Month: March 2021

2. How can America ever make up for the betrayal of black lives. They have been enslaved, mistreated and many other thing since the beginning of this country’s time. The HR 40 has a start of what could be done. The HR 40 bill is the “the Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act. (Coates)” This is just the thought of reparations, not actually the action until it is settled on what to do exactly. This is a fantastic idea; studying the idea of reparations towards black people could help build this country to being better and taking responsibility for their actions. But, as Coates explains in “The Case for Reparations”, “HR 40 has never…made it to the House floor suggests our concerns are rooted not in the impracticality of reparations but in something more existential.(Coates)” What does this say about America? Our own government is refusing the idea of restoring what has happened to black people in our own country. This is the definition of white supremacy being upheld in this country. There is nothing that can be done to be forgiven for all things done, but at least looking at how to begin, could be a good start for this country. This is not seen, sadly, and our country continues to be ignorant.

3. So, the question becomes why exactly is America denying black lives of the reparations deserved. Coates has an answer to this question that I agree with. Coates suggests that it isn’t the money that frightens us to repay African Americans, but “The idea of reparations threatens something much deeper—America’s heritage, history, and standing in the world. (Coates)” It is the idea that America isn’t perfect. Hardcore americans will always believe that America is the greatest country and has never done anything wrong, but these people are blind to the truth America has been a part of one of the worst long-term destruction of lives ever. I believe that Carol Dweck could say something about these people who don’t want to take on this challenge of attempting to repair what has been done. Carol Dweck would suggest that these people have a fixed mindset, which is the feeling of having ” their intelligence up for judgment, and they failed.” These people who are upholding white supremacy and are inadequate of changing what has and still is being done, are scared of being wrong. It seems like these people are not willing to be wrong or change their perspectives. It’s as if they were brainwashed to never understand others. It’s hard to understand what has been going on for centuries for black lives and not want to change the situation. It has become systemic and needs help to change these issues, which could be the HR 40 bill, but we won’t know because it won’t be passed.

4. Just because white supremacists are shown to have fixed mindsets does not mean that black people show the same. For any given situation, black people have to work at least 2 times as hard to get the same credit. Coates uses a specific example that can be generalized to others. As we all know, Barack Obama was our first non-white president. Although he was the president, this doesn’t mean he already had the privilege or has as much privilege as others. The telling sign is the children of the Obamas vs. the Bushes. Coates explains “Whatever the Obama children achieve, it will be evidence of their family’s singular perseverance, not of broad equality.” The Obama’s have achieved everything by working a lot harder than everyone else. Yes, their children do have more privilege than most, but not compared to the ongoing privilege that the Bush children have had. Even at the most respected position, the white privilege is obvious. We can relate this to how The Obama’s and many other minority families have a growth mindset. Not saying all, but a lot do because of all of the challenges faced. A growth mindset is when people “understood that their abilities could be developed” according to Dweck (Dweck). This means that someone with a growth mindset won’t shy away from a challenge, but welcome it. To me, that’s exactly what the Obama’s did by becoming the first non-white people as the leaders of our country.

1. I believe that Coates is trying to get to the point that Americans want to ignore the past that we have done to black lives and just continue living on. But as Coates suggests “If we conclude that the conditions in North Lawndale and black America are not inexplicable but are instead precisely what you’d expect of a community that for centuries has lived in America’s crosshairs, then what are we to make of the world’s oldest democracy?” What does that say about America if we allow this to happen? Is it then normal and anyone would do it? No, that is not true and we should take responsibility for our actions and I believe that is what Coates is saying.
2. Our country is built on being the “best country in the world” with the most opportunities. If America gave into the reality of being a country driven off of slavery and inequality, then what does that make our country? I believe that is why the House has never passed HR 40; the little bit of recognition of the awful things America has done to become the country it is today will set them off. This is a sad reality and I think Coates wants to make it clear that America as a whole needs to be better and make it clear what we’ve done wrong.
3. It challenges America’s history and heritage. I believe that it threatens the people who create this idea of patriotism and how amazing America is and always has been. For me personally, It doesn’t hurt my opinions on our country whatsoever. If anything, I would have more respect for this country if they did something about the past. I do agree with Coates though because I do feel like it would challenge a lot of peoples thoughts on America’s history.
4. It challenges the myth because it opens up the truths about how America is not perfect. Coate put it perfectly when saying “its innocence into a wisdom worthy of its founders.” America is not innocent in any way shape or form. Taking a look at the past and trying to change is a better America for everyone. Ignoring it will not do anything but look ignorant.

