Talking Equality

This article entitled "Talking Equality" is about how Black and Latinos are lacking in the PSSA and how Whites and Asians are getting proficient and up. Arlene Ackerman emphasized how Blacks and Latinos, mostly males had severe disadvantages because of the work and achievements. Poor student are up for grabs because of the poor work their doing. Black and Latinos lag about 24 points behind Whites and Asians in the reading and math PSSA.

Many teachers are reducing the class sizes because of the kids the are not doing so good. About 59% of the students in the emotional support classes are boys. They're trying to say that African American boys are doing much better than the females. White make up just 12% of the high school students but 28% of those in magnet schools. About 11% of Blacks and 10% students of Latinos in Highschool are in an Advance placement classes compared to 32% of Asians and 24% Whites.

I agree that most whites are smart, but I disagree that we black don't do well on the PSSA. I think their basically saying that we Blacks are dumb and we don't accomplish anything. I think when Blacks think about it we can do anything and get good grades as well as score Proficient or even advance on the PSSA or class test. We people children are having diffulculties in class but all we and others have to do is ask for help or do extra work. This is what I think about the test scores on the PSSA.

Anti-Colonial Afrikan Leader

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was born October 29,1938 in Monrovia,Liberia. She had two educated and intelligent parents named Johnson-Sirleaf and Jahmale Carney- Sirleaf. Ellen ethnic background were 1/2 Gola from her father side and 1/4 kru and 1/4 German on her mother side. Ellen grew up going to college, she attended college in West Africa around 1948. Ellen married a man named James Sirleaf at the age of 17 years and traveled to the USA where she had continued a fine education at the University of Colorado. Later on in the year around 1969 to 1971 she studied at Harvard University, as she earn a master's degree in public administration. She then went back home to Liberia to work with the government of William Tolbert. Mean while she serve for the Finance Minister from 1972 to 1973.

Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf religion was Methodist, and part indigenous belief from her father(40% est). Her father became the first Liberian from the indigenous ethnic to sit in the country's legislature, meaning that he was able to make laws. Their tradition was to wear Liberian dresses(school or even special occasions). The population in Monrovia, Liberia was estimated to 3,333,587 around July 2008.The language she spoke was English most of the time. In the Indigenous group there were more groups inside of the country like Kpelle, Bassa, Gia, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Vai, Dei, Gola, Loma, Bella and much more.

In Ellen Johnson's history there was a social disagreement between the Indigenous Liberians and the Americo- Liberians had lead to a social strife between both ethnic groups. Ellen rejected the suggestion that she was one of the elites. After coming back home Ellen moved to Washington D.ligal C were she served as Vice President of both the African Regional Office of Citibank in Nairobi. Ellen Jjohnson then went once more to elect as being President and she came second losing to Charles Taylor who got 10% of the vote. Later on Ellen was known as the President of Liberia on the 23 of November, 2005.

Ellen had a book entitled "Africa's historic 'first': President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf: the continent's first elected female head of state is poised to turn things around in Liberia by Kevin Chappell. Another article was entitled" Yes, You Can! by Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf her self, on June 13, 2008 at 3:00 pm where she lives. This article was about how honored she was to become elected and she talk about the graduates of Dartmouth College June 8. How she was happy to claim that people had freedom to say speeches as the foundation of the political discourse.

My thoughts of Ellen Johnson is that she was a great person to Liberia her home country and I think she would be a great fit to be president of her country. She showed honor and leadership and worked very hard to get where she was in the past as well as the present, I think writing an essay on Ellen really change me, because it tells me to never give up and try to accomplish what you have always wanted. Ellen was a help to African and Liberia her home country.

President Barack Obama Stimulus Package

1. In general, what is the Stimulus Package and its overall purpose to the economy? Why is the Stimulus necessary? The stimulus Package is a package that can help our economy, to get people into jobs. The stimulus package will help people from Depression. The stimulus is to help the middle class people in America. The Stimulus Package is necessary because it will help people get a job and not make them loose it, to encourage people to know that we are organized.

2. What are the agreements and disagreements (with Democrats, Republicans, and others) around the Stimulus Package? What are President Obama's counter arguments in this debate? The agreements around the package is that we do need to be successful to help people get into jobs. I also agree that we must turn this challenge into an opportunity because we need more things to do in this economy. It will help because more building will be build putting at least 3 million or even more people in jobs they thought they would never have. I agree with modernizing our health care system, reducing medical errors, putting kids into to schools, and will provide sensible tax reliefs. This will realy make a change.

