Reading Log

CAN PEOPLE ACCEPT OTHERS THROUGH PRONOUNCED STEREOTYPES?

• WHAT did this book say about YOUR big question?
• HOW did reading this book help you come to a better understanding of your big question?
• Would you recommend this book?  Why or why not?

   The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

    Flawed Dogs by Berkeley Breathed

               The Book Thief reviled that stereotypes do not depict friendships and relationships. In the novel a family houses a Jew during WWII. The relationship that forms between the little girl and her Jewish friend, Max is remarkable and the risks the family takes in saving Max's life is so generous.       
               This book helped me understand the questions by being able to witness the cruelty and unjustness against the stereotype of being Jewish. Max went through so much cruelty just for an aspect of him that would seem so insignificant compared to what he faced and to be able to witness at least a little kindness from the a German family was really touching.
              I would recommend this book because its a really inspiring book told through a unique perspective. 

              The book Flawed Dogs revealed that even through differences and abnormalities love in indestructible. Even through the hardships that Sam the dog goes through in loosing his leg his human Heidi still loves him for who he is; so much so, that she is willing to give up a first place position in a dog show to be with Sam.
             This book helped me understand that stereotypes although they are present do not affect true relationships. That even the cruelest stereotypes do not change the love between close individuals.
           I would definitely recommend this book because although it is an easy read the message is still very strong and touching. 

                
           Both of these novels relate to my question of can stereotypes affect relationships by portraying perfect examples of when generalizations can occur and the friendships that can withstand them. We all have experienced any number of stereotypes before that can range all across the spectrum of judgements, yet it's all about how the individual copes with these judgements and how he or she perceives them on others.

Short Story!

        Blue Tailed Lizards

The boy walked, his feet aching with blisters and burns from the razor sharp sand. Still, he walked onwards, in hopes of discovering something he could be proud of; something he could be proud of having his kingdom support.

    He collapsed, he had to rest. He sat, rubbing his feet and turned on his side to rest in the sun. Breaths short, he heard his name, Adli... ringing in his head. He screamed! Lost. Alone. It was not fair, what was he supposed to do? Go back to the corruption of his civilization? He could not. He had to find something better in the world. Adli had to start over and run his own life, one that he could control without the approval of supervisors.
    His kingdom was falling apart. Citizens were in turmoil and poverty was around every corner. What was he supposed to do? He was still underage, and since the recent passing of his parents, he had no choice but to fall under the rule of his supervisors. His world that he knew was perfect, profit was pouring into his kingdom, and everyone seemed happy and prosperous. It was only until he was almost killed by one of his own citizens did he realize the lies he had been living behind.
    It was just a day like any other in which Adli was strolling through his garden looking for lizards to catch. He found one, one he had never seen before with a bright blue tail, he jumped on it and the little lizard scurried over his arms before Adli jumped with the crack of a shot hitting the Earth two feet from his body. Guns were fired and his bodyguard and best friend Mujahid, dived in around Adli’s body for protection. He remembered the sickening jolt when the bullet hit his friend, and the apologetic look in his eyes as he fell to the ground. Adli looked up, speechless. The shooter was already overrun by other palace guards and dragged away to face his awaiting fate.
    Adli wanted to give up. He lied there in the sand looking up into the sun, where was Mujahid he wondered as he gazed up into the skies. The sand felt wet against his back and he wished for water. His hands burned with a raging rash that was spreading up his arms and his fever was rising.
    He learned his citizens were on the verge of dying; his supervisors had been taxing them profusely to help secure the kingdom with protection since the loss of the King. Financially, their civilization was in ruins and on top of it all a disease had struck his people, which apparently had been taking over neighboring kingdoms as well. People were breaking out in a rash starting on their hands which would then move across their entire bodies until it reached their throats causing suffocation. Adli knew it was just a matter of time before his people would begin to parish and he would join them.
    He turned his head at the sound of scurrying next to him. It was another blue-tailed lizard. The creature stuck his tongue out at Adli and scampered onto his hand, Adli quickly grabbed the lizard and brought it to his face. He looked at the little beast in a puzzled way, why was it that he never saw this lizard before and now he was seeing it again so recently from the first one he saw?