2. Title 3 of the GI Bill kept black people and black veterans from getting mortgages on homes as said in the text, “left black veterans to tangle with white officials at their local Veterans Administration as well as with the same banks that had, for years, refused to grant mortgages to blacks.” This left white people with the better homes and black people to go to the cheapest parts of America. Another reason black people were left for nothing is that the National Association of Real Estate Board said that ” “a Realtor should never be instrumental in introducing into a neighborhood … any race or nationality, or any individuals whose presence will clearly be detrimental to property values.” So all of the good neighborhoods that already had white people in them could not be sold to other races.

3.Based on what we read, we know that white privilege has been relevant since the beginning; this is what I believe the comparison of Obama’s and Bush’s is suggesting. No matter how much the Obama children accomplish, it will only be because of how hard they worked, whereas with the Bush children, they have had so much privilege in their lives and their parents have had the same amount that they could work way less hard and end up with more accomplishments. This is exactly why it is harder for black people to be of more “nobility”, as said in the text – “Whatever the Obama children achieve, it will be evidence of their family’s singular perseverance, not of broad equality.:

4. Giving black people the reparations they deserve could hinder how America is seen when all is uncovered and the truth is learned. The inevitability of that needs to happen may scare the ones who uphold white supremacy. It’s threatening to our school systems because white people will finally learn and understand what they have done and been apart of, in order to learn and grow. It is not threatening to those who understand and feel for what has happened through white supremacy.

3. One statistic that truly stood out to me is “Forty-three percent of the people in North Lawndale live below the poverty line—double Chicago’s overall rate.” How is this possible? This is the cause of systemic issues within our government. Black families and other minority groups moving to cities when they were able to and now can’t get out. There aren’t enough opportunities and it’s white supremacy keeping them where they are. Another disturbing stat that I saw is “The average per capita income of Chicago’s white neighborhoods is almost three times that of its black neighborhoods.” This statistic disturbs me beyond another level and it should. People live in the same city, not different ones and because of their skin color, one gets 3 times more money on average. I thought this was an important statistic because it shows the white privilege that is so relevant in our country. The sad part about it is that there has been nearly any change to this stat as “The income gap between black and white households is roughly the same today as it was in 1970.”

Draft: To first look at how UNE implements liberal arts education, we have to see why it is the best choice, rather than a career education. A liberal arts education entails many things, including learning how to read/write, think, and become a better citizen. Ungar states that liberal arts are the best form of education because it sets students up for any job, while Scheuer agrees, he believes that students want to get a career fast without debt but liberal arts aren’t the fastest way to do so, which I do not agree with. Any college that you go to will lead students into debt no matter what. Some careers may make up for this by paying more in the long run but the liberal arts system is not what is causing students to have debt, it’s deeper than that.  In the article “7 major misperceptions about the liberal arts”, Ungar exclaims that “It is far wiser for students to prepare for change…than to search for a single job track that might one day become a dead end” (Ungar 1). Ungar claims that being prepared for multiple career tracks sets students up for anything. Rather than the alternative of being ready for a career that may die out in 10 years. This makes a lot of sense and feels like the smartest option for any student going to college. Scheuer on the other hand doesn’t agree that liberal arts set students up for a better future. He believes that STEM majors in liberal arts are not the same as with other colleges. Scheuer states in “Critical Thinking and Liberal Arts” that “Liberal arts colleges seem an endangered species as curricula shift toward science, technology, engineering, and math—the STEM disciplines. Students want jobs, not debt, and who can blame them” (Scheuer 1). STEM disciplines are involved in many liberal arts educations and I feel as if they create a stronger student in those fields as they learn to write and think better.

