Monday, August 30, 2010

Selecting a topic for research...

THIS IS BEING ADDED BY THE INSTRUCTOR at 10:00 P.M. Sunday evening...

All but two students sent me their "posts" by the 9:00 P.M. deadline. I've put all the "posts" which I have received onto the blogspot. I have even received one "student response" to a partner already. (Your responses to your two partners are due no later than 9:00 P.M. on Tuesday evening.) IF YOUR PARTNER is one of the people who hasn't sent me his/her "post" yet, continue to check the blog. I'll post them as soon as I receive them.

A FEW IMPORTANT TIPS and REMINDERS:
1)
Reread the directions on the blogspot carefully. Be sure you know what the next step is and when it's due. ARTICLES! That part of the assignment is due for ALL STUDENTS, whether your class meets or not on Tuesday.
2) Reread the RUBRIC carefully. The rubric is IN the directions, and it informs you how I will be assessing your work on this assignment. In case you forgot about the RUBRIC, go back and examine it now. Be sure that when you "respond" to your partners' "posts," you understand how points will be assigned.
3) READ through all the "posts."
4) Remember that you must respond to your assigned partners, but you may also respond to other classmates according to the guidelines.
5) In addition to taking note of the ideas people are offering in their "posts," take note of other things about this online writing as well. Think about and notice the following aspects of the "posts" as well. I'll be asking you to comment on these things during this upcoming week.

a) the writing style used by the student authors
b) the types of resources people sought and used
c) the way people organized their comments





SENIORS:

Important New BLUE Message From the Instructor...


PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU TRY TO POST YOUR COMMENTS. FOLLOW THESE BLUE DIRECTIONS when posting your comments:

1) Instead of trying to post your comments at the bottom of this page,
SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO ME IN AN E-MAIL using the following e-mail address:

ann.moeller@nuacs.com

2) I will take what you send me, and I will post it onto this blog.

3) BEGIN YOUR E-MAIL to me by using the heading shown below.
_____________________________________________________________
To: AM
From: Abby D. (Use your first name and the first initial of your last name.)
Topic: ____________ (hazing, concussions, or neutering pets)

Then, begin your comments.
_____________________________________________________________

4) PLEASE TYPE YOUR COMMENTS INTO THE e-mail itself. DO NOT put your comments into an attachment. (I am asking that you NOT use an attachment because if you are using a software that is not compatible with the software on my computer, I might not be able to open the attachment. PLEASE, type your comments directly into an e-mail. BE ACCURATE. CHECK YOUR WORK BEFORE YOU SEND IT TO ME.)

5) AFTER YOU HAVE SENT ME THE e-mail, CHECK YOUR e-mail and watch for my "reply." I'll send you a reply e-mail so that you know if I received your work.


6) TO READ THE COMMENTS OF THE OTHER STUDENTS:

Come to this blog address and click on "comments" at the bottom of the "green" assignment directions below. Then you can read what your classmates have written.

Search for the comments you need to "respond to" from your two assigned classmates.

7) WHEN YOU GET READY to write your "responses to classmates," FOLLOW THE SAME PROCEDURE you used when you sent me your first "comments."

SEND your "responses" TO ME IN AN e-mail. I will post them to the blog.

8) At the beginning of the "response" you write to each of your class partners, please use the format shown below:
______________________________________________________________
To: Abby D. (Use the classmate's first name and the first initial of the last name.)
From: Ethan R. (Use your own first name and first initial of your last name.)
Re: _________ (hazing, concussions, neutering pets)

Then, begin your response comments.
______________________________________________________________

SENIORS, PLEASE E-MAIL ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

AM

Assignment number one:


STEP: 1) Select ONE of the following topics. Do some reading. Do some thinking.
Mentally, form some of your own questions about the topic.

a) neutering pets (restrict your research to dogs and cats in the United States)
Should it be required? What would a person have to do to be exempt from
the requirement? What would improve if it were required? Would that matter?
Why or why not?

What is the history of this? What are the facts and statistics available about it?


b) hazing (restrict your research to college and high school hazing in the United States)
Should there be a penalty for people who have information about the hazing and do not
come forward with it? Should there be protection and support for those who speak up?
Should adults who are aware of it and do not report it (especially those in hired positions)
be penalized? Should the activities where hazing occurred be discontinued for at least
one season? What message is sent to the students, adults, and community if no
consequences are given? What message is sent about bullying if consequences are given?

What is the history of this? What are the facts and statistics available about it?


c) concussions
(restrict your research to college and high school sports in the
United States)

Should there be a rule preventing any college or high school athlete from continuing play
for the rest of the sports' season is a head injury (concussion) occurs to that person?
What are the long-term risks?

What is the history of this? What are the facts and statistics available about it?

IF YOU HAVE DONE A SPEECH, A PAPER, OR A PRESENTATION of any kind on one of the three topics above, select one of the other choices.


STEP: 2) Find and download articles on this topic.
(at least 2 articles from reliable sources)

YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TELL THE INSTRUCTOR
EXACTLY WHERE YOU FOUND THE ARTICLES AND HOW YOU FOUND THEM.
WRITE THIS INFORMATION DOWN IN YOUR NOTEBOOK AND BRING IT TO
CLASS on Tuesday, September 7. The instructor is "assessing" how you
handle an online assignment.


STEP: 3) Read the articles. Highlight important passages from the articles. Write some
notes
to yourself in the margin regarding your thoughts about the article and the
highlighted portions. When you are done using the articles, WRITE YOUR NAME
ON EACH ARTICLE and hand it in. (Articles must be handed in at Room 216 no
later than 8:00 A.M. on Tuesday, September 7.)

STEP: 4) Before handing in the article, create your "post." Write at least 200 words
explaining your ideas about the topic. TAKE A STAND. Use at least one quote
from at least one article and explain why you agree or disagree with the author of
the article. YOU MUST "cite" your source. You must give ALL the necessary
information about the source so that your readers will know where the information
came from.

WHEN YOU HAVE WRITTEN YOUR "post" and edited it, click on "publish post."
YOUR POST will appear online. (Before you click on "publish post," check to be
sure that you have fixed any errors in typing, spelling, and punctuation. You want your "published" work to be accurate.

In the Star Tribune article entitled "What Message Are We Sending?," 6C, p. 7, August
29, 2010, Pat Harrington wrote, "In the end, the important thing is this: The school
district must send a message to the youth and adults of this community that hazing is a
form of disrespect that cannot be tolerated - ever. This is an Atticus Finch moment. If
adults fail to say 'absolutely not' to hazing, how can those same adults ever hold their
heads up and look their children in the eye again?"

THE LINE LEADING INTO THE QUOTE tells the reader EXACTLY WHEN and WHERE
the quote came from.

AGAIN: Your "post" is what you type up. It tells the readers (your classmates and your instructor) what you believe / think / feel about this topic. The "post" you put online should be 175-225 words in length.

POST your first original written commentary no later than 9:00 P.M. on Sunday, September 5.

By 9:00 P.M. on Tuesday, September 7, you must post a "response" to each of your two partners. Each of your responses must be 75-100 words in length. You need to comment SPECIFICALLY on an idea that the other student(s) discuss. Your "response" may include comments about why you agree or disagree with ideas, questions that came to you as you read, or new thoughts you want to bring up for discussion because of something a classmate wrote. If your response is "general and empty," your score will reflect that you did not follow the directions.

RUBRIC: Below you will find a list of what the instructor will be looking for when
assigning "points" (credit in the grade book) for this assignment.

student found, downloaded, and handed in at least two articles

student highlighted and wrote some "margin comments" on both articles

student posted a personal comment about ONE of the three choices of topic (a,b,or c) -
the posting met deadline (9:00 P.M., Sunday, Sept. 5, 2010)

student met the length requirement for personal posting (175-225 words)

student met the length and deadline requirement for responding to specific ideas in the posting of each of his/her TWO partners (9:00 P.M., Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010 - 75-100 words each)

student demonstrated clear, accurate use of Basic Standard English

student demonstrated his/her ability to give more than just a "brush over" of the topic based on previously held ideas; all the student's online writing (both the personal posting AND the response to two classmates) demonstrated that the student author did research and used the ideas in those articles to form some ideas and comments


ONE MORE THING...

Get busy on this right away. Do not wait until the last minute. If you have trouble, e-mail the instructor and CLEARLY ask your questions. If you miss the deadlines for this online work, you cannot use "I did not know how to do the posting" as an excuse. Get busy ahead of time so that if you have trouble following the directions you have TIME to get your questions answered.

This is an important assignment. We will be doing some online work in this course. Learn now how to do it. Do it well. I predict that you will like this kind of "online discussion." Become familiar with this skill. POST-SECONDARY work almost always requires some form of online discussion work now. I want you to be ready.

RESEARCH - WRITE - RESPOND TO OTHERS' WRITING...
BE READY FOR YOUR FUTURE.


161 comments:

  1. To: AM
    From: Alyssa B.
    Topic: hazing

    Hazing is a form of acceptance now days. People use hazing to be accepted into different groups, teams, or sororities. Hazing humiliates, degrades, and toys with an individual's emotional and physical well being. Hazing has grown from harmless pranks, and fun jokes, to physically abusive, hazardous, and occasionally sexually violent activities. People who have information about hazing should help out and come forward with it. I do not feel they should be punished for it. Some people just stay out of things that aren't their business. The people who do come out with the information should be given protection and support. They did a big thing, and possibly saved a few people. In high school, teachers and coaches may be aware of hazing going on in their school. They should be doing something about it and not just letting their students or their team do this to younger, less capable people. I think if hazing were done in an activity, they should definitely be punished. If it were a team for instance, I do not think that every single teammate should be punished for something that only a group of them did. I think the individuals caught hazing should be punished by sitting a season, or something more extreme. If no consequences are given to a group or individual who is hazing, people are going to take it that hazing is an ok thing to do. More and more people are going to begin hazing people who want to join into groups, teams, or sororities, and the people joining are going to believe that nothing is wrong with it, so they will let the members treat them that way. If consequences are given, it sends the message that bullying and hazing not ok on any level. People may start to realize it is a growing prblem in the world and try to get help with it. (Alyssa B.)

    ReplyDelete
  2. To: AM
    From: Joey S.
    Topic: concussions

    Concussions are becoming more and more of a problem in highschool and college sports. Concussions though common can be a serious health risk because they can cause serious brain damage and unlike many other injuries they can happen time and time again.However a report by the NCAA states that concussions in recent years have been declining. For instance, in 2004 about 3.4 out of every 1,000 players was said to have had some type of a concussion on the practice field or the game field, but in 2005 it had decreased to only about 2.4 players for every 1,000. This is probably because of rules against spearing tackles and head down hits and also coaches teaching against this was probably a major contributing factor. I have noticed that here at our school we have also stepped up our efforts to try to prevent getting concussions through the purchase of new helmets and also the training of our coaches against tackling incorrectly. The school takes concussions very seriously which also helps in prevention of further injury. All for now, (Joey S.)

    ReplyDelete
  3. To: AM
    From: Jaya D.
    Topic: Hazing




    Hazing.... maybe some of us as high
    school students have experienced some sort of hazing through school,
    sports, clubs, or other activities. According to
    HazingPrevention.org, “1.5 million high school students are hazed
    each year.” In some of these instances students are humiliated
    publicly or even physically harassed. The sad part is that people
    being hazed feel scared to speak out because they feel they need to
    “earn their spot” in a group. Students are only looking for
    acceptance from peers and they endure hazing in order to earn it. I
    believe hazing is an ugly cycle of being bullied and then eventually
    bulling others. In a Current Health 2 article
    entitled “Stand up Against Hazing”, April/May 2010 Vol., p. 8-11,
    Tracy Maxwell said, “The power dynamic and desire to perpetuate a
    practice that was done to you (are) a large part of why people are so
    eager to 'do' to the next group.” We as future leaders should fight
    towards ending these embarrassing “rites of passage”. A good role
    model for us is Tom Fitz. He was a freshman on a hockey team and was
    forced to wear embarrassing clothing to school and carry equipment
    for upperclassmen. As a junior, he abolished these practices and took
    a new approach to connecting with underclassmen, by being a mentor
    and friend. Future players carried on his example as a good teammate
    by respecting others. I believe that we can also learn from him and
    be brave enough to make changes about hazing in our own communities.
    According too Hank Nuwer, a journalism professor at Franklin College,
    ''The best way to handle hazing is to prevent it in the first place.”

    ReplyDelete
  4. To: AM
    From: Luke H.
    Topic: hazing

    To discuss hazing, one would need a base definition on what hazing is. According to
    Christian science Monitor, 6/1/99, Vol. 91 Issue 129, p3, 0p, Andrea Fine describes
    hazing as "the ritual of humiliation or harm." Hazing, often happening in sports
    team, consists of humilitation, degrading, and sometimes sexual harassing. Things
    like this need to be put a stop to. Many states (forty of them) have realized this
    and have passed antihzing laws. To keep the message going that hazing is a bad thing
    to do, punishment must be continued. People who withhold information about a known
    hazing should be punished just as the people participating in the hazing should be.
    I beleive that those who step forward and speak up should be offered protection from
    threats. Unless the speaker is one participating in the hazing and is just stepping
    forward, then they should still be punished but maybe not as severely. If hazing is
    not acted against, it will continue to happen and more and mroe people will be hurt
    and insulted. However, by taking action against this "ritual of acceptance", we can
    show that this is not a joke and that it is not an okay thing to be doing. To begin
    taking action, schools need to be education on what it is and what to do to take
    action against it. The article in USA Today; Sports section, p2c, Tom Weir writes
    about how uneducated the nation is on this topic. Even those who are educated about
    it seldom take action. If we get more schools, coaching staff, and all group leaders
    educated about this, we can start putting a stop to hazing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. To: AM
    From: Paige L
    Topic: Hazing

    College kids, high school kids, and even some companies use hazing as a form of acceptance into their group. Hazing is people make other people do things to messwith their emotional state of mind and physical features. Hazing used to be funnyjokes that did not hurt anyone to much. People who have information should come forward and tell someone with authority. Plus the people who do have information
    should be protected because if the people who are doing the hazing to other people could do something worse to the person who came forward and/or do something worse to the person who was being hazed. The people who come forward with information should not be punished because they are trying to help and put a stop to hazing. The people
    who are hazing other people should be punished hard because they could be or are causing a lifetime of emotional and/or physical pain. If the people who are hazing other people are not punished then they are going to think its okay to do it and they will keep hazing people. Sure people want to fit in or even join a certain group of people but hazing is not the way to do things. Get to know the person and have a little game night or a small party to get to know the person better and so
    the person can meet other people in the group. People should realize that hazing is a huge problem and that it needs to come to a stop before it gets out of control.(Paige L.)