He released his grip and the small lizard’s tail fell off into Adli’s hand as the lizard ran off. Adli held the tail in his palm and in moment the rash on his hand began to subside. He gawked, and quickly rolled the tail up both arms and in his hands. Sure enough, the rash disappeared and he began to feel much better. A cure? He thought. No way, there’s a cure in the oils on the lizard’s blue tail!

Adli sat up, sitting in a quiet silence. He thought this was a sign, he had to go back, he had to save his people and lead his kingdom. Who cared that he was underage. He was the heir to the thrown; he could make the rules. He had to help his neighboring kingdoms because it was his duty. Adli looked up at the sky once more, he knew his parents were smiling, and Mujahid was standing strong, still protecting him.

Adli jumped up with a rage of energy and began running. He followed his footsteps home until he finally reached his palace doors completely exhilarated.

“Prince Adli! Your back! Where have you been? Everyone’s been searching for you.” A servant called as he quickly ushered Adli inside.

“Yes, I am back,” Adli replied, “and we have some work to do.”

Hyperlink Task

Thomas!
ok bear with me...what if there was only a cyber world in which we were run by the internet?? The internet alone was our governmenting system and because of its vastness it could constantly watch us and monitor what we say and do? Because the internet had become smart enough from the information we provided it in the first place, it eventually developed its on views and control on perfecting the human race? What would we do!!??? AHH!

Hyperlink Task

Sammy!
What if there was a world where there were no bullies and everything was always perfect? No one decieted or betrayed others because people didn't know how to. People did not know how to lie because it had never been discovered. Everything was just serious, true, and perfect, but then someone, one person discovers how to lie. Someone figures out and decides not to thell the truth. What would happen? Is deceit always inevitable?

Equality in Public Schools

Respect VS Equality
    Respect is what we all as individuals owe to one another. Society is confusing the necessary need for respect for everyone as individuals with unique characteristics by instead making everyone equal. Differences are what makes mankind unique, and the fabrication of some bland monotonous vision society is attempting to portray is not only unattainable but unethical. There is a limit that one must put on pro-equality because if it is surpassed it can reach the point of unfairness, not to mention the challenges society can face in committing to pro-equality.

To begin, many people are pro-equality in the world and while everyone should be given an equal chance, no one should be assumed to be the same as another person. Pro-equality stands for giving everyone an equal shot in society. For example, in the workforce there has always been the touchy issue of equality “It is unlawful discrimination for an employer to treat a person less favorably than others for a reason to do with disability” (“Disability Discrimination”). Anyone should have an equal chance on becoming who he or she wants to be in the world. There are countless individuals who wish to perfect this process in schools, “Special education advocates have fought long and hard for the laws the force local school districts to pay out-of-district tuition for some special education students” (“The $141,000 Student”). The only determining factor concerning equality is how far one strives. If someone is offered all the equal opportunity as the next guy yet that person displays a lack of interest, then society should avoid putting all their energy into “perfecting” that person in what he or she does not even want to do. The same goes with if that person is capable of doing specific tasks. I for one know that I could never be a professional basketball player, I simply do not have the physical or mental build and I do not even enjoy it. So why should society even bother to make me feel equal by allowing me to join the basketball team, especially if I might bring the whole team down?

