Unexpected Changes and Support

This has definitely been a tough weekend and week. I was minding my own business Saturday, just hanging out with my roommate when my boyfriend comes over.  He recently signed with the Marines and was told he was leaving April 26th for boot camp.  He comes over to tell me that he is leaving Monday (yesterday).  At first, I really thought he was kidding; that it was all just a joke.  But he wasn’t laughing. 

Monday morning we dropped him off at the recruiting office here in Joplin, they drove to Kansas City last night and were flying out to San Diego, California Tuesday.  I don’t know how many of you know about boot camp for the Marines, but it consists of 13 weeks out there, with little to no contact, except for letters.  Then when they graduate, they are given 10 days leave (only 10 because he is in the Reserves) and then it’s off to like 2 more months of training. 

I don’t want to give the impression that I’m not proud, because you have no idea how proud I am of him.  This is something he has dreamed of doing since he was a little boy.  And now his dream is finally coming true.  I just hate hate hate how we went from making plans for what to do this week, to not seeing or hearing from him for 13 weeks.  It’s really upsetting for me, and aggravating because we had made so many plans for the next 3 months that are now on hold.  I could never do what those guys (San Diego is for only guys) are doing out there.  He just told me some of what they would be doing, and I honestly couldn’t imagine doing that.  I’m not sure if that’s just because I’m a pansy or what. J  The hours and training there is absolutely crazy and extremely intense.  I never really knew what it took to be able to call someone a United States Marine.  They, along with the other branches, really are special people. 

Until dating my boyfriend, I never would’ve known that and I’m kind of glad that I have, just because it gives me an even greater respect for the military that what I had for them before.  I really think that the military is taken for granted in so many instances.  There are men and women dying everyday for us and we don’t even recognize it.  I wish we gave them more recognition and thanks for everything they are doing.  We can be selfish by not letting them know that we are thinking of them.  Children seem to be more appreciative of these men and women than anyone else.  I would love to see more efforts to help these people while they are in other countries.  Efforts to help them and their loved ones back home.  Because, even though my boyfriend is just at boot camp, it’s extremely difficult.  And support is the one thing that really helps them get through the dangers and tough times.  

History Repeating Itself

I never really believed that history completely repeated itself until I saw this article on CNN News.  A high school in Pennsylvania has separated some of their students for 6 minutes a day and 20 minutes twice a month.  These students are separated by race, gender and language in efforts to raise academic scores.  McCaskey East High School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania has research stating “that (studies) show grouping black students by gender with a strong role model can help boost their academic achievement and self esteem.”  Personally, I do not agree with this at all; voluntary or not.  The article claims that the junior class did this voluntarily, but really, I can’t sit here and believe that every single one of these students were okay with this.  According to the history of The case of Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, it was declared that it “violates the 14^th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees all citizens equal protection of the laws.”  If students were being limited to where they go to school back then and it was considered wrong, why can they decide where the students are placed in classrooms today? 

It’s understandable that the school wants to improve test scores.  They say they have research saying that if they are separated the students do better, but how is doing this not repeating history.  Because forcing students to separate for certain times of the day can ultimately result in just reliving 1957 and the Little Rock Nine.  The Little Rock Nine took place in 1957 when the Little Rock public schools decided to desegregate their schools. The schools were faced with a lot of scrutiny and on September 23^rd police had to escort nine African American students into Little Rock Central High School in fear of them being attacked. 

Honestly, I do not want to see life come to that phase again.  I know, the school isn’t planning on that happening but all it takes is that one school to start and schools to follow.  And before long, we will be back to schools being completely segregated.  There are other schools within the country who are already reverting back to real segregation.  But the NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous says that they will not let it happen. 

In defense for McCaskey East High School, the article does point out that some same-sex schools have better scores that co-ed schools. So they kind of have the right idea.  They are trying to help scores of their students.  But I also feel that instead of segregating the school, they should just break everything up into same-sex classes and be consistent with that, rather than separating for just a few minutes a day.  They might have the right idea, but I also think they should be going about it all differently.  And I would really hate to see history repeat itself in this sense.

Introduction

Hey everyone.  My name is Kaycee. I am a sophomore this year and my major is Elementary and Early Childhood Education.  I play bassoon in the Concert Band at Southern and I am also part of the colorguard. I also participate in Koinonia Christian Campus Ministry.  I was born and raised in Kansas City but I graduated from Lebanon High School in Lebanon, MO.  This is just a little bit about myself.  Can't wait to meet the rest of you and see what the semester holds for us. :)