    ReplyDelete
  6. To: AM
    From: Val L.
    Topic: Hazing


    Hazing. An activity that was once fun for all, and also safe. According to Michelle A. Finkel, MD, writer of the article entitled “Traumatic Injuries Caused by Hazing Practices,” hazing is defined as “committing acts against an individual or forcing an individual into committing an act that creates a risk for harm in order for the individual to be initiated into or affiliated with an organization.” This act of hazing has been practiced for thousands of years, and was once used as a requirement for graduation but was eventually discontinued. Recently, hazing, as a form of initiation, has become very hazardous and, sometimes, life-threatening. Because of this, I believe that hazing needs be stopped. In order for this to happen, people have to speak up when/if they see any occurrences of hazing. This person needs to report it to someone of authority. And I believe that the reporter has a right to be protected. However, I don’t believe if someone does not report a case, that they should be punished. Some people like to stay out of other’s business. Yes, reporting a case is the right thing to do, so a guilty conscience should be enough punishment for a person. Instead of punishing someone for not reporting a case, I think they should reward a person that has reported a case. This person may remain unnamed and protected but still rewarding by money or something of the liking. That way someone may be more influenced to speak up rather than keep it secret. Hazing, and bullying in general, is wrong. When a case is reported, there needs to be some sort of consequence. We need to spread the message that bullying is a bad thing and people need to stop. So speak up now and stop hazardous behaviors. (Val L.)

    ReplyDelete
  7. To: AM
    From: Meghan G
    Topic: Hazing

    Hazing has been around the United States and many other parts of the world since the early 1900's. Hazing is usually used to be accepted into a group, sports team, college fraternity, or a club. Hazing can be anything from a harmless joke, to the result of serious health problems, and harmful abuse. Many people and students oppose to hazing when it is happening to themselves or close friends, but when they are not the ones being bullied anymore; many view it as an "okay" thing. Students become accepting to hazing because many fear that if they oppose it will happen to them again. There should be a penalty for people who are aware of hazing and do not come forward with the information. They should not be punished for speaking out, because what the individual is doing is trying to put a stop to hazing. I think that adults that are aware of hazing should report it, because they are risking their children being hurt and other young adults. When couches or house parents of a
    fraternity are aware of the hazing going on among the individuals they are in charge of and do not speak up they are not setting a good example for the students that look up to them. I think that adults that do not report it should be penalized for not speaking up and if they are in a hired position, risk loosing their jobs. I think the penalty for a team or activity that allowed the hazing should miss out a season or even go as far as discontinuing the activity. If no consequence is given
    to the students, hazing will be viewed as an accepted thing and students will feel like they can still get away with doing it. When consequences are given, students and the community will understand how serious hazing is and how it is not acceptable to do it. The more people who understand that it is a bad thing, the more people will help to stop the problem.

    ReplyDelete
  8. To: AM
    From: Hallie K.
    Topic: Hazing


    In an article written by Mary Ann Zehr in the magazine Education Week volume 23 Issue 28, she explains how at Meads Mill Middle School in Northville, Michigan, 7th grader Garret Drogosch broke his right leg during football practice one day. But his injury was not from playing football. It was that year that he learned what hazing meant. The coaches called the drill "eighth grade hit day." The drill started out as each eighth grader selecting a seventh grader and hitting him. The seventh graders were told to stand still with their arms by their sides and feet together, and to not protect themselves. One day during the drill, Garret's leg broke on the third hit. After suffering the injury, Garret has had two surgeries; he has spent two and a half months in a wheelchair, is now is in a leg brace and is still expecting to have one more operation.
    I believe that there should be a penalty for adults who are aware of hazing and do not report it. In this case, the coaches did not believe that they were hazing their players, but they were. Garret filed a lawsuit against the coaches and they suffered many penalties. But if no consequences are given to hazing, upperclassmen that are inflicting the humiliation and pain think that hazing is okay, and the underclassmen that are being tortured think that they cannot speak up against this crime. But if consequences are given, it is clear to everyone that hazing is not allowed.
    In another article in Education Week volume 66 Issue 4 written by Fierberg, Douglas E., explains multiple incidents in the 1999-2000 school year dealing with hazing. At a high school in Arizona, ten students were indicted on felony charges for hazing teammates on the basketball and track teams. In another case, four students in an Illinois high school faced expulsion after spanking and paddling eighth graders as a form of initiation into high school. And finally, in an Indiana high school, a varsity football team was exposed to striking younger teammates with extension cords and belts. In a 1999 study at Alfred University, 5% of collegiate athletes reported that they have been hazed in middle school, and 42% said they had experienced their first hazing initiation in high school.
    In all of these cases, penalties should have been given to the students doing the hazing and anyone else involved. I believe that some of this pain could have been avoided if someone would have spoke up against hazing in these situations. If protection and support would have been given to those who spoke up, I believe multiple students would have taken a stand. I believe hazing is morally wrong and should be banned in every state. (Hallie K.)

    ReplyDelete
  9. To: AM
    From: Tony H.
    Topic: Pet Neutering


    Many of us are pet owners. For example, I have been around dogs my entire life. One aspect of being a pet owner that I had never really put much thought into was neutering/spaying. This is actually the first decision that needs to be made when purchasing a new pet. So what is pet neutering/spaying? Well taken from the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, neutering is to deprive of the testes, and spaying is to deprive of the ovaries. This practice has been around since ancient times.

    In recent times there has been a debate whether or not it should be mandatory to have all pets neutered or spayed. I believe that neutering or spaying your pet should not be required. The primary purpose of neutering or spaying a pet is to control the pet population. Taken veterinarian Michael A. McLaughlin, he finds that, “Spay/neuter programs have been shown to be basically ineffective in controlling pet overpopulation except on a very local level.” I have also found in a study done from 1990 to 2000 in Florida, in which a neutering/spaying program was put in place, that there was a slight decrease
    in the number of euthanized pets, but only on a very local level. I personally feel that after seeing the results of this study that is not very important whether your pet is neutered or not. I feel that it really has no effect on controlling the pet population. (Tony H.)

    ReplyDelete
  10. To: AM
    From: Kristin S.
    Topic: Neutering dogs and cats

    Neutering dogs and cats should be a requirement for dog and cat owners in the United States. Neutering these pets should be required because of the overpopulation issue concerned with these species. Many animal shelters and humane societies are running out of room for the stray or abandoned dogs and cats. To be exempt from this requirement a person should be a licensed breeder for the dogs or cats, or if there is a health issue with the animal such as urinary tract disease. The requirement of having all cats neutered would help minimize free roaming cats. Free roaming cats wander around outside and find other cats that are roaming and this is where the overpopulation issue comes in because free roaming cats that are not neutered roam outside and find other cats and reproduce. Neutering a dog helps behavioral issues. Dogs like to mark their territory but neutering them helps reduce their urge to mark territory. Neutering dogs also helps reduce fighting between the male dogs. For both cats and dogs neutering them can help make them active and excitable(Dr.Lila Miller). All of these improvements would matter because the overpopulation rate would go down and when dog owners take their dogs for walks they would not have to pull their dogs away from other dogs. Neutering dogs and cats has been going
    on for centuries but it is still a debate today on when the best time is to get a dog or cat neutered. Dr. Lila Miller of the American Society for the
    prevention of Cruelty to Animals(ASPCA) points out in an article that it is
    better to neuter pets at an early age so they can be discharged the same day as the surgery and it also costs less to have an animal neutered at a young age because the materials needed are less than what would be needed for an adult animal being neutered. With all of these facts and information, neutering dogs and cats should be required for these pet owners in the United States. (Kristin S.)

    ReplyDelete
  11. To: AM
    From: Ben B.
    Topic: Concussions

    Concussions have always been a problem in high school and college sports; however, most people do not know of how serious the effects on the person are. It's more than just a bump on the head. According to a report in USA Today on April 30, 2002, concussions suffered from sports are far more serious than parents and coaches realize. Confusion, dizziness, and memory loss are some symptoms of concussions. What's worse is the fact that concussions have long-term effects on the brain causing not only the normal symptoms but also the person's academic well being and quality of life. To give you a statistic, 400,000 concussions were reported in the last three school years for high school athletes, and this could be a low estimate.

    Now there is a saying, "When in doubt, sit it out". I agree with this saying, as it pertains to the safety and health of our athletic brothers and sisters. I don't think I'm the only one who has this standing, either. Our coaches take concussions very seriously. You can see this from their lessons on tackling correctly and handing players who have had concussions better helmets. Sports are important to everyone, especially the players, so knowing the consequences and how to prevent concussions goes a long way for athletes' safety.(Ben B.)

    ReplyDelete
  12. To: AM
    From: Nick W.
    Subject: Hazing


    Hazing can be a major problem in colleges and high schools today. The reason that it can be a major problem is because it can lead to bodily harm, and may even death. Hazing is defined as "any behavior that makes someone feels isolated or unfairly treated." So the concept of hazing is broader than most people think. Because it is so broad some people who are involved in behavior that can be classified as hazing
    do not realize it. For this reason it think that schools should be working to educate their students more on this subject. But also because it is so broad I don’t believe that someone who knows about hazing and does not tell should not be punished for it. I believe the only people that should get punished are the people that are actually taking part of the hazing. But i also believe that something more should be done to prevent hazing from happening in our schools. the reason i believe this is because there has actually been deaths caused by hazing, and the people that get hazed can be seriously injured, not only physically but also mentally. Because of the harm that it can cause to the people affected I think that every school should do its best to prevent this from happening, and should enact a zero tolerance on this topic, where anyone caught hazing someone should be expelled. (Nick W.)

    ReplyDelete
  13. To: AM
    From: Aaron P.
    Topic: Neutering Pets

    The process of neutering or spaying pets can be traced back to the late 1800's and early 1900's. The goal this procedure held was to shrink the population of dogs and cats. In today’s world there is some controversy surrounding this procedure. Is this really humane and does it respect God's creature? Or is it a completely necessary measure in order to eliminate the overpopulation of cats and dogs? There is some truth to both ends of the argument. On the one hand, people argue that it takes away the pets "manhood", if you will, and is completely inhumane. But, on the other, according to Alethea Drexler in her article, titled "The kindest cut" (New Scientist 2007), she states, "sterilization causes no psychological harm to pets and prevents both pet overpopulation and a long list of debilitating, painful and expensive health problems." Even in the state of California, where The Healthy Pets Act, which promotes the social welfare of pets in these procedures, is strongly supported by
    the Humane Society of the United States sees the importance of the issue of overpopulation. Also, in an article from 2007 in USA Today, the executive vice president of the Humane Society of the United States, Mike Markarian says that, "Pet overpopulation is an increasing problem in California and across the country that burdens the public, leads to the euthanasia of millions of healthy animals and costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Spaying and neutering pets is the most effective
    way to address this problem and has the additional benefit of improving the health and behavior of dogs and cats. If you still are unconvinced, there have been recent advancements that may be legalized in the United States soon that will prevent overpopulation without eliminating pregnancies in the life of your pet. Unfortunately I did say "soon" so it is not in the U.S. quite yet, but until then neutering is the best option to prevent and eliminate overpopulation.

    ReplyDelete
  14. To: AM
    From: Colin W
    Topic: Hazing



    Hazing is committing an act or coercing a student into committing an act, which creates a substantial risk or harm to that person in order for them to be initiated into a group, club, or team. Hazing has been a tradition in many college sororities and fraternities and in some high schools. When watching some movies, they show acts of hazing, which in turn show others the act and gives them ideas of how to initiate the people into the group or team. I feel people are afraid to speak
    up, especially underclassmen, because of being pushed around or being bullied. If protection was given, it would not make the person coming forward about it not feel endangered or scared that they will be punished even more. Many people may know that hazing is taking
    place and not say anything because they are not involved. These people should still be punished for not speaking up, especially if they are adults. People are being humiliated and possibly hurt, for someone not to speak up about it deserves a punishment. In the Star Tribune August 30, Norman Drapers’ article “Nine Elk River football players disciplined” stated that the recent hazing case at Elk River has four players kicked
    off the team and five more were suspended. This was a very appropriate punishment. It not only serves the people right, but it sets an example that severe consequences will be given if you are involved in hazing
    people. If no punishment is given for bullying or hazing it is going to
    continue for years to come and become a tradition for those that have been performing it. Hazing has been an ongoing problem for many years, hopefully in the future, people will think twice before being involved in hazing and it will no longer be a problem because of the severe punishment received. (Colin W.)

    ReplyDelete
  15. To: AM
    From: Leah K.
    Topic: Hazing

    Sometimes seen as tradition or "rite of passage", hazing activities are an abusive and corrosive form of bullying behavior. Hazing was once common place on many college campuses and over the years has dwindled in popularity. This appears to be in response to stronger rules enforced by universities. In the article, "Stand Up Against Hazing" from Current Health 2, April/May 2010, pages 8 - 11, it is stated that a common reason for hazing is group bonding. Because of this, some colleges have eliminated the Greek life altogether in an effort to encourage student bonding in other ways.

    To protect individuals, we need to all step up and have zero tolerance. This needs to begin with those in positions of authority.
    Administrators, who create an environment that is permissive to hazing,
    imply that there are no consequences to the brutality. Those in
    authority should be held accountable if they allow hazing to go on.
    Promptly dealing with those involved is the only way to cease the
    behavior. The penalty needs to be severe, and enforced to be effective.
    For example, athletes should be removed from the team for the remainder of the season. If further problems arise, they would not be able to participate in any sport at that institution. Those speaking up about hazing activities should be protected to create a positive environment.

    Widely publicized in the media lately, the Elk River school officials
    have dealt with hazing in their athletic program. The fact that this matter has been brought out to the public will no doubt create a stir in other communities. It is time to take a strong look at how we are mentoring our youth and create standards in order to prevent incidents like these in the future. (Leah K)

    ReplyDelete
  16. To: AM
    From: Morgan Z
    Topic: Neutering Pets

    According to the Wester's New World Dictionary page 503, the word neuter means "having no sexual organs" or "a castrated or spayed animal." Being not only a pet owner but also a faithful volunteer at the Brown County Humane Society, I have come to realize just how important it is for all pets to be either neutered or spayed.

    Animals are constantly reproducing and from not controlling the animal population we have ended up with millions of pets in the United States who are left at animal shelters. I think we should pass a law stating all animals must be spayed or neutered, unless you fill out a application. Some of the problem with the
    uncontrolled animal population is that owners do not care enough to get their animal
    fixed, and therefore let them roam free outside. This especially happens on farms.
    This application could potentially cut back on thousands upon thousands of unwanted cats and dogs. This application would show that the owner has a specific reason for not neutering or spaying, such as being a breeder, and would show that they care enough about their pet to take care of it. According to the October 21st, 2007 article entitled "Pros and Cons of Neutering," E. Hardie in the Department of
    Clinical Sciences at NCSU wrote, "neutering reduces urine spraying, fighting and roaming. In one study, cats that were castrated before 5.5 months of age had fewer abscesses, aggression towards veterinarians, sexual behaviors and urine spraying compared to cats that were castrated at an older age."