Revised: To first look at how UNE implements liberal arts education, we have to see why it is the best choice, rather than a career education. A liberal arts education entails many things, including learning how to read/write, think, and become a better citizen. Ungar states that liberal arts are the best form of education because it sets students up for any job, while Scheuer agrees, he believes that students want to get a career fast without debt but liberal arts aren’t the fastest way to do so, which I do not agree with. Any college that you go to will lead students into debt, no matter what. Some careers may make up for this by paying more in the long run but the liberal arts system is not what is causing students to have debt, it’s deeper than that.  In the article “7 major misperceptions about the liberal arts”, Ungar exclaims that “It is far wiser for students to prepare for change…than to search for a single job track that might one day become a dead end” (Ungar 1). Ungar claims that being prepared for multiple career tracks sets students up for anything. Rather than the alternative of being ready for a career that may die out in 10 years. This makes a lot of sense and feels like the smartest option for any student going to college. Scheuer on the other hand doesn’t agree that liberal arts set students up for a better future. He believes that STEM majors in liberal arts are not the same as with other colleges. Scheuer states in “Critical Thinking and Liberal Arts” that “Liberal arts colleges seem an endangered species as curricula shift toward science, technology, engineering, and math—the STEM disciplines. Students want jobs, not debt, and who can blame them” (Scheuer 1). STEM disciplines are involved in many liberal arts educations and I feel as if they create a stronger student in those fields as they learn to write and think better. This is connected to how UNE feels about implementing sciences into their curriculum. In the core handbook, it states, “Scientific literacy, including an understanding of scientific along with quantitative and qualitative approaches to comprehending the universe, is also central to our educational mission. ( Core Handbook ). This shows how science courses being implemented into a curriculum could only help the knowledge of a student.

The revised paragraph gives more detail in the explanation and seems more complete.

1. while Scheuer agrees, he believes that students want to get a career fast without debt, but liberal arts aren’t the fastest way to do so. (I like this conjunction because it shows the emphasis on liberal arts schools giving students degrees to make them successful in their lives.
2. Ungar can help develop why liberal arts education is practical and critical to today’s society (The addition of critical allows readers to understand that liberal arts are important for reasons.)
3. UNE is acknowledging that students need to understand where they live now, but about other places on this earth, too. (The emphasis in this sentence is on the end about thinking about other places besides where a student may live.
4. Liberal Arts prepare students for multiple careers as most kids don’t have it all figured out and know exactly what they want to do. (This subordination emphasizes “as” explaining why students should choose liberal arts schools. They can try out many things that they may not have thought about and enjoy it.)
5. Ungar states that liberal arts are the best form of education because it sets students up for any job (This is an important use because as it allows readers to know why Ungar believes liberal arts are the best form of education.)

First Draft: The liberal arts curriculum is popular among colleges and universities, especially in America. Although taught in different fashions, they all have the same concept in mind; to teach students how to think critically and become better citizens of the world. The liberal arts started with just seven subjects: “the trivium of classical antiquity, consisting of grammar, rhetoric, and logic, combined with the medieval quadrivium of arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. (Scheuer 1)” These seven have now been reformed into more than that, now with more STEM and Humanities disciplines involved. 

Revised: The liberal arts curriculum is popular among colleges and universities, especially in America. Although taught in different fashions, they all have the same concept in mind; to teach students how to think critically and become better citizens of the world. The liberal arts started with just seven subjects: “the trivium of classical antiquity, consisting of grammar, rhetoric, and logic, combined with the medieval quadrivium of arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. (Scheuer 1)” These seven have now been reformed into more than that, now with more STEM and Humanities disciplines involved. The University of New England is a liberal arts school that practices these concepts. Using texts from Scheuer will allow for a better understanding of what for of liberal arts UNE uses in their curriculum. Ungar can help develop why the liberal arts education is important and critical to today’s society. The liberal arts help people learn from more than their one disciplinary, giving them more experience. Employers are looking for people who know how to do more than one thing, and this is exactly what students get from a liberal arts education.

Explanation: In the revised introductory paragraph, I established my position in the bigger picture and how I will be using the texts to understand what UNE uses and how they implement it.

