other students studying around the clock. In the article it states, “Two years ago, a student posted a shocking photograph online. A classroom full of students being hooked up to “intravenous drips” to give them strength to keep studying. This was shocking to many but many find necessary with all the pressure to succeed.

            Another major, unfair factor in the process of the gaokao is money. Poor families put all they have into test prep for the gaokao in order to help the kids escape their fate as a manual laborer and hopefully go to a good collage where they can get a high paying job and support their family. Wealthy families can afford fancy test prep or even other options. It states in the article “Many wealthy families are simply opting out of the system, placing their children in private international schools in china or sending them abroad for an education.” For others there is no alternative to the gaokao, this extremely unfair.

            Overall the gaokao is just another test that can be compared to American standardized tests but it puts much more extreme pressure on teachers, parents and most of all, students. This test is out of hand and needs to be addressed. It is unfair for all this pressure to be put on a high school student toward a test that will determine the rest of their life.

Book Banning Arument essay

Sabina Chackerian Book Banning Argument

Dear Ms. Berner

U.S. schools ban more than 20 books each year. This school should not limit teens access to to certain books.  Schools everywhere are faced with the decision whether to ban these precious books or to let students enjoy them.  But why take away a life changing and educational experience from a teen who needs it now more than ever?  These banned books in particular are the ones that could connect with the student and guide them, it is important that M.S. 51 let these kids be exposed to these books.

Banned books can not inspire teens to recreate the content in their own lives but to instead help teens to help themselves and prevent these issues.  In the article “Banned Books week 2010: An Anti-censorship Manifesto” It states that the author of Crank spoke about his book and how afterwards a girls started to cry and shared her own story. It says “she started getting high in middle school mostly as a way to deal with her alcoholic mothers absence.” This shows that relatable topics are in these books. Even the more extreme ones occur in someones life. It goes on to say “One day, she found that book. She saw herself in those pages and suddenly knew she didn’t want to be there” Many teens are closed off about issues they are facing, especially with adults. Books are a way to reach them. Banned books deal with heavy issues these are the issues that most importantly need to to get through to kids.

Books should also not be banned because teens should get exposed to many opinions so they can be open minded and feel as though they can express themselves.  In the articles “Schools Ad Censorship:  Banned Books” it states “our basic right -- the freedom to express ourselves as we see fit -- is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, ensuring the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unpopular or unorthodox.”  This is where it is not left up to the school but up to the parents and kids to decide whether these books are appropriate for them.

Even though letting teens pick their own books seems like something they can be trusted with, many don’t agree with this. Some peoples definition of book banning is “making responsible decisions about what reading material is edifying as age-appropriate for school children.” This seems like something positive, in the article “In Defense of Book Banning” it states  “far too often the explicit nature of the work is the selling point.” meaning that the reason teens are purchasing these YA novels is because of the same reason they are banned, what is deemed inappropriate at the time. This article goes on to talk about how these books are oversexualized in an unnecessary way. This is probably true for some books but that is something smart teens can look past and its not what they are taking away from the book. what these teens are taking away is the message and so if a great book with a strong message is out there but it has a few risque topics I think that we shouldn’t let that stop teens from reading it.

Banned books often make parents feel relieved to know they don’t have to constantly be monitoring what their teenage child is reading but the truth is they never do, students at M.S. 51 are educated and mature enough to handle banned books by knowing which ones they can and can’t read. Parents and schools won’t stop worrying about their children and students but that doesn’t mean they have to take away these amazing books from the people that need them.

Bibliography:

"In Defense of Book Banning." The Federalist. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Jan. 2015.

"Schools and Censorship: Banned Books." Schools and Censorship: Banned Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2015.