    If you ask me, neutering is the right choice here. It has been proven to be healthier for animals and will help to control the continually expanding animal population.

    ReplyDelete
  17. To: AM
    From: Whitney O.
    Topic: Hazing

    According to the Encyclopedia-Britannica hazing is an initiation process involving harassment. Hazing can be something as innocent as a small prank centered on new members, or something as serious as physically abusing a student to the point of death. In a November 2003 issue of a periodical, Fraternal Law, published by ManleyBurke; an article titled "Hazing Plagues Greeks" talks of the extreme forms of hazing. In this article, the story of Scott Krueger is told. Scott was a freshman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He decided to pledge to a fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta, in September 1997. At the initiation night the pledges were told that it was mandatory to drink "a minimum of two cases of beer and a fifth of whisky" by
    the end of a movie. Scott did so, and was also given another fifth of rum to drink. He began to throw up, and eventually became unconscious. Some of the members carried him to a couch in the basement and left him there. Later, Scott was found not breathing and his face was blue. He spent forty hours in a coma before being
    announced dead. I feel that no matter what kind of hazing takes place, it needs to
    be put to an end immediately! If nothing is done about even the "harmless hazing" we
    have to ask ourselves, "Where do we draw the line?". In my opinion, hazing should be
    banned in every form!
    (Whitney O.)

    ReplyDelete
  18. To: AM
    From: Kevin L
    Topic: Hazing

    Hazing is an act of trying to degrade someone in a physical or mental way. These
    acts are, in most cases, said to be traditions on sports teams, clubs, or an entire school. This tradition needs to be stopped by punishing the people who have committed these acts against another. I believe if there is facility or coaches that have known this is occurring, they should also get punished. If the hazing is not as severe, they should be talked to about how to stop it and not let it escalate into harsher things. There should be protection for people who stand up and help put a stop to hazing because they are doing the right thing.
    They should be rewarded with protection so they do not start being victims of hazing. If we do not offer protection, no one will stand up against hazing and if there is no punishment to those that do haze, then these mean acts will
    continue to happen. Men are more ridiculed for hazing but in a 2003 article in Sports Illustrated, it talks about woman hazing other women with rubbing disgusting things in other girls' faces. According to the studies of Alfred
    University in 1999, 80% of athletes in the NCAA have been subjects of some sort of hazing and sadly 42% were hazed in high school as well. So overall, we need to protect kids who are being hazed. We need to stand up for kids being hazed
    and try to put a stop to hazing. (Kevin L.)

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    ReplyDelete
  19. To: AM
    From: Jackie F.
    Topic: Hazing

    Hazing has been around for years, allowing students or groups to victimize and manipulate other pupils in order for those pupils to gain acceptance and give respect by and to their hazers. Why do the pupils participate you ask? Well, many believe it to be a type of tradition that must be done. In reality it is simply abuse, the pupils are made to do things like an embarrassing task, consume alcohol, or are even physically restrained. When students were asked in a 2006 survey by PhD’s Elizabeth J. Allan and Mary Madden if they have ever suffered a hazing the women found "one out of five students reported they had experienced behaviors that meet the standard definition of hazing; yet when asked directly whether or not they had experienced hazing, only one in 20 of these students said yes." I believe students are rightfully afraid to come forward with evidence or information of a hazing and should not be punished. Although if they do come forward they should be able to receive support from a group. However adults in hired positions who have information and do not come forward should be penalized for not doing what is in the
    best interest of the students. Hazing and all of its consequences need to be made aware to the students by their advisors in order to prevent any future happenings. If consequences are given it will send out the message that all types of bullying are wrong, dangerous, and will not be tolerated.(Jackie F.)

    ReplyDelete
  20. To: AM
    From: Kelsey K
    Topic: neutering pets

    Every year millions of healthy dogs and cats are killed just because they cannot find a home. This is a heart breaking fact and we need to do something about this problem. One of the easiest ways that we can help to prevent and control dog and cat overpopulation is to stop our own pets from reproducing and adding to the problem.

    Doing this is very simple almost any veterinary clinic can spay or neuter your pet for around one hundred dollars. There are also other benefits to spaying or neutering your pets. Males will become less aggressive and will not have behaviors such as mounting or spraying, and females will not go into heat and are less likely to develop breast cancer and fatal uterine infections. So why don’t people spay or neuter their pets? Many people who work for animal rights think that it is cruel and wrong to put animals through these surgeries which
    can be painful. But found in an article from 2007 by L. Geddes called Dog Contraceptive Signals an End to Castration, we find that there are contraceptive methods other than spaying and neutering your pet. These methods are about the same cost and are just a simple shot that not only makes the cat or dog temporarily infertile, it also decreases aggressive behavior just like the other methods. These methods only last for a year so they also give you the option of breeding later.

    As you can see there is no excuse to not get your pet some type of contraception. I think that it should be required for a pet owner to adopt a method of pet contraceptive whether it is to get their pet spayed or neutered or to give their pet contraceptive shots. I believe that if all pet owners take action and get their pet the method that is right for their needs the animal world will be a much better
    place and many pets will not have to suffer because they cannot find love. (Kelsey K.)


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    ReplyDelete
  21. To: AM
    From: Lauren F.
    Topic: Neutering Pets

    The definition of neutering is the removal of an animal’s reproductive organ, either all of it or a considerable large part. The neutering procedure began around the 1940’s and the 1950’s to help eliminate the overpopulation of cats and dogs which was a problem already at the time. The decision whether to neuter your pets or not has became very controversial. While others may feel neutering should not be
    required, others feel it should be required due to the amount of homeless cats and dogs. Reported in 2009, there is an estimated six to eight million homeless animals in the United States. If neutering was required, yes, we would see a decrease in the overpopulation of cats and dogs, but then there would be no more reproduction of cats and dogs. I definitely promote neutering, but I don’t feel it should be
    required. There are advantages and disadvantages for neutering pets, but the
    advantages outweigh the disadvantages by far. As Dr. Sherbyn Ostrich, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association, stated, “I feel it is unconscionable not to use early spay/neuter since it is safe and very very effective in achieving our goals.” Help control the pet population and have your pets spayed or neutered. (Lauren F.)

    ReplyDelete
  22. To: AM
    From: Anne G.
    Topic: Concussions

    When a high school or college athlete gets injured in today's society, the common attitude is to tough it out and deal with it later, after the game. This may not be such a great idea, especially if the athlete has suffered a minor or severe concussion. A concussion, according to Concussion Discussions, an article from PTinMotion, written by Rachel Winthrop in June 2010, is a brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way the brain normally works.

    Concussions are more common than one might think. Some of the symptoms of a concussion, according to that same article include nausea, balance problems, dizziness, double or fuzzy vision, sensitivity to light or noise, headache, feeling sluggish, foggy, or groggy, concentration difficulty, confusion, and changes in behavior or personality. All of these symptoms would have a big effect on a student both in the classroom and on the court or field. I agree with the old saying, "You're better safe than sorry." An athlete who suffers an injury is better off sitting for a few innings, minutes, plays, or games, than having permanent brain damage for the rest of his/her life. We must do all that we can to educate our
    athletes on the risks and symptoms of concussions, as well as other injuries. Also,
    our schools and coaches must take caution to avoid serious injuries and encourage athletes to sit down and get examined before returning to play. Athletics are very important to high school and college students these days, so by taking the appropriate steps of caution and education, we can ensure the health and safety of all athletes today!(Anne G.)

    ReplyDelete
  23. To: AM
    From: Brianna Z
    Topic: Hazing


    I think there should be a penalty for those who have problems hazing and do not come forward with it, because it is very wrong and can hurt many people. There also should be protection for those who speak up, because if there isn’t, than the ones who do speak up could be hazed about or even beat up for speaking the truth about hazing. I think that adults who are aware of it and do not speak up should definitely be penalized. Adults should be mature enough to speak up when they know something like this is going on in order to protect other students. I don’t think activities should be discontinued for an entire season, but at least a few weeks.
    If no consequences are given it gives the message that hazing is okay to do. If consequences are given we know that it is not kay to do what we are doing. Hazing
    began in the early 1800’s. Rookies are expected to demonstrate commitment by engaging in hazing. At one school there were 477 reported acts of hazing committed in 1985, which is a 35% increase from the decade before. As we see in the case, harmful acts of hazing is rapidly increasing in the United States. (Brianna Z.)

    ReplyDelete
  24. To: AM
    From: Jeremy K.
    Topic: concussion

    Concussions have been involved in sports for many years. Although there have been advances in protection equipment, more specific and more enforced rules, there are still many concussions occurring in all levels of sports.

    In an Associated Press article published February 2, 2007 former New England Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson, told The New York Times that after a collision with another player during a 2002 practice led to another concussion. After receiving additional concussions over the next three seasons, he now forgets people's names, suffers from depression and an addiction to amphetamines. This is a perfict example of how serious concussions can affect a persons everyday life. The National
    Federation of State High School Association has created a new rule to protect all players in all sports. The new rule states that if an official or coach sees a player showing symptoms of a concussion then they are to take the player out of the game until proper medical authorities clear them and allow them to play again.

    The decision to take a player out of the game has two sides. First, it is the responsibility of the officials and coach's to make sure that everyone is safe. The second is the reaction of the player, who doesn't want to be taken out of the game. My overall thought is that one missed game is not worth an entire season. Take the player out to avoid further concussions so that they can play again in the near future. (Jeremy K.)

    ReplyDelete
  25. To: AM
    From: Ted M.
    Topic: Hazing



    This past week, you have heard of the disturbing allegations of hazing
    against the Elk River High School football team. But in case you have not, I will quickly give a summary of the incident.



    Four varsity football players were kicked off the Elk River football team,
    five other players were suspended for at least a game and five coaches were suspended from the team indefinitely after a hazing incident in which numerous players were held down and attacked with broomsticks sometime last week. To fully grasp the concept of hazing, one must look at its definition.

    According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, hazing is described as an
    initiation process involving harassment. Now, this occurrence in Elk River
    is obviously not the first time that hazing has become a problem throughout high schools and colleges around the United States, and it is certainly will not be the last. But, that does not give us an excuse to tolerate it. In a 2000 article on initiation rites by Nadine C. Hoover and Norman J. Pollard, it is stated that students are "..learning to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior and that without healthy adult supervision, initiation rites may become hazing incidents." I agree with the author on this point, there is a difference between initiation rites and hazing incidents, but there is a fine line between them. Initiation rites I am okay with, in fact most of us have probably been a part of one in some way. But when harassment is involved, an initiation rite becomes hazing, and that I do not tolerate.

    When hazing incidents do occur, the problem often times isn't that no one can report it, it's that no one will report it. Students who are both
    harmed in hazing activities, and spectators to them are afraid to be the
    "tattletale" or perhaps put themselves at greater risk by telling an adult.
    Those who are harmed may not even want the hazing to stop, simply because they want to feel accepted by their peers. This needs to change. There are plenty of other ways to bond, in ways that are not dangerous and do not humiliate. But when hazing does occur, people with information need to step forward and tell an adult or coach; and I feel that there should be protection and support for those who do step forward. If information is withheld, especially by an adult, a slight penalty may be necessary depending on the circumstances that surround it.

    The best way to stop hazing is to prevent it from happening in the first
    place, create an environment in which it is not necessary. Those with
    authority need to step up and take action in ways that will prevent hazing and set a positive tone. When hazing does occur, those involved need to be punished appropriately so as to show other students that it is not acceptable. I feel that the activities where hazing occurred should not be discontinued, as hazing and activities are not necessarily related, but administrators should keep an eye on these programs so as to make sure hazing is not a problem again. (Ted M.)

    ReplyDelete
  26. To: AM
    From: Molly M
    Topic: Hazing

    A severe form of initiation that includes coercion and abuse. That is the definition of hazing according to Katelyn, Beaty who writes about hazing and its boundaries in the article “Hazy Boundaries” in November of 2008’s issue of Christianity Today. And I would have to agree with this definition. Hazing is a severe crime and needs to be stopped immediately. Anyone with information about a hazing incident, whether an adult or student, needs to come forward immediately. Sometimes after a hazing occurrence, all a school or university can do is give a public apology. But I think more needs to be done. The people involved in doing the hazing need to be severely punished and the victims of this crime need to be consoled. I am glad to know that nearly all American colleges and most Christian colleges explicitly prohibit hazing
    in their student handbook. These colleges include chanting, marching, blindfolding, taking off clothing, or performing for other students as hazing. In the article, “Attitudes towards fraternity hazing among fraternity members, sorority members, and non-Greek students” in a study done by Cheryl E. Drout and Christie L. Corsoro, they said that, “initiation rituals are a commonly accepted aspect of Greek and other group-oriented organizations. I see these “initiations” as another form of hazing. Hazing includes risky behavior, such as intensive drinking,
    or potentially life-threatening activities. In these situations, there are no
    consequences and these shows the Greek fraternities, and all other fraternities that these so called “initiations” are okay. I believe there should be severe consequences who participate in this reckless behavior. (Molly M.)

    ReplyDelete
  27. To: AM
    From: Evan W.
    Topic: Concussions

    A Concussion is a dangerous, but common head-injury in high school, college, and professional sports. They are especially common in contact sports, such as football or hockey. Concussions are defined as, “ a mild traumatic brain injury” according to The Journal of Family Practice August 2010. With Concussions the difficult decision is not whether a athlete has a concussion or not, it is instead when that athlete is recovered enough to safely return to game level competition. Many people think the best answer to this question is to completely throw it out the window. By this I mean they think when an athlete has a concussion, they are out for the season, and are unable to return to play during games, or practice. I have a different opinion, and I am not alone in thinking that there is a better, shorter answer. According to Shawn M. Ferullo, MD and Alysia Green, MD in their August 2010 article for the
    Journal of Family Practice, “Update on Concussions: Here’s what the experts say” they present a plan which is based on the feeling of the individual who experienced the concussion. Their plan can allow an athlete to return back to game plan in about two weeks. I think this is much more practical, because it is safe for the athlete, but it also gives an athlete who has worked hard for many years to have a great senior year in his or her favorite sport a chance to play weeks after a concussion. (Evan W.)

    ReplyDelete
  28. TO: AM
    FROM: Tyler Z.
    TOPIC: Concussions

    A widely discussed topic in America is whether or not there should be more strict rules in high school and college sports preventing players from returning after suffering concussions. Some suggest that the effects on the student part of student-athlete.

