CE 3.2

1. What are the unusual requests made by the defense attorney for VonTrey Clark's murder arraignment? Page A1 "Ex-Austin cop pleads...."

The defense attorney for VonTrey Clark filed to prevent attorneys and witnesses from speaking publicly about the case. 

2. Why are students at Princeton sitting in the president's office? Page A7 "Students sit in president's office"

The students are protesting to improve the school lives of black students in New Jersey. 

3. Who are the current four teams that are predicted to play in the college football play-offs, according to the article on page C4 "Power four plus more"?

The Clemson Tigers, the Alabama Tide, the Ohio State Buckeyes, and Oklahoma State are predicted to play in the college football playoffs. Notre Dame was also considered by another source but the Statesman disagreed. 

4. Who are the five "platinum" biker-friendly cities in the United States? Page D3 "Austin earns gold status..."

Madison, Wisconsin
Fort Collins, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Portland, Oregon
Davis, California


5. What other films where compared to the final Hunger Games film out this week, for their lack of....really exciting viewers at the end? Page D6 "Hunger Games finale...."

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part II 
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2


1. Is this a good decision by the board? Why or Why not?

   I don't think it was a good decision by the board, but the proposal comes much too late for it to have made any difference. There will always be dispute on the curriculum that children are taught in their history classes, and thus  will always reflect a flawed perspective.

2. What do you think about the example set forth, where a world geography book had a caption that read that slaves who were brought over from Africa were "workers"? Is that acceptable? Why?

 Any proofreader would have immediately questioned the usage of "workers"; not only is it factually inaccurate but it simplifies a genocide that took place over centuries and caused a giant rift in culture that lasts to this day. Thus it may not have been intentional, but it is harmful. Of course, it's not the lone caption that faces scrutiny- many people claim that textbooks tend to play off slavery as inconsequential. I believe this as well. I am amidst a group of peers that want to separate the romantic South from its racist and violent history. One word printed in a textbook didn't make them racist, but factually incorrect beliefs spread like wildfire through a community. 

3. Should textbooks be re-checked by experts in the field or by a group of people selected by the board which includes, parents, educators, and other experts?
 Yes, but unfortunately this is most likely a futile attempt. Generations evolve, written history with a Western perspective is, by definition, biased. Groups of educators, parents, and government officials constantly debate over curriculum, leaving students uninformed and largely dependent on educating themselves, should they have the resources.

4. Do you think your textbooks are accurate?

   Our textbooks aren't inaccurate for the most part, but they force a kind of tunnel vision that I don't appreciate. If I want to learn about cultures that aren't in Europe or America, I'm pretty much out of luck, save for descriptions of genocide and war. Passing mentions of interesting topics I've never heard of leave me Googling for more. 
    Textbooks are a smaller part of  my major problem with education- negligence towards history as a subject. Even though I prefer other subjects, I would argue that history is the most important subject taught in any school. When taught correctly and carefully it is extremely effective in engaging an entirely new generation.  Underfunded history programs have little resources, leaving both teachers and students unenthusiastic. Continuing this trend, we may no longer question passing mentions of "workers" in our books, or skip entire continents, or skim over genocides. History should be comprehensive, engaging, factually correct, and representative of all people.