Teen Pregnancies

In Dinora’s blog, she explains the Bill 592. The Bill would allow mothers at age 16 and older to receive contraceptives without their parents knowing. Dinora argues that this would help the girls who already have a child because chances are they are going to continue sexual activities. She also states that some girls are still embarrassed at this age to talk with their parents.
I agree with Dinora. In this article, it says that Texas is the leading state in the nation for the percentage of teen mothers. It also say that Texas leads the nation in repeat births to girls aged 15 to 19. Obviously what Texas is doing now isn’t working. We need to try new things to help these uneducated teens. If we are the leading state for repeat pregnancies in girls 15 to 19, then why not pass this bill? We need something to stop this. The article I mentioned above also states that “Babies born to mothers aged 15-17 have less supportive and stimulating home environments, poorer health, lower cognitive development, worse educational outcomes, higher rates of behavior problems and higher rates of teen childbearing themselves.” Why would anyone want this for a child? If we can help prevent at least some of the teen pregnancies then we should do so.

Texas Education

In this blog post Challenge Our Young Minds, Dinora makes a good argument about the bill that will stop teachers from passing every student. Currently, some school districts don’t permit teachers to give a failing grade. This means teachers can’t give a grade less than a 70. I agree with Dinora, the bill needs to be passed. It is ridiculous that some students can just float by in high school because their teacher can’t give them a failing grade. We need to raise the bar in Texas education no lower it. In the article Major challenges Facing Texas Education Today, there are several statistics proving that Texas needs help with our education. One of the statistics states that Texas is ranked 49 in verbal SAT scores. Obviously we need to do something about our education. I like this statement Dinora makes, “More than ever our country needs enlightened, challenged minds. Given our economic disasters, environmental issues, and energy shortages we cannot afford to allow our future generation to become status quo.” I couldn’t agree more with that statement. I’m pleased to know that legislators are doing something about this horrible no failing policy.

Rising Tuition Rates

Texas pushes students to attend college, but with the rising tuition rates they are pushing students away. Texas Universities have deregulated tuition rates. By deregulating tuition rates, the legislators covered themselves by making the tuition rates the universities problem. Therefore, making it seem like it is the universities fault for rising tuition, but it’s the Legislatures fault. Tuition at Texas Universities rose 58 percent between 2003, when schools were first allowed to set their own rates, and 2007. As a student it is hard to make ends meet with rising tuition and fees. Many students who would normally go straight to a four-year college or university are opting for community colleges for their first two years because the cost of attending those schools is considerably lower than a four-year college.
In an attempt to lesson college students’ financial load, the Texas Legislature will consider bills in January of next year that would freeze tuition rates and drop the sales tax on textbooks. We need an increase in federal and state funding of higher education, though the chances of receiving either might be very slim. Students and their family’s need the states help to keep the door open for college education. Freezing tuition will help, but at some point the state of Texas must pick up its share of college responsibility. This would help out students and not drive them away. The impact of higher tuition is reflected in the staggering debt some students accumulate by the time they receive their diplomas.

Texas Exorcism Case

In this article the author talks about how the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case of a woman who says that a forced traumatic exorcism was performed on her for hours. She says the exorcism left her physically bruised and emotionally scarred. The court “denies the claim of serious misconduct because it doesn’t wish to be entangled in a religious controversy.”Laura Schubert Pearson’s attorney filed an appeal arguing that Texas Supreme Court was wrong in tossing out her case against the Pleasant Glade Assembly of God in Colleyville. The author claims that the court is wrong for dismissing this case. He says “By voiding the judgment against Pleasant Glade, the Supreme Court majority made it more difficult to find the line between acceptable and unacceptable religious practice. If physically restraining someone against her will for hours isn’t cause for legal action, what is?” The author explains that she was abused and that “should not be excused because it occurred under the color of religion.” He also supports his claim by saying how the First Amendment doesn’t authorize abuse under religion’s name; it only guards religious liberty.
I completely agree with the author of this article. In my opinion, assault should not be protected by religious beliefs. That is no excuse for someone not to be held accountable for. This girl was only 17 at the time, not even an adult. What this church did was wrong and even more so what the court didn’t do was wrong.

Plastic Bag Tax

Texas House of Representative Rafael Anchia, wants to pass a bill that will tax customers seven cents per plastic shopping received from stores. He wants to join other states that are trying to take action about pollution in our environment. Rafael says, “If people know that there’s an added cost to doing plastic, they’re either going to use paper, which is biodegradable, or they’re going to bring their own bag”. Merchants would receive a small portion of the tax revenue and the rest of the profit would go to cities’ recycling programs. However, San Antonio Senator Leticia Van De Putte’s would like to pass a bill that requires stores to provide recycling bins and reusable shopping bags as a plan B. A current article in San Antonio Express News agrees with these bills. Carlos Guerra, the author of the article talks about how bad plastic bags hurt the environment. He says “A major global problem is the use of flimsy plastic bags by retailers”.

It’s definitely obvious that we need to start doing something about the earth’s pollution. I agree with Carlos that plastic bags are a major problem. I think Rep. Rafael Anchia and Sen. Leticia Van De Putte are at a good start, but I don’t think it is enough. Yes, if one of these bills are passed, it might make people stop and think before using plastic bags, but it won't stop people from using them. In my opinion, this just give more money to the stores that supply the plastic bags and still keeps the bags in the environment. I think they should ban plastic bags all together just like San Francisco and some Alaskan towns have.

Drunk Driving

I recently just read this article about MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). MADD is attempting to pass several bills that help prevent drunk driving. These bills include ignition interlock devices for all drunk drivers, and sobriety checkpoints. If these bills are passed I think it would help make our roads safer to travel on. I have been driving on the highways late at night and have seen several drunk drivers on the road. The police cannot be everywhere at once and I think having stricter laws against drunk driving will help ensure that some people may think twice before they get on the highway after drinking too much. It will not stop everyone but I think it is a step in the right direction the more laws we have in place to stop drunk driving, the more chances we have of saving lives on the highway. Read this article on KXAN’s website. http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/politics/MADD_wants_sobriety_checkpoints_in_TX