    An article in the New York edition of The New York Times on May 21, 2010 reports on a House Committee on Education and Labor hearing about this topic. This hearing also centered on girls because girls are considered more likely to suffer concussions. Two girls that testified mentioned struggles with simple math and memory loss.

    An article in USA Today on May 5, 2009 discusses statistics on high school athletes that suffer concussions. 40.5% of these athletes return to play too soon and risk death or suffering additional concussions because their skulls have not matured enough to harden. A study on retired NFL players found that multiple concussions can cause depression and dementia Also 16% of football players returned to play the same day they lost consciousness. Guidelines created in 2004 advise an athlete to not return to play the same day.


    Do all the side-effects and long-term risks mean that we should create a rule that ends the season of any college or high school student-athlete that has suffers a concussion of any severity? I think not. A more practical rule would be: “If this is the player’s first concussion and it is of minor severity he/she must wait until all symptoms are gone and the athlete must be cleared by a doctor before being able to play. If it is either the player’s second concussion or a major concussion that player is out for the season.” Maybe a minor concussion would still end up ending the player’s season. Everyone recovers from a concussion
    differently. A season-ending rule would not take that into account. (Tyler Z.)

    ReplyDelete
  29. To: AM
    From: Kyle F.
    Topic: concussions

    In an article written by Allen B. Asher in the magazine Acta Paeditrica volume 98 issue 5 he states that a cocussion is a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain induced by traumatic biomechanical forces.I think that there should not be any kind of rule that should prevent any highschool, college, or pro athlete that
    has sastaned a concussion to stay out of that sport for the rest of the season. When you get a concussion you get regular check ups to see how you are or if you have any brain damage. I feel that if the doctor declares that you are okay that you should be able to play that season. It is there job and they went to school for it so they know what they are doing. I do think though that if you do have any memory loss or any of the other simptoms that you should be out for that season or longer. Yes this is a serious injury but i think that if you take the right percasions that you should be able to play and that you should be fine.
    (Kyle F.)

    ReplyDelete
  30. To: AM
    From: Kasey B.
    Topic: Hazing

    According to Andrea Hazard in the May 2010 article Standing Up Against Hazing, “Hazing can take many forms including brutal violent and sexual acts. It spans all types of youth organizations, including athletic, academic, performing arts, and volunteer groups. It happens in schools small and large; urban, suburban, and rural; across the country and throughout the world.” Hazing is known worldwide and can be a
    very serious act. It is used to cause embarrassment, ridicule and it bullies people and makes them feel uncomfortable. In the article it also says, “Hazer’s tend to be students who don’t feel powerful or those who assume they have power and prestige and want to use both. They often feel as if they are carrying on a legacy. Hazing victims may also feel that they have no right to say no.” They are scared and intimidated by the Hazer’s and know that there are consequences to quitting, telling
    others, and definitely for reporting what is happening to them to authorities. In the October 2009 article by Paul Ruffins, Hazing refuses To Go Away, “A musician in the Jackson State University marching band suffered a shattered shoulder in a hazing incident. Four days later, three members of the Southern University were sentenced to probation for hospitalizing two new members in a nearly identical incident from 2008. As parents and administrators wonder why it has been so difficult to eliminate hazing but academic research reveals the problem is bigger
    and is getting worse than many suspected.” I think that hazer’s could act the way they do because of how they were brought up or maybe they have been victims themselves and now are trying to use their revenge to hurt people just the same way that they have once been hurt. I think if people know about victims being harmed that they should tell an authority because things will only get worse if they don’t.

    If consequences aren’t given the hazer’s will think that it is fine to hurt and put people down. It’s not fine and it can really hurt a person’s self esteem and ruin their confidence. In the article Philip A. Johnson says,” several campuses have had great success in reducing or even eliminating hazing.” If people don’t wish to abide by what is right then I definitely think there should be consequences to follow their actions. (Kasey B.)

    ReplyDelete
  31. To: AM
    From: Hayley H
    Topic: Hazing

    In Michelle A. Finkel's article Traumatic Injuries Caused by Hazing Practices, Michelle defines hazing as committing acts against an individual or forcing an individual into committing an act that creates a risk for harm in order for the individual to be initiated into or affiliated with an organization. When most people hear the word hazing they think of college fraternities, but actually hazing happens all over. High School hazing has become just as big of a deal as college hazing.

    According to High School Hazing by Sharon Deutschlander and Linda Klingaman, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA, researchers indicated over 1.5 million high school students are victims of hazing each year with half of the abuse taking place among athletic teams. Over the last couple years authorities have been dealing with hazing better and punishing those who commit act. A great example of authority
    taking charge would be the Elk River high school district. In an article on MPRnewsQ written by Elizabeth Dunbar and Tom Weber it says that, the Elk River High School football program has been suspended as school officials investigate a hazing incident. Also in this article it says that school officials weren't aware of any hazing incidents that were that serious at Elk River High School in the past and that parents and students had been cooperative this far. Should any form of this
    hazing been ok? If the school would have stopped the hazing in the past, even if it was a small amount of hazing, would it have gotten this far? Any hazing in college or high school should be stopped. Nothing about hazing is right. People need to just accept the new comers to the team or organization and let them be. (Hayley H.)

    ReplyDelete
  32. To: AM
    From: Kylee C.
    Topic: Concussions

    Concussions can range from being as serious as blacking out to very little memory loss. Concussions come in grades 1 2 and 3, 3 being the worst. If your concussion reaches grade 2 or 3 Dr. Maugen says, "To appropriately manage repeat concussions within the same season, the child athlete should consider not participating in that sport for the rest of the season. After reading mulitple articles, in my opinion I would suggest an athlete to let there brain completely heal. Concussions can leave long-term negative effects on concentration, reaction time, memory, and emoitions.

    After receiving repeat concussions your chance of chronic headaches, slower response rates, and test scores, increases. I think parents today contribute more to letting there child continue playing. Parents always want there children to be the best and play the most in every sport, they do not consider the long-term effects as much as they should. Concussions come upon 10 to 50 percent of all highschool contact sport
    athletes each year including, football, hockey, rugby, and soccer. Meaning parents, athletes, and coaches should be more careful in decision making, since a first time concussion patient is more prone to another. (Kylee C.)

    brainline.org- 2010WETA
    mayoclinic.com- Mayo foundation for medical edication and research
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    ReplyDelete
  33. To: AM
    From: Dan S.
    Topic: Concussions

    I believe that holding student athletes out of a sport for a whole season due to a concussion is overkill in most cases. In an article written in clinical and medical research it described how most athletes are able to almost fully recover from concussions in a little over a week. Of course it did go on to say that each case is different and players should be allowed to rejoin sports based on such criteria as their history of head injuries, cognitive recovery, as well as persisting symptoms. So overall I think that one flat rule that requires athletes to sit out a whole
    season after one concussion is not practical or an effective way to keep today's youth interested in sports.

    In most cases suffering one concussion is not a big deal as long as it is properly treated. However when a person has experienced multiple concussions that is when things can start to get dangerous. In a recent study done with high school football players it was discovered that athletes who had sustained multiple concussions were 7.7 times more likely to show a drop in memory skills than athletes who did not have
    a past history of multiple concussions. Most athletes do recover from this memory loss but it's not unheard of for some to experience the effects of concussions later on in life. (Dan S.)

    ReplyDelete
  34. To: AM
    From: Marisa W.
    Topic: Hazing

    The Encyclopedia-Britannica describes hazing as an initiation process involving harassment. Often described as "rites of passage", hazing has been going on at college and university campuses for many years. According to the Alfred University Report, Eastern and western campuses had the most alcohol-related hazing but southern and mid-western campuses had the most dangerous and illegal hazing.

    However, hazing is now on the rise in high schools, especially in sport teams. Football is the most common sport with hazing involved according to an article in the Journal of Sports Behavior. Many people suggest the hazing is actually a tradition and a team bonding experience. It helps with team cohesion and also helps the team work and play better together. However, a study done by two Springfield
    College professors and an Arizona State University professor found out that, "the more hazing activities reported, the less cohesive the team was". The professors also found out that, "the more appropriate team building activities reported, the better the team worked and played together". In reality, hazing is associated with less team cohesion. On one occasion, a high school freshman soccer player was taped to a goalpost and then had soccer balls kicked at him. Some hazing incidents are actually encouraged by the coaches of the sport teams. For instance, a high school freshman wrestler reportedly was subjected to beatings by his teammates. The coach said it was, "a way to administer discipline and give an attitude adjustment". These athletes are not only getting physically abused, but they are also getting mentally and emotionally abused. Some athletes feel the need to back out of the sports after
    the hazing incidents occur. In Wrongs of Passage, Hank Nuwer says, "Hazers. . .are nothing more or less than addicts in an addictive system." Hazing is an addiction that needs to be eradicated. (Marisa W.)

    ReplyDelete
  35. To: AM
    From: Brandon B.
    Topic: Neutering Pets

    There are many different variables to consider when debating the neutering and spaying of dogs and cats. The variables can include ages, breeds, and sizes of cats and dogs. The ethics and morality of the actual procedure(s) can be debated. The home, owner, and population of the pet can be extremely different from one dog to another, so it is difficult to assess a broad yes or no to the actual question of, "Should dogs and cats be required to be spayed/neutered?"

    Having said that, I believe they should be required to be neutered/spayed. In a USA Today article entitled, "Not all pet owners are responsible, so law must intervene", and dated July 3, 2007, Mark Markarian, the Executive Vice President of the Humane Society of the U.S. says, "Pet overpopulation is an increasing problem in California
    and across the country that burdens the public, leads to the euthanasia of millions of healthy animals and costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Spaying and neutering is the most effective way to address this problem and has the additional benefit of improving the health and behavior of dogs and cats." Spaying and neutering cannot
    completely stop pet overpopulation, but I believe it is a good step to at least curb the population somewhat. It may seem a bit unfair to pet owners, but the euthanasia of millions of healthy animals also seems a little unfair to the actual animals. (Brandon B.)

    ReplyDelete
  36. To: AM
    From: Peter B.
    Topic: Hazing

    Hazing is a harmless tradition that brings a team or group closer together, right? Wrong. Hazing, while it may seem like an unimportant occurrence, can be very harmfull on more than one level to the person or people being initiated.

    Hazing can be defined as subjecting newcomers of a group to various forms of harassment, abuse, or humiliation as a means of initiation. There are many different forms of hazing. Some involve physical harm while others involve sexual acts. The 2000 U.S. News & World Report, Vol. 129 Issue 10 says that hazing is at least as old as fourth century Carthage, where, according to St. Augustine, students behaved like "devils," taunting and bullying newcomers to an ancient center of learning. Unfortunately, it is still present today. The same U.S. News & World Report references a study by Alfred University in which it was estimated that 79 percent of National Collegiate Athletic Association athletes had been subjected to hazing during the 1998-1999 school year. The recent incident of hazing at Elk River high school in Minnesota that has been in the news is a testament to the fact that hazing is still prevalent and still a problem.

    (This blog posting is continued below in the next entry. Peter B.)

    ReplyDelete
  37. PART II on hazing.
    From: Peter B.

    When hazing does occur, I think that the adults in charge of the
    organization should definitely be punished if they had information about it and did not come forward with it. Protection should be offered to anyone who comes forward with information on hazing. It is hard, however, to decide whether students who were not involved in the hazing should be punished if they withheld information. I think that the best thing to do would be to tell the coach or adult in charge so that they can deal with the situation. While the adults and students directly involved in the hazing should be punished in order to send a message that hazing is not allowed or acceptable, I don't think that the activity where the hazing occurred should be discontinued for one season. The activity itself is a positive thing and shouldn't be taken away from so many students.

    Although rules and guidelines regarding hazing are usually in effect,
    hazing rituals are often able to be kept secret. For this reason, I believe
    that prevention lies primarily in the hands of the people dispensing the
    hazing, who are usually the upperclassmen or veterans in the group. I
    believe that the mentality behind a lot of hazing is that because the
    hazing happened to the veterans in the group when they were newcomers, it's only fair to "pass the buck" when their turn comes. It is a vicious cycle that simply needs one person's kindness to be broken. The bottom line is that hazing harms and humiliates, and that should be enough reason to end it. (Peter B.)

    ReplyDelete
  38. To: AM
    From: Liz M.
    Topic: Hazing


    Before I started researching the topic of hazing, I knew very little of its
    definition. In an article by Douglas Fierberg titled, “High School, Where Hazing is Amazing,” printed in December of 2000, it is said that hazing is considered to be “conduct that threatens to cause serious physical or psychological injury to another as a condition of joining a team, a student organization, or other group.” In another article by Paul Ruffins titled, “Hazing Refuses to go Away” which was printed October of 2009, it states that “Hazing will be hard to eliminate because it meets many positive needs such as bonding between new and old members, and negative needs like dominance for those who need to feel powerful.” This article is found in the magazine, “Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.” I found in an article by Carol Chmelynski titled, “Handling High School Hazing” that in the 1980s, 38 states passed anti-hazing measures. In California, those in college convicted of hazing face up to
    $5,000 in fines, a year in prison, and loss of scholarships. I found a lot of information on this disturbing crime, along with many examples of past hazing incidents. The incident I found the most shocking was also found in “Handling High School Hazing.” In 1988, at a high school in California, a new assistant principal was appalled with hazing rituals where, on the assembly floor, freshmen were being ridiculed on the first day of school. When the assistant principal asked about what was happening, she was told that it was ‘tradition.’ The assistant principal created a program called Link Crew to stop the hazing from ever happening again. I was shocked at this hazing incident because I thought hazing only happened when school staff was not aware of it. But in this case, it had been going on for quite some time.

    If I could, I would write a much longer essay about hazing because there is a lot more I could say. Overall, my sympathy goes out to the victims of hazing, and I think very little of those who has committed this crime. (Liz M.)

    ReplyDelete
  39. To: AM
    From: Jeremy H.
    Topic: Concussions

    A concussion is an injury to the head usually coming from violent shaking, a hit or a fall. Concussions are common especially in sports related activities. Some concussions are very mild and then again they can be very serious resulting in death. Shortly after an injury the patient may experience a headache, nausea, vomiting, finding it hard to concentrate or unable to focus and maybe feeling depressed and irritable. Long-term risks from a concussion can be memory loss. Many times a concussion is not diagnosed immediately. Symptoms may first show up hours and even days after the accident. A large number of people treated by doctors and sent to the hospital with concussions are athletes either in High School or College. Statistics say an estimated 1.7 million people get concussions a year. Of this 1.7 million about 52,000 will die and about 275,000 will be hospitalized. 80% of this 1.7 million will need to go to an emergency room and be checked out. I feel concussions are something we need to all be aware of. They can happen to anyone and yes many times be fatal. Athletes should have the right to choose if they want to play the rest of the season should they have a concussion. (Jeremy H.)