3. What are the spending details of the Economic Package? How will it create jobs? In other words, where and how will the money be spent? The spending details of the economic package is $55o billion in spending and $275 billion in tax relief, will probably change throughout congress. This would be one of the largest government expenditures in the United State of america history, which will be equivalent to 3% of the democratic product in two years. The businesses will invest for new plants, areas and equipment.Democrats emphasized government spending on tax relief because that was a faster way to create the jobs.

4. What are some other areas of the Package that President Obama emphasized in both speeches on the youtube CNN speeches? Obama stated that this was not a game to play because people needed to get jobs. He was trying to tell people that it was not to get serious, to help the economy. Obama said the stimulus package will not be perfect but it was an opportunity for people to do something in their life time. He also mentioned that it will make more jobs and people can save money on cars because of energy.

5. Do you feel that this package will help Afrikan Americans and if so how? Do you feel that racism and/or gender bias will make a difference in the output or results of the package? Explain. I do think the Stimulus Package will help African Americans because people been looking for jobs and haven't found one. So now is the time to get one. I don't feel that it will be alot of racism because blacks as well as white are looking for a job and not all white or blacks live in places that cost alot. The result of the package would be the same because many people in classes(middle) need jobs.

The Agenda

My agreements with the agenda with the president is that children should be adopted because they will have a true home where they can have food and wash up to a place where kids sit waiting to be adopted. I disagree with whether children go to home with parent gay or not. I disagree with this because every child should have a mom and dad because if the parents are gay their going to teach that child to be gay. I also disagree because that child one day might ask where my dad and what will the "two" moms say? Teaching your child to be gay is wrong because soon it's going to be a gay world. I agree on is that Obama wants to help women fight to cure HIV/AIDS. It's a good thing to help these women to cure this diagnosis so it wont spread, but people may not know what will happen after these women are on these products. So they should be careful of what they put on them or even in them. In fact, yes, women should be proud about what Obama wants to do for them, but in case it's always good to research on that product they put on them.

Parent's Response

I just reviewed Taylor's blog and I enjoyed reading it. It gave me an opportunity to see what she wants to do. Thank God we are on the same page. This gave us a chance to sit at the computer together. Once children become teenagers it's hard to find things to do together that involve technology. I realize how important family is to Taylor and that she really likes math. I am very excited about her interest in math.

I look forward to reading more of her blogs.

Colleen R. Bynum

New Teacher : Social Studies

My name is Taylor Bynum- Bain, I am 13 years old and I will write my essay on
myself and why we should have a new social studies. My first topic is my favorite subject being math, then I will write about why we should have a new teacher in our Social Studies class. Finally I will discuss what high school and college I would like to attend in the future. I think this is a good opportunity to have a new social studies teacher that really care about his or her work, a teacher that will not bore us and will give us fun things to do.

My first topic I will discuss is my favorite subject which is math. Math is my favorite subject because it is easy to understand, math is used for many things and I like to calculate. A problem is that we use text books all the time and it's not explained at it's full advantages. Math became my favorite subject since I was it 2nd grade. Their are many other subjects I like , but I think math is the one subject where I can put forward a lot of work. This does not mean that I don't do well in all subject which I really do. Like Mothura Marcia always say "follow directions" and "study everything every night".

Another topic is why we should have you as a Social Studies teacher until the end of the school year. I think having a new teacher will be great.We should have more hand on work. A new teacher would be a great thing because I think we'll have more work as well as projects and activities. I think all the student in my class will be thrilled about having you. A nice teacher who cares about his or her work and takes it seriously.

Finally I will discuss what high school and college I would like to attend. I want to attend Mastery Charter School because they will help students who want to get far to prepare for college. The college I would like to attend is North Carolina A and T or since I want to become an artist and a fashion designer I would like to explore and learn about Paris. These are just a few choses to prepare in the future.

In conclusion to what I said I hope the teacher is grateful for what amazing students she/he has. I would like he/she to know that I am an intelligent student and love my work. I really hope you stay for the rest of the school year.

Critical Analysis Hip-Hop pt 2

Positive Song

Heard 'Em Say

[Kanye West]

Uh, Yeah, Uh, yeah, uh, yeah, uh, yeah

[Piano drops]

And I heard 'em say, nothin ever promised tomorrow today.
From the Chi, like Tim its the Hard-a-way,
So this is in the name of love, like Robert says
Before you ask me to get a job today, can I at least get a raise on a minimum wage?
And I know the government administered AIDS,
So I guess we just pray like the minister say,
Allah o Akbar and throw em some hot cars,
Things we see on the screen are not ours,
But these people from the hood so these dreams not far,
Where im from, the dope boys is the rock stars,
But they can't cop cars without seein' cop cars,
I guess they want us all behind bars.
I know it.