Furthermore, unfairness concerning equality can be present on both sides of the spectrum. While excluding people with differences, or people with disabilities is completely dishonorable the same can apply for people without disabilities. After all, many believe “Fairness is not just a measure of equality- whether of opportunity or outcome” (“Equality report”). If society is so focused on helping or assisting people with disabilities they can loose their focus on helping those without disabilities to the point of even excluding them, for example, how people can become determined to fund and educate people with disabilities “If the district can’t provide an appropriate education tailored to the child’s specific needs, then it must pay to send the child somewhere that can” (“The $141,000 Student”). This does not seem fair because it draws the question of what about a child without special needs? Would the district pay for him or her as well, and on top of that who ends up paying for the child? It is a tough call on where to draw the line in assisting people. Is it fair to automatically throw in a child with severe mental disabilities into a class with all children without mental disabilities? There is also a problem in discipline concerning people with or without disabilities. While I agree in principle of being more lenient with persons with disabilities, that is only to a certain extent, for just like any other person, he or she would know that he or she is being given leniency, and like any other person might conclude in taking advantage of it. In the end the whole topic just narrows down to respect. Respect should be given to absolutely everyone at all costs because that is what is fair, not trying to perfect this vision of equality because someone will always be left out.

Finally, society can face many challenges in pursuing equality. Not only in how a person with disabilities can on occasion lash out due to misunderstanding but also in the expenses of committing to helping a person with disabilities. There have been many occasions in which people with disabilities have lashed out out of frustration or misunderstanding to their peers or teachers, and society then runs into the trouble of how to cope with them. It has been brought up before; discipline concerning children with disabilities, in one incident a child had lashed out at her teacher. What followed her abuse towards her teacher “was an expensive, extreme example of what school districts sometimes must do to comply with federal special education requirements” (“The $141,000 Student”). There is also the trouble of expenses when it comes to assisting or educating persons with disabilities. Some people can not afford to include a person with disabilities in their lives, which usually can lead to other people paying for them, whether it be through taxes or funds. Assisting others to get an education is a completely generous thing to do but where does one draw the line in funds, especially if that person themself does not have to pay for it, “Federal Funding is the only way to ensure that public education equality is upheld nationwide” (“Admin”). For example, there can be a million dollar bond in making a playground AA approved for a couple students with disabilities but if one were to collect a million dollar bond for new desks in schools that would be a far greater challenge. When society focuses too much of its funds on any specific thing it can cause dispute amongst others and in this case, too much support to those who have disabilities can be both unjust and challenging financially. Society also runs into the problem that pure equality is simply unattainable and impractical. It is a complete waste of effort to donate all one’s time to equality because there will always be cracks in equality whether it be from what society exposes on itself or what the individual believes and pursues.

    In the end, giving everyone the respect they deserve and providing everyone an equal chance it the greatest thing one can bestow but automatically assuming everyone is equal and throwing everyone in the same boat in completely biased. There is a limit society must accept in our world of opportunity, and that is that pro-equality is by all means an honorable thing to pursue but only to an extent before it becomes unfair, not to mention the challenges citizens can face in the whole topic. Pure equality is unattainable and the strive for it is inequitable and cruel to not only people with disabilities but also people without.

Works Cited

"The $141,000 Student: Longview District Pays for Special Ed Student's Enrollment in Private Utah Facility." Home. Web. 01 Dec. 2010. <http://tdn.com/news/article_6e0d3c55-59ce-5821-a0a4-9144b5085919.html>.

Admin. "Public School Funding of Federal Importance." Public School Funding of Federal Importance. 26 Feb. 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2010. <http://www.themerionite.org/?p=2740>.

Cates, Kay. Personal Interview. 1 Dec. 2010.

"Equality Report Slams Divided Britain | Society | Guardian.co.uk." Latest News, Comment and Reviews from the Guardian | Guardian.co.uk. Web. 01 Dec. 2010. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/oct/10/equality-report-britain-divided>.

Seely, Gordon M. Education and Opportunity; for What and for Whom. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1970. Print.

"TeacherNet, A to Z of School Leadership - Disability Discrimination." TeacherNet: the Education Site for Teachers and School Managers. Web. 01 Dec. 2010. <http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/atoz/d/disabilitydiscrimination/index.cfm?code=faqu>.