    ReplyDelete
  40. To: AM
    From: Andy M.
    Topic: Concussions

    Sport are full of physical contact and injuries. Broken bones, sprains, and torn muscles are all injuries that a person can receive while playing a sport, but all of those injuries pale in comparison to a concussion. A broken bone or torn muscle will heal eventually, but if a concussion is left untreated it could have serious consequences. According to a CBS study, untreated concussions can lead to permanent brain damage and sometimes the early onset of dementia. Other effects of an untreated concussion include: memory loss, fatigue, slow reaction time. The
    University of North Carolina studied retired NFL players and found a correlation between the number of concussions and the onset of dementia and depression.

    As soon as the symptoms of a concussion are notice in a player in any sport, that player should immediately be taken out of play. The severeness of the concussion should then be determined and proper action be taken. A concussion can end any athletes career with one hit, whether they know it or not. Any sport that has physical contact can cause a concussion no matter how small the amount of contact
    is. Any hit to the head, whether caused by another player or by an accident can be serious and should be handled with care. (Andy M.)

    ReplyDelete
  41. To: AM
    From: Andrea O.
    Topic: Hazing



    I believe that there should be a penalty for people who know about the hazing and do not come forward with the information. Hazing can be very dangerous and can severely harm a person and if the person is not helped, it could be continued. For those people that do speak up about a hazing there should be protection because they also could be harmed. Especially adults who know about hazing need to speak up about it because they should be setting the example. I believe that activities where hazing has occurred should be penalized because if they are not hazing will most likely continue. If no consequence is given for hazing then the community is receiving a message of "we do not care about your kids", however if a consequence is given then the opposite message will be received. The history of hazing started in the early 1800s with various tribal initiation rites also known as "penalism" in France. The first acts of hazing were mostly whipping the younger boys of the tribe in order to make them men. Hazing did not become very well known in North America until the 1870s. According to the article "Traumatic
    Injuries Caused by Hazing Practices" by Michelle A. Finkel, toward the end of the 20th century, the reported incidents of hazing has escalated, leaving hazing and pledging activities the cause of at least 56 fraternity and sorority deaths from 1970 to 1999. This many deaths is not from something that is "harmless" so I believe that hazing needs to be stopped. (Andrea O.)

    ReplyDelete
  42. To: AM
    From: Kari B.
    Topic: Hazing

    Hazing is very common in schools and fraternities, sororities, and athletic teams according to Michelle A Finkle, writer of Traumatic Injuries Caused By Hazing Practices. Hazing is committing acts against an individual or forcing an individual into committing an act that creates a risk for harm in order for them to be accepted. To some people hazing is considered a tradition but in my opinion hazing is away to hurt others just so they can feel accepted. People should not have to be tortured to
    be on an athletic team or accepted in a group.

    Some of the recent acts of hazing reported by Fox News in Elk River where nine football players were punished for sexually harassing freshmen teammates with broom and mop handles. These players have either been kicked off the football team or suspended from the team.

    Other reports of hazing are in fraternities where they put a padlock into socks and whip the freshmen while they were sleeping, in some cases
    the freshmen were killed or severely injured.

    The thing that is hard to believe is that people think it is funny to hurt others just so they can feel accepted. I think that it is a way for upper classmen to feel superior or more important than freshmen. The worst thing is that in some cases it is killing people or severely injuring them.
    (Kari B.)

    ReplyDelete
  43. To: AM
    From: McKenzie R.
    Topic: Concussions

    Many of us are active people, and the majority of us play at least one
    sport. Since we are active people, we can all get injured in one way or
    another. One way we get injured is by having a jolt to the head. By getting this jolt we can get a concussion. As stated by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention a concussion is a traumatic brain injury. Also stated by the CDC that 1.7 million people undergo a concussion each year.

    There is no way to totally be safe from head injuries. We can only take more precautions, and learn to take more care of our bodies. People say that there should be a rule about concussions in sports, that if you get one, then you should have to stop playing that sport. I do not agree with that rule. Yes in certain cases if it is serious enough then that person should have to stop. Most of the time concussions in sports are mild, and do not last long. Concussion can also be serious where you can have extreme memory loss. I feel that concussions are dangerous and should be treated on a case by case basses. (McKenzie R.)

    ReplyDelete
  44. To: AM
    From: Aaron W.
    Topic: neutering pets

    There is an on going debate of whether neutering pets is an effective way to control the pet population or not. In an article taken out of the DVM Newsmagazine, titled, Pet Overpopulation: An Uphill Battle, Michael A. McLaughlin, speaks on the subject of pet neutering. He explains that using this practice is a means for controlling the population of pets. He goes on to say that this practice is "pointless" and a waste of time. When one pet is neutered there is almost always another one giving birth to a litter. This is why there is a problem with overpopulation of pets in the first place. The humane societies are overflowing with stray animals and the only way to control this is to put them to sleep. I believe that on a small scale pet neutering will help the pet population, but not affect the "big picture".

    The owners of the pets should have the choice whether to neuter their pets or not. However I do believe that pet neutering is an effective way to keep pets healthier and control their behavior. In the article, Healthy Pet written by Amy Marder, there is a brief explanation of the health benefits of neutering pets.

    For the female dogs/cats, spaying is the removal of the entire uterus and both ovaries. This prevents female pets from going into heat, and protects them from potentially fatal uterine infections and tumors. In male dogs/cats, castration is the removal of both testicles. This can reduce the urge to roam and mount, it also reduces male dominance. Male dogs that are castrated are less likely to develop prostate disease and some types of tumors.

    I believe that neutering pets is a great way to keep a pet healthy and alive longer, but i do not believe it helps the overpopulation problem. I am an owner of a neutered dog myself, and I think that he is as happy now as he was before he had the surgery. (Aaron W.)

    ReplyDelete
  45. To: AM
    From: Megan H
    Topic: Concussions

    The statistics are staggering. For children ages fourteen to nineteen, the
    amount of concussions reported from 1997 to 2007 has more than tripled, from 7,000 to 22,000. When a student suffers a severe concussion or multiple concussions, the effects can be cumulative and long lasting. For this reason, I believe it is for the better that students who have had severe brain trauma from concussions, should not be able to continue to participate in sports the rest of the season. However, if the player has had a minor concussion, and is cleared by the doctor, they should be able to play. When symptoms such as dizziness, vomiting, headaches, and trouble concentrating occur, the student should sit out. The rule as of now states that those who have had three concussions must sit out the rest of the season. That is too much damage being done. Students who have repeatedly received concussions
    are likely to have learning disabilities, neurological problems, memory
    loss, and in rare occasions, cysts may form. Dr. Lisa Bakhos is an ER
    physician from Neptune, New Jersey, and she says, " If they're [the children with the concussion] not treated properly, with rest, then they can have long-term problems." (Megan H.)

    ReplyDelete
  46. To: AM
    From: Britney S.
    Topic: Hazing

    Hazing, many students believe it is a ritual everyone has to go through in order to be accepted by their superiors. Hazing has evolved from simple jokes to hazardous games and physical and mental abuse. Many students who have experienced hazing deny even taking part in the act. Some do not even acknowledge that what they endured was hazing. They believe it is just to go through such actions and think of it as a rite
    of passage. In Divers: Issues in Higher Education; 10/29/2009, Vol. 26 Issue 19, p6-6, 3/4p Paul Ruffins tells of a study taken by Cornell University that came to concluded that "36 percent of respondents engaged in at least one activity that the university would define as hazing. … (only) 12.4 percent of respondents reported that they had been hazed." Thinking hazing is acceptable is not okay. Teachers,
    coaches and parents should do all that they can to stop hazing activities. Even students can do their part in ending these rituals. Stepping forward and acknowledging hazing is a big step to ending its cruelty. Not letting these harmful actions go unnoticed and unpunished will send the message that hazing is not tolerable. Everyone needs take a stand to eliminate hazing from groups and organizations. (Britney S.)

    ReplyDelete
  47. FROM THE INSTRUCTOR: 10:00 P.M. Sunday evening...

    All but three students have sent me their "posts." I've put all the "posts" which I have received onto the blogspot.

    I have even received one "student response" to a partner already.

    (Your responses to your two partners are due no later than 9:00 P.M. on Tuesday evening.)

    A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT TIPS:

    1) Reread the directions on the blogspot carefully.

    Be sure you know what the next step is and when it's due. ARTICLES! That part of the assignment is due for ALL STUDENTS, whether your class meets or not on Tuesday.

    2) Reread the RUBRIC carefully. The rubric is IN the directions, and it informs you how I will be assessing your work on this assignment. In case you forgot about the RUBRIC, go back and examine it now. Be sure that when you "respond" to your partners' "posts," you understand how points will be assigned.

    3) READ through all the "posts."

    4) Remember that you must respond to your assigned partners, but you may also respond to other classmates according to the guidelines.

    5) In addition to taking note of the ideas people are offering in their "posts," take note of other things about this online writing as well. Think about these things...

    a) the writing style used by the student authors
    b) the types of resources people sought and used
    c) the way people organized their comments

    ReplyDelete
  48. THIS IS AN "on-time" posting!

    To: AM
    From: Collin G.
    Topic: neutering pets

    Neutering your pets is improtant for stopping the overpopulation that is commen in household pet now days it also helps prevent undesirable behaviors like aggression and runing from home. People do not understand that neutering pets at a young age will not give them phycological problems as it would with people in fact it will "decrease their chance to get testicular cancer" (Warren J Wegert). According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, nearly 12,500 puppies are born every hour in the United States and there are over 1million stray dogs in the New York City area alone. This is just one example of why pet that are not intended to be bred or shown should be neutered between four to six months of age.124 If pets are neutered before four months of age it could be dangerous to there health and if they are neutered later it will be less potent in its effectiveness of preventing diseases that neutering earlier would prevent. So for the health and safety of you, your pet and others please take neutering you pet into consideration. (Collin G.)

    ReplyDelete
  49. THIS POST (below) WAS ON-TIME on Sunday, September 5.


    To: AM
    From: Erin R.
    Topic: Concussions

    Britannica Online Encyclopedia defines a concussion as a temporary loss of brain function due to a relatively mild injury to the brain. In the Time Magazine article entitled, "Hard Knocks," volume 173, issue 4, pages 63-64, February 2, 2009, Sean Gregory states, "41% of concussed athletes in 100 high schools across the United States returned to play too soon." It can be extremely difficult to determine when athletes can safely return-to-play because individuals have differences in cognitive performance. What if instead of taking a "one size fits all" approach, medical professionals could ensure that athletes are completely healthy before they resume play?

    According to an article in Applied Neuropsychology entitled, "Current Issues in the Identification and Management of Concussions in Sports-Related Injuries," volume 10, pages 4-11, 2003, Catherine McKeever and Philip Schatz wrote, "Currently, there are three computerized tests that have been developed: the Immediate Measurement of Performance and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT), the Concussion Resolution Index, and
    CogSport. These tests evaluate attention processes, verbal recognition, memory, visual working memory, visual processing speed, reaction time, numerical sequencing ability, and learning." An athlete can take a pre-concussion test and a baseline score is calculated from his or her results. When an athlete has or is suspected of having a concussion, professionals can continue to administer the test until the baseline score and the post-concussion score are identical.

    I believe that until these tests were developed, the protocol for a concussion was more qualitative. There was not a definite yes or no to whether an athlete had recovered from a concussion. An athlete suffering from a concussion may have been asymptomatic and allowed to continue playing. This places him or her at the risk of developing Second-Impact Syndrome which can be fatal or result in other
    complications due to the concussion. Now there are quantitative tests which I feel every athlete should participate in. A simple 20 minute test can detect subtle changes in brain function and allow the athlete to be fully recovered from his or her concussion before returning-to-play.
    (Erin R.)

    ReplyDelete
  50. RECEIVED on Monday evening, September 6, 2010.

    To: AM
    From: Alex T.
    Topic: Hazing

    Hazing is a cruel and unnecessary form of initiation. Taken from the Webster-Merriam Dictionary hazing is an initiation process involving harassment. It is meant to add character to an individual by demeaning them and making them suffer. There are many examples of this in modern times such as the Elk River Football Team, and fraternities and sororities across the nation. I have also found that it is not limited to colleges and high schools. Taken from The New York Amsterdam News Paper from February 4 2010, hazing is not just limited to high school. Seven black sorority girls, “Came forward and reported being assaulted with paddles, beaten, starved and threatened for more
    than a week in mid- to late January by senior members of the sorority. Police described the allegations as indictable offenses." Hazing has been around for a long time, and is always wrong no matter what. People should be protected for standing up and saying something. Even if you are holding information about hazing you should be punished, even adults. I don’t think the activity it happened in should be cancelled. People just need to know that hazing and bulling are very wrong. (Alex T.)

    ReplyDelete
  51. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  52. RECEIVED on Tuesday, September 7, 2010

    To: AM
    From: Kelsey M.
    Re: hazing

    To discuss the topic of hazing, one must first accurately define it. Hazing is defined as "committing acts against an individual or forcing an individual into committing an act that creates a risk for harm in order for the individual to be initiated into or affiliated with an organization," according to the article
    "Traumatic Injuries Caused By Hazing Practices" by Michelle A. Finkel, MD. Hazing has very deep roots in society. It's existed since ancient and medieval schools in Greece, North Africa, and even as close as Western Europe. In those days it was called "pennalism" and soon became a requirement for graduation. The belief was that undergraduates were "uncivilized and had to be properly groomed", as stated in the article previously mentioned. After a century of this practice being widely accepted, it was promptly banished due to the serious injuries and even deaths it caused. There are few reports of hazing occurring in the 18th and 19th centuries, but the belief is that it was still in use even after its abolishment. This changed in the early 20th century, however. Hazing was again accepted by students and school
    administrators as a way for underclassman to earn respect for that particular organization. The perpetrators continued to go unpunished, even after 14 educators from different colloges signed an agreement in attempts to eliminate hazing completely. Since then, incidents of hazing have escalated to an appalling number.
    Personally, I am amazed at the brutality of these reports. It forces me to wonder if hazing will ever stop, at least in the cruel form it can be interpreted in. We need to start recognizing hazing for what it is: abuse, and the last time I checked, abuse is never acceptable. (Kelsey M.)

    ReplyDelete
  53. RESPONSES BEGIN HERE and continue below!

    RESPONSES BEGIN HERE and continue below!

    RESPONSES BEGIN HERE and continue below!

    ReplyDelete
  54. To: Peter B.
    From: Ted M.
    Re: Hazing

    Your posting brought up a number of good points, Peter. The thing I had to agree most with was your discussion of how hazing should be dealt with when students who are not involved directly withhold information. You stated that it would be hard to judge them, and I too thought of how difficult it would be to punish such a student. In a situation like that, I would almost feel that the student would be judged based on their intentions; whether they had full intent to keep information withheld or on the flipside, whether they knew information, yet they feared revealing the truth to an adult. The second point that I agreed with was your stance on those activities to not be discontinued. I too feel that activities are a positive thing and I also feel they are not the "root" of hazing, the people in the activity are responsible for being that "root."