1. A liberal arts education entails many things, including learning how to read/write, to think, and become a better citizen. Ungar states that liberal arts is the best form of education because it sets students up for any job, while Scheuer agrees that students want to get a career fast without debt, which is something that liberal arts does not offer, which I do not agree with. In the article “7 major misperceptions about the liberal arts” Ungar exclaims that “It is far wiser for students to prepare for change…than to search for a single job track that might one day become a dead end” (Ungar 1). Ungar claims that being prepared for multiple career tracks sets students up for anything. Rather than the alternative of being ready for a career that may die out in 10 years. This makes a lot of sense and feels like the smartest option for any student going to college. Scheuer on the other hand doesn’t agree that liberal arts set students up for a better future. He believes that STEM majors in liberal arts are not the same as with other colleges. Scheuer states in “Critical Thinking and Liberal Arts” that “Liberal arts colleges seem an endangered species as curricula shift toward science, technology, engineering, and math—the STEM disciplines. Students want jobs, not debt, and who can blame them” (Scheuer 1). STEM disciplines are involved in many liberal arts educations and I feel as if they create a stronger student in those fields as they learn to write and think better.
2. The UNE liberal arts education takes on one of the most formally known conceptions in America according to Scheuer. UNE includes all types of disciplines including the STEM ones. This means that students must take classes from sciences to humanities. UNE states in the handbook, ” students will develop foundational knowledge and critical thinking skills that are necessary for understanding and assuming their roles in natural, social, humanistic, and other environments” (Handbook). This says that students will learn about a more than just their specific major in order to prepare them for more. This resembles one of Scheuers models of the liberal arts. According to Scheuer, in the article “Critical Thinking and Liberal Arts”, the liberal arts “embraces the ideal of the integrated curriculum, encompassing virtually all nonprofessional higher learning” (Scheuer 1). This shows that UNE uses this type of curriculum because there are many different higher learning subjects being taught.
3. The liberal arts are said to bring about better citizens and a better understanding of the world. UNE’s core curriculum prepares for students to become better citizens with the ability to think more critically, as Scheuer would agree, this is a necessary component to any liberal arts education. I believe both UNE and SCheuer are right in emphasizing the understanding of the world and becoming a better citizen. In the core handbook, UNE states, “Living in the interconnected world today demands an understanding of a variety of cultures, people and the environment… Students must also be prepared to enter the world engaged as local, national and global citizens and professionals” (Handbook). UNE is acknowledging that students need to understand where they live now, but about other places on this earth, too. I have to agree that it is very important to understand how others are living so we can help situations if need be. Scheuer would agree with UNEs goal in their curriculum as he believes “The liberal arts have traditionally been defended as instrumental to two key elements of democracy: critical thinking and citizenship” (Scheuer 2). Scheuer is highlighting the importance of critical thinking and citizenship that should be withheld in any liberal arts education.

1. Misconception #1 states that “A liberal-arts degree is a luxury that most families can no longer afford. “Career education” is what we now must focus on” (Ungar). Ungar would respond to this by saying students need to prepare for more than one job in the future, as the world changes every day. Kids need to be able to adapt to situations that may occur, which is what a liberal education allows for. This relates to how the UNE handbook does not talk about why liberal education is better than a career education. I know a handbook won’t straight out say that the education system is better than others, but they could mention why being ready for more than one career is important.
2. English 110 is a good example of advancing students’ abilities of critical thinking. As Scheuer states, “The assimilation of facts, ideas, and conceptual frameworks, and the development of critical minds, are equal parts of a liberal education” (Scheuer). Liberal education is supposed to broaden the ability to think about different situations critically. In Eng 110, that’s exactly what is happening. We have to look at different topics and challenge one another ideas and discuss them. This allows students to have opinions on topics and discuss them in the future, particularly with a boss about a project they could be working on. As for being a better citizen, I would say Sociology would be a great example of enabling better citizens. “Students will thus acquire disciplinary knowledge, develop critical thinking skills, and expand their expressive capabilities, while they expand their understanding of their place in the world” (Core Handbook). As implied in the handbook, Sociology will develop students’ skills overall, which will enhance their citizenship once out of school.
3. In our Handbook, there is a lot of discussion of how it will enhance critical thinking abilities. This is a concept that Ungar and Scheuer seem to believe in as well. “It [curriculum] asks them [students] to integrate and apply their acquired knowledge and skills to problems and decisions within their major and professions” (handbook). There are important classes that students take in their first two years that are applied to each individual major, to allow for analytical thinking. Ungar agreed that liberal educations have found to emphasize more developed thought. Ungar states that “An astounding 89 percent said they were looking for more emphasis on “the ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing,” and almost as many urged the development of better “critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills” (Ungar). Most employers are looking for students with liberal art backgrounds because they know what comes with a liberal education.