Uh, And I heard 'em say, nothin ever promised tomorrow today.
(ooooooooo)
And I heard 'em say, nothin ever promised tomorrow today.

[Kanye]
They say people in your life are seasons,
And anything that happen is for a reason,
And people guns a clappin and keep to squeezin',
And Gran (Grandma) keep prayin' and keep believin',
And Jesus and one day that ya see him,
Till they walk in his footsteps and try to be him,
The devil is alive I feel him breathin',
Claimin' money is the key so keep on dreamin',
And put them lottery tickets just to tease us,
My aunt Pam can't put those cigarettes down,
Now my lil cousin smokin those cigarettes now,
His job trying to claim that he too bad now,
Is it cuz his skin blacker than licorice now?
I can't figure it out...
Im Stickin around....

This song is positive to our society because when people hear about getting on drugs and Kanye West was trying to explain in this passage that you should keep believing and praying because people should get some where far in life. This song is trying to convey that tomorrow is another day and things just won't be promised. This song has an influence on life because when people hear this song their going to think that its wrong to take drugs and one day thing just might go positive, and change the life they're living in. This is what this song means to me.

Critical Analysis of Hip-Hop

Negative Song

DEAD WRONG By: Biggie Smalls

(feat. Eminem, Puff Daddy)
[Puff] Bad Boy baby
[Big] Yeah.. yeah..
Junior M.A.F.I.A., yeah..
[Puff] Yeah.. B.I.G. 2000
B.I.G. 2000 Born Again.. c'mon..

[Notorious B.I.G.]
Relax and take notes, while I take tokes of the marijuana smoke
Throw you in a choke - gun smoke, gun smoke
Biggie Smalls for mayor, the rap slayer
The hooker layer - yo say your prayers
Hail Mary full of grace.. smack the person in the face

I think this song by Biggie entitled "Dead Wrong" has a impact this society because people might listen to his songs and say "I might want to be like him when I grow up". This song is about how Biggie was growing up, as he turned into a negative impact on the society. People in our past life probably took it hard or struggled because of selling drugs or difficulties in life. Kids like us these days may do the same thing Biggie might have done when he was around the age of 13. This song is very negative and knowing that theirs people who act like him is just wrong to the people who wants to do good in life. Biggie use to do good, it all change when he was went in a gang and started using and selling drugs for money. People are going to think its alright to do what Biggie did because he did bad thing for a living and people will start to look up to him because of all the money, which he made from just one thing, drugs. I looked at the Biggie movie entitled "Notorious Biggie" and it was horrible meaning that the things that were said and how Biggie treated his mom was heart broking. This movie really may catch people attention because it really has negative things and because people may do the thing on their because they might want to make money and become a rapper like Biggie. People only follow thing that may come from television or even on the streets in real life. Mostly all people who sell drugs and smoke might not care about how that were in the past meaning that they did the right things before they started hanging on the corner of a broke down street. This is a bad influence on this society because they: people don't care about their present or future just drugs. It may not be drugs only people might go out and violate other strangers property for the fun of it. Biggie was a hateful person to some people and it should stay that way forever. This is what I think about Biggie and the song.

Rites of Passage

The Rites of Passage ceremony was very interesting and fun. The teachers who were mainly running the ceremony was Mothuri Mukasa and Mothura Kaneesha. The rites of passage ceremony was to show that we students were on the road of becoming a young man and a young lady and become more confident. Mothuri Mukasa discussed to the parents the things we go over or discussing in our rites of passage classes, as to Mothura Kaneesha who talk about the young ladies in the class. A few parent came up to tell a little about how grateful they were to have they're child. Later on we were blind folded and our parents talked to us about how they loved us and they meant their world to be with us boys and girls. When we got back to our seats, we did our virtue and lightened candles. My virtue was patience and that's what I wanted to work on. After the ceremony we went to eat at the cafeteria where we had a delicious dinner by the Black Olive restaurant. We all was having fun and talking to new people. My experience during the ceremony was good because we got to discuss the virtue and our parents were able to tell us how they felt being in their lives.

ROP Homework

Shack, what my oldest known ancestor lived in. This was back in the 1800's. My mom said when she went down their this photo looked like what Daffany Coe shack looked like. This shack she lived in was in South Carolina.


This is a photo of slaves picking cotton in the fields. Daffany Coe worked very hard in the fields and she probably had a break in between, but if she didn't I would be very proud raising twelve kids and working.