    ReplyDelete
  55. To: Leah K.
    From: Ted M.
    Re: hazing

    I enjoyed your post quite a bit Leah, and I especially liked your idea of "zero tolerance." I agree, there cannot be exceptions that deal with hazing, they must all be treated as wrong. When students realize that hazing on every level and severity is wrong and unacceptable, hazing as a whole will decrease in popularity. That being said however, every case of hazing is different. Instead of harsh punishment for each case and student, I think the punishment should vary depending on what an administrator feels is appropriate. I don't think that athletes for example should have to miss their entire season in a sport, unless of course the hazing was so severe that other members were seriously hurt. They should instead be punished based on the severity of their offense. (Ted M.)

    ReplyDelete
  56. To: Kylee C.
    From: Ben B.
    Re: Concussions

    I agree with your opinion. Athletes who have had a concussion should sit out until they have been checked over and fully recovered, even if it means sitting out the season. It's unwise to think concussions of any grade are something to just push off. The percentages may seem small, but even a "small" percent like ten can easily increase to a much higher percent, one that's more noticeable. As for the parents, I agree with your side on that too. Parents like to push their kid(s) to be the best so they might over look something like a concussion. It's not the parents' health
    being risked, it's the athletes'. Extra care towards this injury is very important.

    ReplyDelete
  57. o: Kelsey M.
    From: Ben B.
    Re: Hazing

    I never gave much thought to hazing. Now, after knowing more than I did about the subject, I agree that it's nothing but abusing someone for another's entertainment. Nothing good comes from something like hazing so why do people do it? I wonder the same thing, hazing might never stop, especially if people of authority don't do anything about it. I mean is killing someone worth the sick kind of joy one would get from hazing another? Personally, I think not.

    ReplyDelete
  58. To: Morgan Z
    From: Kristin S
    Re: Neutering Pets


    I agree with your blog 100 percent. I feel that the overpopulation issue with pets in America is a terrible situation and a law should be enforced as soon as possible. It is great that you get to see these pets and understand how the space for abandoned and uncared pets is running
    low. You and I both seemed to have the same idea for being exempt from this "law" of having cats and dogs neutered. I think that the application is a great idea. A question I have about your blog is, when someone applies for the exemption of neutering their pet, who accepts their application?

    ReplyDelete
  59. To: Collin G
    From: Kristin S
    Re: Neutering Pets

    Your article is great for pet owners to read if they are nervous about neutering their pets early, it would help the owners learn that it will not give the pet psychological issues and help prevent testicular cancer. I read on the overpopulation of pets but to know that there are one million stray dogs in New York City alone are outrageous numbers! You mentioned that a pet should not be neutered if the pet is used for breeding or showing, but a question I have is, if a pet is being shown is it a requirement that they are not neutered?

    ReplyDelete
  60. To: Kelsey K.
    From: Tony H.
    Re: Pet Neutering

    Kelsey, I am very interested in these contraceptive shots. I
    did not come across anything like this in my research. I do believe that some form of these shots could be very effective for a pet owner. I do hesitate to say this though. You said that these shots have to be administered every year. This seems like it could be quite expensive for the average pet owner, because we all know vet bills are expensive enough as it is. However, I do believe that if more money was spent funding the research and development of these shots so
    that the shot could be permanent, it could potentially help our growing pet population. (Tony H.)

    ReplyDelete
  61. To: Brandon B.
    From: Tony H.
    Re: Pet Neutering

    Brandon, I really do believe you have a good point when you took the quote, “Not all pet owners are responsible, so law must intervene.” I have found in several studies, but primarily from a study done in Florida
    from 1990 to 2000 called The Effects of Implementing a Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Program in a Florida County Animal Control Service, that pet neutering/spaying is only effective at a very local level. I think that if
    there was a law created in which the whole country was forced to spay or neuter their pets, could we truly control the pet population. There have been many programs implemented to help control the pet population, and as we can quite clearly see, we still have an out-of-control pet population. (Tony H.)

    ReplyDelete
  62. To: Kari B.
    From: Nick W.
    Re: Hazing

    I agree with kari that it is a problem and it does need to be delt with as soon as possible. One thing that i think Kari should bring up is that hazing is much bigger term than people know. The term hazing is the act of forcing someone to do something against their will. So this could be anything from making someone study all night, to beating someone to let them join a group. So because the term is bigger than people think it will not be very easy to prevent it from happening in the future.

    ReplyDelete
  63. To: Jeremy H.
    From: Nick W.
    Re: Concussions

    I think that Jeremy's idea that when a player recieves a concussion that he/she should have the choice of returning to play the rest of the season is up to them is a good idea. The reason I think this is because often times the coach can push a player to hard, which can cause the player to get hurt even more. But I also see the downside to this. The downside is that often times the player does not want to let the coach or the team down, so that can lead to the player to pushing themselves to far and endong up getting hurt.

    ReplyDelete
  64. o:Aaron P.
    From: Kelsey K.
    Re: Neutering Pets

    I completely agree with you Aaron P. it is horrible to see how many healthy animals are killed just because they do not have their essential needs to survive. One part of this that I never considered that you addressed is the cost of euthanizing all of these animals. The fact that it costs millions of dollars is very striking! Who is paying for this? And why are we allowing this to keep happening? It is heart breaking to hear how much of this is going on without many Americans even knowing.
    It is even more difficult to hear that many of these Americans are contributing to the problem and have no idea they are doing so. We as educated Americans need to work to educate others and to work to end this cruelty.

    ReplyDelete
  65. To: Brandon B.
    From: Kelsey K.
    Re: Neutering Pets

    I agree with Brandon that it is very unfair to the animals that are killed every single day only because they do not have what they need to survive. I think that if a person takes on the responsibility of becoming a pet owner they should be ready to take complete responsibility for their pet and their pet reproducing comes along with that responsibility. I had never considered that specific breeds may be more important to spay or neuter than others because of their population and Brandon made
    that very important point. Because of this fact I think that it is important that a person be educated about the specific type of animal they have and what is best for that breed. All pet owners should be required to make an educated decision on whether their pet is spay of neutered and not just let the decision be made on its own.

    ReplyDelete
  66. To: Evan W.
    From: Anne G.
    Re: Concussions

    Evan, I agree with your opinion overall. I do not believe an athlete should have to sit out for an entire season after suffering a concussion. I do have one question about your post, though. You stated from one of your articles, athletes are encouraged to refrain from playing games for two weeks. How long until he/she can begin practicing? Is it a slow, gradual process or is there a certain amount of time an athlete must wait? Being a three-sport athlete just beginning my senior year, I completely believe in your last statement , "it also gives an athlete who has worked
    hard for many years to have a great senior year in his or her favorite sport a chance to play weeks after a concussion." I can not imagine having to sit for a majority of the season in one of my sports this year!

    ReplyDelete
  67. To: Dan S.
    From: Anne G.
    Re: Concussions

    Dan, I agree with your statement that athletes should not be forced to sit for the rest of their season after experiencing a concussion. I would be curious to hear where exactly your second sentence came from. You stated, "In an article written in clinical and medical research it described how most athletes are able to almost fully recover from concussions in a little over a week." So, if an athlete does not display any more symptoms after a week can he/she return to playing games? Also, what age group was this research targeting? I believe that a concussion affects
    athletes differently depending on his/her age. Also, your second statistic was VERY shocking to me! This statistic shows that we must really try hard to prevent athletes from suffering multiple concussions! I don't think most people actually realize the long- term effects of concussions and how dangerous they can be!

    ReplyDelete
  68. To: Whitney O.
    From: Liz M.
    Re: Hazing

    Whitney, I completely agree with your post, and I especially liked the line where you said, “If nothing is done about even the ‘harmless hazing’ we have to ask ourselves, ‘Where do we draw the line?’” Also, the story of Scott Krueger struck me as a very unfortunate one. After reading
    about him, I remembered something I found in an article by Paul Ruffins, found in ‘Diverse: Issues in Higher Education’ titled “Hazing Refuses to go Away.” It is said that “approximately 35 to 40 percent of hazing involves drinking games or excessive alcohol consumption.” What happened to Scott would make me think twice about joining
    any sorority.

    ReplyDelete
  69. To: Hallie K.
    From: Liz M.
    Re: Hazing

    Hallie, when I read the story about the coaches who told the eighth graders to hit the seventh graders, I was shocked. It is very disappointing that the coaches did not believe this was hazing. You stated, at the end of your post, that you believe hazing should be banned in every state. I agree with you, and also wanted to mention
    that, during my research, I found that most states only made laws against hazing after an act has been committed. I strongly believe that the remaining states should prevent hazing from happening. These states that have not made laws against hazing can help make sure that something like what happened to Garret will not happen again.

    ReplyDelete
  70. To: Peter B.
    From: Liz M.
    Re: Hazing


    Peter, I wanted to comment on the last paragraph of your post. You said that you believe that the mentality behind hazing is that it happened to the veterans in the group when they were newcomers and it is only fair to pass it on when their turn comes. I completely agree with you, and I want to quote an article titled “Handling High School Hazing” (found in ‘Education Digest’). This article talks about Edina High School here in Minnesota where there is a hazing ritual called ‘Tapefest.’
    During this ritual, sophomores are taped to trees and hit with sauerkraut and raw eggs by the seniors. I was appalled at how the student-body president responded when questioned. The article states that “he and most of his classmates found it embarrassing and demeaning when they were sophomores, but when they became seniors, some felt ‘some sort of right’ to continue the practice.” I just can’t understand the logic behind this statement.

    ReplyDelete
  71. To: Kasey B.
    From: Colin W.
    Re: Hazing

    I agree that those who are being hazed are scared, intimidated, and that they are afraid to speak up. Freshmen look up to seniors as a role model, when they are hazing it is setting a very bad example for all those who look up to them. I also think hazer’s act the way they do because of how they are brought up, it starts with parents being good role models for their children, and to help them be a great person in life so they are not one of the people who commit hazing later in their life. (Colin W.)

    ReplyDelete
  72. To: Andrea O.
    From: Colin W.
    Re: Hazing

    I agree withyour points about people receiving punishment for hazing, however I disagree with your thought that the activity in which the problem occurred should have to suffer. The whole team or organization should not be penalized for something many of them had no contribution in. I feel that hazing needs to be addressed more and stopped before to many students are hurt or even killed from it.
    Schools need to be making more of an effort to realize if it is taking place and if it is to take appropriate actions and not just let it go.

    ReplyDelete
  73. To: Anne G.
    From: Erin R.
    Topic: Concussions

    I agree that we must do all that we can to educate our athletes on
    the risks and symptoms of concussions. According to an article in
    the Time Magazine entitled, "Hard Knocks," volume 173, issue 4,
    pages 63-64, February 2, 2009, Sean Gregory states, "The three major
    factors in athletes returning to play too soon are that not enough
    high schools have certified trainer who know how to deal with
    concussions, over competitive coaches, and players not reporting
    head traumas." I know how important winning is to high school and
    college athletes, but athletes must place their health before
    competition. We must educate the trainers, coaches, and athletes
    about the seriousness of concussions and the signs and symptoms.

    ReplyDelete
  74. To: Tyler Z.
    From: Erin R.
    Topic: Concussions

    I agree that the side-effects and long-term risks associated with a concussion should not end the season of any college or high school athlete. However, I do believe that side-effects and long-term risks are very serious. According to an article entitled, "Second Impact Syndrome: Sports Confront Consequences of Concussions," volume 128, issue 2260, page 73, May 2008, Jeffery Tyler and Michael Nelson state, "If a second injury occurs while the individual still has symptoms from the first impact, the result can be a rapid, catastrophic increase in pressure
    within the brain. Effects of Second Impact Syndrome include physical paralysis, mental disabilities, and epilepsy. Death can occur approximately 50% of the time." It is apparent from this statistic that no athlete should return to competition before he or she is completely recovered.



    I do not agree with your rule about when an athlete can return to play because the
    severity of a concussion can be very subjective. There is not a standard for
    concussions, so a rule cannot be based on the severity of a concussion. I believe a
    better rule would be that all athletes with a concussion must take a test such as
    The Immediate Measurement of Performance and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT), the
    Concussion Resolution Index, or CogSport which gives a baseline score that can be
    used to measure cognitive brain function. Then a doctor can use this calculation to
    make an informed decision if an athlete can safely return to play.

    ReplyDelete
  75. To:Kari B.
    From: Jeremy H.
    Topic:Hazing

    I agree with your thoughts Kari B. Hazing is forcing, usually freshmen, to do humiliating and ridiculous acts by upper classmen. Most of the time these acts get out of control and people are getting hurt physically and mentally. I feel it is wrong and people caught doing it should be punished.Punished should be handed out to teachers and coaches and anyone involved with the incident. People that know of this ahead of time should be smart enough to stop it before it gets started. People know that it isn't right to do this kind of act to others because it's wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  76. To: Nick W.
    From: Jeremy H.
    Topic: Hazing

    I agree with your topic about hazing Nick W. and how it’s wrong to do these actions to others. People know that it’s not right to tell someone younger then them to go and do something that is wrong. This happens a lot in High Schools where the older students think they can boss others around and they know it’s not right. And if there not responsible for themselves then you would think someone will tell them to grow up or even punish them for there thoughts to use on the younger students.

    ReplyDelete
  77. To: Jeremy K
    From: Kelsey M
    Re: Concussions

    I thought Jeremy's passage was very well put together. It informed without becoming overwhelming with facts and statistics. His source, The New York Times, is a very good resource to use because of its excellent reputation. I thought the use of a fairly modern athlete was very smart as well. This way the reader can easily relate to the excerpt. I think his "stance" could have used a few more supporting details, but he was very clear in establishing his point. All in all, I thought it was a very
    good and clear passage.

    ReplyDelete
  78. To: Megan H
    From: Kelsey M
    Re: Concussions

    I thought Megan's passage was good, although it was lacking in supporting details. For instance, the quote from Dr. Bakhos was a little weak, even if it supported Megan's stance. It didn't give any examples of "long-term problems." The organization was good, and it flowed well. I think she could've expanded her beginning comments a bit more, though. I also thought her opening line, while powerful, should be used in a speech as opposed to a paper. Megan established her stance firmly and based the entire passage on it.

    ReplyDelete
  79. To: Aaron W
    From: Paige L
    Topic: Pet neutering

    I agree with what you had to say about the topic of pet neutering. I have a neutered dog too and I think he is completely happy. I honestly do not think he can notice the difference. I do not think that neutering pets is helping with the population growth of pets through out the world. It does however help keep pets people have healthier.

    ReplyDelete
  80. To: Alyssa B
    From: Paige L
    Topic: Hazing

    I agree with everything you had to say about the topic hazing. We need to help put a stop to hazing in schools and at the work place also. People who do come forward and give information about it should get protect but not if the person who is coming forward has or is taking part in hazing. They should be punished but not as bad because maybe they want to get out of it and they need help.

    ReplyDelete
  81. To: Whitney O.
    From: Jaya D.
    Re: Hazing

    Whitney, I thought your post really showed the horrifying results that can come from hazing; I thought it was a good way to show why it should be stopped. The section on “Hazing Plagues Greeks” shows that hazing in colleges and sorority houses is extremely dangerous. Your short story of a normal teenager dying as a result of hazing is something we as future college students should learn from. I think a good topic for discussion could be ways teens can combat hazing through certain methods.
    In this way, teens and others can be prepared when faced by hazing. These “initiations” cannot be tolerated any longer. I too believe that hazing should be banned everywhere, and that steps need to be taken towards hazing prevention.

    ReplyDelete
  82. To: Ted M.
    From: Jaya D.
    Re: Hazing

    Your blog post was very powerful in the way you addressed the true problem with hazing, that hazing is seldom reported to authorities. Elk River was a great example for us as teens to know, one factor being that many of us participate in team sports and other activities. I agree with you in that initiation rights are acceptable if they are positive and connect the team in a safe way. As to the supervision of these “initiation rights” there could be at least one adult present during these events
    just to make sure hazing doesn’t occur. Great work on giving the facts on what hazing is by using events that readers recognize from the media. One thing for discussion might be what kind of precautions should be taken to insure hazing never happens on teams, clubs, and other groups.

    ReplyDelete
  83. To: Jaya D.
    From: Val L.
    Topic: Hazing

    Jaya, you bring a good point about why hazing occurs and why many people are afraid to speak up against it. Many kids are afraid that if they might speak up, they will lose their spot in whatever activity they are trying to get into. I believe that we should not be afraid to stand up for what is right. The person that this harmful act has occurred to should be kept nameless if he/she has spoken up. Hazing should be stopped and it never should have started to begin with. (Val L.)

    ReplyDelete
  84. To: Ted M.
    From: Val L.
    Topic: Hazing

    I completely agree with you, Ted. Hazing needs to be stopped. It has been going on for far too long, and it should have never even started. You are correct so far as to say that we need to create an environment where hazing is not likely to happen. We need to fill this environment with a positive atmosphere where everyone feels welcome and where hazing will not occur. Hazing is far too dangerous and is never
    welcomed in an environment such like this. We must strive for a safer, hazing-free environment. (Val L.)

    ReplyDelete
  85. To: Kevin L.
    From: Marisa W.
    Re: Hazing

    I agree with Kevin's post. I also feel that hazing needs to be stopped immediately and the people involved need to be punished. If coaches know what is going on, they should not encourage it more, they should stand up for the victims. If the coaches are involved, they should receive a more firm punishment. If sport teams want to keep traditions alive but initiating new players, they should be able to find a more safe way to do so. Kevin said that 80% of players in the NCAA have been hazed. That
    should not be acceptable in that type of program. They should have some sort of rules against hazing that needs to be enforced.

    ReplyDelete
  86. To: Hayley H.
    From: Marisa W.
    Re: Hazing

    I agree with Hayley. She talked about the Elk River High School hazing incident. I did not know that smaller forms of hazing had been done at the school and on the team before. It is nice to hear that the parents and students involved are cooperating. Suspending the football team for the time being is a good punishment and also a good lesson for future students. Hazing is a serious act that should not be taken lightly and I'm happy to know that the Elk River School District isn't taking it lightly.

    ReplyDelete
  87. To: Alyssa B
    From: Meghan G
    Topic: Hazing

    I like how you research what hazing used to be and what it has become. That shows how much of a problem hazing has amounted to. You also showed the importance it is to come forward with the information and acknowledged that the person who does come forth could also be punished and unaccepted for coming forth with the information.
    Also, you showed the importance of the student being victimized and how they feel less superior to the person who is doing the hazing towards them. Relating Bullying and Hazing was another very good idea and shows how equal to each other they are. I do feel like you could have put some more statistics and more background information
    into your research though.

    ReplyDelete
  88. To: Britney S.
    From: Meghan G
    Topic: Hazing

    You put very good background knowledge into your research and explained where it originated from. I like how you explained that hazing does not seem to some people what they are doing is wrong, but instead what they have become accustomed to. You took a different angle on the research and that was good. It explains that students are not aware of what they are doing and also that the coaches do support it as something they are familiar with also. You had very good research and took a different angle on it. I do think that you could have went on to explain more about what we should do and punishments that should be given to the students.

    ReplyDelete
  89. To: Kyle F.
    From: Andy M.
    RE: Concussions

    I agree with Kyle's statement that a concussion does not have to necessarily end an athlete's season. If an athlete goes through all the required tests and all the necessary treatment, there is no reason why that athlete should be benched for the season. But, I also believe that the athlete should be cleared by more than one docter, just in case any symptoms or concerns were missed. If both docters clear the
    patient, then he or she should be allowed to play. (Andy M.)

    ReplyDelete
  90. To: McKenzie R.
    From: Andy M.
    Re: Concussions

    I also disagree that if you get a concussion in a sport that you should not be allowed to play that sport any longer. I agree that a player should be treated according to the severity of the concussion. We should learn to take better care of our bodies in sports and we should also be aware that the protective equipment we wear does not make us invicible on the field. (Andy M.)

    ReplyDelete
  91. To: Lauren F.
    From: Aaron W.
    Re:neutering pets

    I liked the use of facts in your post Lauren. That is a good way to make sure people understand what you are talking about. I agree with your opinion on the requirement of pet neutering. I beilieve it is an effective way to control part of the pet population but it should not be required.
    I was also surprised on how early neutering started. I thought that it was a new idea, but it has been around for quite some time now.

    ReplyDelete
  92. To: Molly M.
    From: Aaron W.
    Re: Hazing

    I completely agree with your idea of giving a sever punishment to the people doing the hazing, Molly. There is no real reason for it, all it for is to have a little fun. The problem is when it gets out of hand and someone ends up getting severely hurt from it. One thing I did not know was that anything involving risky behavior was considered
    hazing, such as "intensive drinking". I enjoyed reading your post Molly and I am in agreement with your opinion on the issue of hazing.

    ReplyDelete
  93. To: Paige L.
    From: Aaron W.
    Re: Hazing

    I believe that hazing is already getting out of control, Paige. The stories that i have heard about this issue are terrible. Hazing is a horrible thing and it does need to be stopped. However, you are right that the people who are trying to stop it need to be protected. The people who are doing the hazing obviously do not mind inflicting pain on other people so why should the "good guy" get hurt. I do agree with your idea of getting to know the person instead of hurting them in some way so
    they "fit in".

    ReplyDelete
  94. To: Whitney O.
    From: Hallie K.
    Topic: Hazing

    I found your story very shocking! I have never heard of a person dying from hazing before. I found this story very alarming. I also liked your question, "Where do we draw the line?" I think we should draw the line at no hazing, like you said in your blog, so incidents like this never occur. I agree that it should be banned in every form. I believe that these stories of extreme hazing are more common than we think. Your blog was a good wake-up call!

    ReplyDelete
  95. To: Liz M.
    From: Hallie K.
    Topic: Hazing

    The first thing i noticed was that we used one of the same websites. I also noticed that you had a 2009 source which helped your "persuasion." I was also shocked, as you were, to find that in some hazing cases adults are involved. Also, sometimes the adults may even help the hazing spread! I also agree with your last paragraph. I cannot help but sympathize for the victimes of hazing and think very little of those adults and kids involved in doing the hazing.

    ReplyDelete
  96. To:Kevin L.
    From:Hayley H.
    Re: Hazing

    I argee with what you are saying and I think your comment about that coaches and authority that know about this act should also be punished was very good. Standing up for the people that come forth about hazing is also a very great point. People need to protect the victims from this violence happening again. Stoping hazing all together would make the percentages in your paragraph go down a great amount.

    ReplyDelete
  97. To:Paige L.
    From:Hayley H.
    Re:Hazing

    I agree with what you are saying, but I also think that you should have used some information from websites or books to help prove what you were trying to say. You brought across some good points in that people need protection and that people should come forward about hazing. I also liked your point that people should have a game night to get to know each other and not making them do things that could be harmful.

    ReplyDelete
  98. To: Jaya D.
    From: Leah K.
    Re: Hazing

    Your post was well written and offered a clear avenue for people to follow in the footsteps of Tom Fitz, as cited from your article. I agree that the hazing behaviors need to evolve into a respectful mentoring relationship. It may take some further education and continued intervention before communities can realize this change, however. Articles like this are a first step in getting the word out and making the public aware of these practices. Your use of a quotation in
    the conclusion of your post was especially meaningful.

    ReplyDelete
  99. To: Val L.
    From: Leah K.
    Re: Hazing

    I found your position to be admirable on the topic of hazing. Today's society needs to take a stronger look at the way we are raising the citizens of tomorrow. When speaking of those in authority, I found myself wondering how we could help to empower them to uphold these standards. Creating a structured set
    of rules or boundaries may be the answer. I am not sure that rewards would be necessary for those speaking up if there were clearer limits by which each individual gauged their own moral compass.

    ReplyDelete
  100. To: Hayley H.
    From: Luke H.
    Re: hazing

    I liked that you first defined what hazing was. That is exactly what I thought needed to be done to actually talk about it. It was also good to point out that hazing happens everywhere, not just in colleges.

    You talk about needing to be aware of hazing, that is something I, in a way, made
    point of as well. I just stated it differently. I said that the educators and coaching staff need to be educated on it. You used a lot of good statistics and facts that i failed to use. It definitly helps to show the power of the issue when you use numbers. You also used a specific example on hazing to help define what it is and the kind of action that takes place, that was excellent, I thought. Overall you had a really good post and I thought it was very informative and well put together.

    ReplyDelete
  101. To: Marisa W.
    From: Luke H.
    Re: hazing

    Very well put together and organized. You brought out a lot of strong points.

    I agree with the need to define hazing before you say anything else about it, so I liked the way you started it. To me, your strongest point was when you talked about teams and some coaches thinking of hazing as a "bonding experience". It was key to point out that some teams think nothing wrong of it since they believe tehy are only "helping" or "bringing the team together". Then to bring all that down you also brought in a study that was done where hazing actually does just the opposite. Very
    nice job. I liked that you pointed out that victims are not just being physically abused, but also mentally and emotionally. Overall it was a very nice post and I agreed with it one hundred percent.

    ReplyDelete
  102. To: Andy M
    From: Joey S
    Re: Concussions

    Andy, I like they way you beagan by talking about how all other injuries plae in comparrison to a concussion. I agree with that, and I also agreed with your statement that a player needs to be immediately pulled from the game when they show the signs of a concussion. To many times i believe that both players and
    coaches overlook the severity of a concussion. I also really liked how you said, "One hit can end a players career, wether they know it or not." I hadn't seen many studies when I was searching for information on retired athletes. I am interested to go look at some of the staticstics on them. All for now, J

    ReplyDelete
  103. To: Kyle F
    From: Joey S
    Re: Concussions

    Kyle, I completely agree with you when you stated that a concussion is a very serious injury but if it is treated properly the player should be fine. However i found that in a lot of documents on it, far too many coaches and trainers are not giving enough attention to the seriousness of a concussion. I believe that a
    player that recieves a concussion should have at least a minimum amount of time they should be required to stay out. At this point and time there is no such rule. Think about it this way, would you rather sit out for half a season, or go back in and risk getting permanent head injuries that could prevent you from
    ever playing again? All for now, (Joey S.)

    ReplyDelete
  104. TO WHOM IS THIS RESPONSE DIRECTED? Jackie F.?


    PLEASE SEE THE BLUE DIRECTIONS and follow the example for how to create the "heading" for the RESPONSES.

    To: AM
    From: Alex T.
    RE: Hazing

    I disagree that adults should be punished for not coming forward I think that the pupils should stand up for their selves. This would teach them to stand up for them selves and to fight for them selves. If the kids stood up for their selves then they would learn to be more independent witch would earn the kids the respect of their elders. I think that emphasizing this lesson would be better for everyone, especially the kids.

    ReplyDelete
  105. TO WHOM IS THIS "RESPONSE" WRITTEN? (Author, tell the person so he/she knows how to find this response and identify whom you are writing to.)

    To: AM
    From: Alex T.
    RE: Hazing

    I think that yes their should be protection for the kids who speak up against it but that hazing is a good way to build character and help people evolve. That is not to say that there is a line that should not be crossed and when it is their should be consequences for those people who cross the line. To say that hazing is increasing it not necessarily true because people back in the day had a different view of the word hazing, and the level of excepted hazing was much highe

    ReplyDelete
  106. To: Luke H.
    From: Molly M.
    Re: hazing

    Luke:

    I strongly agree with Luke. I had brought out in my statement more of the definition
    and the different types of hazing. Luke brought out how the subject of hazing needs more attention. This helped me firmly believe that hazing is wrong. I believe the thoughts and the different direction that Luke took made me get a better feel for the disagreement on hazing. I also agree that hazing has been taken to a different level. There are some hazing that have always been around that have been good to
    have around. Luke made very good strong points and I do strongly agree with him.

    ReplyDelete
  107. To: Marisa W.
    From: Molly M.

    I also strongly agree with Marisa. Marisa brought out in her passage that alcohol has something to do with hazing. I had saw that in my research and did use it in my paper. Marisa did bring out more about drinking in her paper and i found it very interesting. Marisa also brought out the good part of hazing. She brought out how it can help with team bonding. I do agree that this is a good thing but it has been taken to another level and that is where the conflicts come into play.

    ReplyDelete
  108. To: Aaron W.
    From: Molly M.

    Aaron brought out in his paragraph that he agrees with neutering because it helps out the animal health wise. I do agree with the statement that it will not get rid of all the population problems. I also agree with the statement that neutering is good for the pets ina healthy way. The reasoning for the overpopulation, I believe, is that people are using the dogs and cats for the wrong reasons. They are getting then pregnant for other reasons then the healthy reasons. Aaron brought out very strong points and I do agree that pets should be neutered.

    ReplyDelete
  109. To: Ben B
    From: Megan H
    Re: concussions

    I agree with what was stated. It is very important to understand the repercussions of concussions. Are premature memory loss, learning problems, and neurological problems in life worth going back onto the field or court
    one more time? I should hardly think so. As stated, 400,000 concussions is most likely a low estimate due to the fact that students "tough it out" when they should rest. Not only is it important for players to realize something
    is wrong after a hard hit, but coaches need to see that that player should not return to the field or court. Ben, you wrote a good article, and I liked how you could incorporate what you have learned from your own experiences.

    ReplyDelete
  110. To: Kylee C
    From: Megan H
    Re: concussions

    It was good to point out the stages of concussions. The severity of the injury is a key component of diagnosis. A player who blacks out and has amnesia should sit the season out; whereas, the player who had a little hit who is a little shook up should rest for the next couple of days. It was also keen to point out that a player who had a concussion is significantly more likely to receive multiple concussions in the future. The Mayo Clinic
    was a good resource to use.

    ReplyDelete
  111. To: Molly M.
    From: Alyssa B.
    Topic: Hazing

    Molly, I agree with your opinion of hazing being completely wrong. The amount of hazing that is going on, whether it is known to the public or hidden from us, is getting out of hand. People are being hazed to get into different groups, clubs, or sororities and some thing there is nothing wrong with it. I also think that people who take part in hazing should be severely punished, whether it is sitting a few games, or doing labor work, it needs to be done. Hazing is getting more and more dangerous as the years go by, and something drastic needs to be done about it.

    ReplyDelete
  112. To: Marisa W.
    From Alyssa B.
    Topic: Hazing

    Marisa, I found your post very interesting. It wasn't full of the basic facts about hazing that everyone else is writing about, but had more hidden and unknown facts that people should be aware of. The fact that struck me the most, was that coaches, or other authority figures, are aware of what is going on and sometimes even involved. Your coach is supposed to be someone you can go to for help, and someone you can trust. Being a member of a team, with a coach that I can trust, I can't even imagine what it'd be like to have to go through that. I agree with your opinion of
    hazing, it is an addiction that needs to be brought to more people's attention, and
    eventually put to an end.

    ReplyDelete
  113. To:Brianna Z.
    From:Jackie F.
    Re:Hazing

    I agree with many of your statements. The begging one about the need for protection
    for those who speak up about hazing is extremely true. It would take a brave person
    to do so being that there may have been consequences set for them if they told about
    the hazing. Also that adults should be punished. They are the role models to students and they must be held up to their responsibilities.(Jackie F.)

    ReplyDelete
  114. To:Alex T.
    From:Jackie F.
    Re:Hazing

    I liked your deffinition you found in the Webster-Merriam Dictionary "hazing is an
    initiation process involving harassment. It is meant to add character to an individual by demeaning them and making them suffer." I find it unfortunate that it is accepted as an initiation process. Also i liked that you connected to topic to a recent event in the news, Elk River. The only thing i disagreed with is your statement about students being punished who are withholding information about being hazed.(Jackie F.)

    ReplyDelete
  115. To: Colin W.
    From: Kasey B.
    Topic: Hazing

    I agree with your statement that people are afraid to speak up, especially underclassmen, because of being pushed around or being bullied. I think the exact same thing, they are afraid that if they say the wrong thing or don’t obey what the upperclassmen that they’ll get bullied even worse and their high school lives or college lives will be even worse to deal with. I also think that it was a good
    punishment for those boys to be kicked off and suspended for hazing because they need to know that it is a serious thing and they shouldn’t be able to get away with it.

    ReplyDelete
  116. To: Andie O.
    From: Kasey B.
    Topic: Hazing

    I agree with your statements that adults that know something about hazing should step up and tell authorities because it could only get worse if it doesn’t stop. I also really agree strongly that if people speak up they should be protected because they are only trying to help those who are being harmed. I think that people should speak up and tell if they know something because otherwise they are putting the other people in even more danger and if they feel like they will get hurt for speaking up then protection is exactly what they need.

    ReplyDelete
  117. To: Joey S.
    From: Kyle F.
    Re: concussions

    I agree that concussions are a big problem but i disagree that they are becoming more of a problem. Back when football began they had just worn leather helmets and they had worse injuries then concussions. There used to be football players that died becauce of their lack of gear and if you ask me death is a lot worse then getting a concussion. I do agree with how they are a major health risk though
    because they can cause brain damage. I do agree with how they can happen time and time again but there are many more injuries that can happen time and time again. You can go break your arm or leg time and time again and there are other injuries that can happen time and time again too. I do agree with the rest of what you wrote.

    ReplyDelete
  118. To: McKenzie R.
    From: Kyle F.
    Re: concussions

    I have to agree with what you think on how if you get a concussion that it is not right to keep someone out of a sport for a full season. I also agree that if it is bad enough that you should be done with that sport or sports. It is better to be safe then sorry. I also agree with how you think they should be treated. It seems
    like everything you have said is a good way to look at this injury because it can be very serious but most of the time it is not.

    ReplyDelete
  119. To: Liz M.
    From: Whitney O.
    Re: Hazing

    My response, after reading your comment, was that I defiantly agree. I was a little shocked when I saw that you referred to hazing as a "crime", but the more that I thought about it I realized that hazing is absolutely a crime. Your statement, "I thought hazing only happened when school staff was not aware of it" also caught my attention. I thought the same thing before I did any research on the topic, but
    through my research I also found shocking stories where adults had been involved in
    the hazing in one way or another. I could not believe it! (Whitney O.)

    ReplyDelete
  120. To: Hallie K.
    From: Whitney O.
    Re: Hazing

    The story of Garret Drogosch was devastating! I have read of situations where the coaches knew that hazing was going on and did not do anything about it, but I never would imagine that coaches would initiate the hazing. It is especially upsetting because this hazing happened to seventh grade students. They are too young to realize how large of an issue this is, and the importance of reporting the hazing.
    That situation also encouraged eighth graders to bully. I am glad that these coaches were caught! (Whitney O.)

    ReplyDelete
  121. To: Kelsey M.
    From: Kylee C.
    Re: Hazing

    I fully agree with Kelsey's statement. I think if the ways of hazing were changed, it could be harmless fun. But for now, it is completely unnecessary to do. I found it so interesting how this was used in ancient times. Users of hazing should have done there research and saw the deadly risks. It really is true what some people say, it is all fun and games until someone gets hurt. I also agree with the
    statement of 'hazing will never stop'. I think there will always be self-minded people who think it is funny for people to suffer and humiliate them. Before reading this post I did not have a full understanding of hazing, I feel like I do now.

    ReplyDelete
  122. To: Jeremy K.
    From: Kylee C.
    Re: Concussions

    I agree with Jeremy's conclusion, I never considered how even new advanced equipment can not even stop a repeat concussion. I also believe in the newly passed law of immediately taking a player out of a game if showing at least one sign of a concussion. Continuing playing in a game after a concussion can lead to more severe porblems in the future. I think the statement of one missed game is not worth the entire season. Concussions should be taken more seriously.

    ReplyDelete
  123. To: Nick W.
    From: Kari
    Re: hazing

    Nick I agree with your thought that school should pay close attention, to make sure that students are not hazing. I think that hazing is a cruel and mean way to make other student feel like they fit in. But we need to realize that hazing is not only happening in schools but are also happening on sports teams. Professional teams are also being watched in case they too “initiate” someone to the team and I too believe
    that is very wrong!

    ReplyDelete
  124. To: Jeremy H.
    From: Kari B.
    Re: concussion

    I know how it feels to have a concussion, they are definitely not fun. When I got mine they even asked me questions like “what is your name?” or “do you know where you are?” these things are good ways to see if the person has any memory loss. I agree with you when you say that athletes should be able to choose whether or not they want to play the rest of the season because by playing they take the chance of
    getting another concussion or even furthering their first injury.

    ReplyDelete
  125. To: Brittney S
    From: Kevin L
    Re: Hazing

    I agree with your opening line, because many students that are being hazed, do think it is the people's right to haze them. They believe that since those who are hazing them experienced hazing, so they have the right to haze them. The thought that being hazed by someone else is all right is ridiculous; God made us all equal so no one has the right over you. I was surprised by the statistics
    about how many people do not stand up and say they have been hazed. I think it is those kids being afraid to stand up against the people hazing them because they just want to not be hazed anymore. I also agree with your statement saying that the first big step to stopping hazing is coming forward saying that you
    were hazed and you think it went to far.

    ReplyDelete
  126. To: Meghan G
    From: Kevin L
    Re: Hazing

    I think that gaining acceptance is not a good reason to continue to be hazed or sit back and just watch others get hazed. There should be a punishment for not coming forward against hazing, because it can be a life threatening experience for some people. I agree with your stand on how when someone is being hazed they
    think it is bad but when they are the one hazing they think it is "ok." Hazing is far from being all right to do to anyone, and if people think it is all right to haze they should just remember how it felt to be hazed. I bet those people will remember how they did not like being hazed, and will realize that hazing
    others is not a good thing to do either. I agree with people in a hired position should be able to be let go from their jobs if they do not do their job and come forward if they know about hazing and stop it.

    ReplyDelete
  127. To: Molly M.
    From: Lauren F.
    Re: Hazing

    Molly, I liked your passage and I think you made some strong points. I definitely agree that more needs to be done after a hazing incident has occurred. Hazing can damage so many people’s self-esteem, and more than an apology needs to be done. I also think more people need to be aware of this kind of behavior. Hazing can happen anywhere and people need to know it is wrong and take a stand.

    ReplyDelete
  128. To: Aaron W.
    From: Lauren F.
    Re: Neutering Pets

    I do agree that the owners of the pets should have the choice whether to neuter their pets or not, and neutering should not be required. I also agree on your statement about pets being healthier after the neutering process. My dogs have been neutered and I feel they are better pets as well. I disagree on the fact that
    neutering will not help the overpopulation rate. Yes, there are litters being born
    every day, but neutering will help lower some sort of percentage in the overpopulation rates even it’s a small percentage. Putting stray animals in the shelter to sleep does work, but wouldn’t it be better if they weren’t stray in the first place because of neutering?

    ReplyDelete
  129. To: Kyle F.
    From: McKenzie R.
    Re: concussions

    Kyle, I agree with you that an athlete should not be prevented to play the rest of the season if they get a concussion. You are right when you say that the person goes back for checkups on their health after their concussion. I
    also feel the same way when you stated that if the concussion is really serious, then the athlete should be prevented from playing. All I can say is that all concussions should be treated on case by case bases.

    ReplyDelete
  130. To: Joey S.
    From: McKenzie R.
    Re: concussions

    Joey, you are right that Concussions are becoming more of a problem in sports. Yes there are common but yet serious at the same time. Yes more precautions are being put in place, because it is a serious health risk. The
    Minnesota State High School League has put in many new rules in about concussion, and how you can prevent them like you stated. It is also nice to see that our high school is becoming more aware of concussions, and is stepping up the equipment, as well as the techniques.

    ReplyDelete
  131. To: Tony H.
    From: Brandon B.
    Re: Neutering/Spaying Pets

    You wrote a convincing post regarding the neutering/spaying of cats and dogs. I appreciate that you found a source from a vet because veterinarians obviously know what they are talking about when talking about animals. The fact that we cannot yet control overpopulation is legitimate, but at the same time, I believe we must try to do everything in our power to try to control it for the sake of so many pets being euthanized. You did comment that neutering and spaying do work on a local level. If it works on a local level consistently in places, our country could enact policies and laws to unify the success of controlling the population throughout the nation.

    ReplyDelete
  132. To: Aaron P.
    From: Brandon B.
    Re: Neutering/Spaying pets

    I like that you brought into question how humane it is to neuter or spay pets. Many of us only think about controlling the population in regard to neutering and spaying, but the ethics should be called into question. I agree with your stance on neutering/spaying pets. Your source about the potential harm done to animals is excellent. The fact that it causes no psychological harm to animals and can actually
    prevent health problems in the animal is very promising. You mentioned something about preventing overpopulation while animals can still have pregnancies in our pets. That is quite interesting and it would be nice if you could share some more information about that.

    ReplyDelete
  133. TO: Evan W.
    FROM: Tyler Z.
    RE: Concussions

    I partly agree with the idea at the end about athletes not having to sit out a whole season because of a concussion. I also disagree with that idea because I think that if someone suffers what would be their second concussion or one particularly severe one, they should not be allowed to play because of the higher risk of brain damage.

    I also disagree with the statement about what is difficult about concussions. You said it is not diagnosing, but while I was searching for my sources I came across multiple articles that were all about how many schools do not have anyone on staff with the ability to diagnose concussions, therefore the player continues playing that game.

    ReplyDelete
  134. TO: Anne G.
    FROM: Tyler Z.
    RE: Concussions

    I agree that an athlete should be cleared to play by a doctor after suffering a concussion. But I think in some situations there may need to be stricter rules in place. If someone suffers their second concussion, or a severe concussion, and is cleared to play be a doctor I think it would be in the interest of the athlete to have to sit out a season. I think that there is too much for the athlete to risk.
    Like you said, "better safe than sorry."

    ReplyDelete
  135. To: Tony H.
    From: Aaron P.
    Topic: Neutering Pets

    Tony, I think that there is obviously is some truth to neutering/spaying "has no effect on controlling the pet population" because of the studies that have proved this. But, still part of me questions how this can be, because logically if you have your cat or dog spayed or neutered they will not be able to reproduce so there has to be some of the "future" population eliminated (in a sense). Your post has
    questioned my original view; that the pet population would be lowered if the process
    was required, but i still have retained that view.

    ReplyDelete
  136. To: Kelsey K.
    From: Aaron P.
    Topic: Neutering Pets

    Kelsey, I am in total agreement with everything you said. I think I even read the article you referred to. The fact that there is an alternative to permanently sterilizing your pet, I think, will help with the overpopulation issues. It gives the pet owner that option in case they would happen to change there mind. With the new facts you have only made stronger my view that overpopulation is an issue and
    that if your not going to neuter or spay your pet, then a contraceptive shot is the way to go. All of these method will help to aid the issue of pet overpopulation.

    ReplyDelete
  137. To: Colin W.
    From: Andrea O.
    Re: hazing

    Response to Colin W. post on hazing:
    Colin, I agree with your opinion on hazing completely. You made a very good point about even if protection was given to the person coming forward about information known about a specific hazing it would make it any better. They would still be scared that they would be accused for speaking up. You are right that people who have information and do not come forward should be punished because many people
    could be hurt. Also, you made a good point about the punishment given to the Elk River football players. You said that it was good they were punished because it shows people that they can not and should not be able to get away with hazing, and you are very right about that.

    ReplyDelete
  138. To: Kasey B.
    From: Andrea O.
    Re: hazing

    Response to Kasey B. post on hazing:
    I believe that the article by Andrea Hazard was a great one to show how widespread hazing really is. Not many people know the severity of it, but because of recent acts the harmfulness of hazing is beginning to become more known by people. The article was totally correct about the hazers tending to be students who don't feel
    powerful. You made a good point on the reason why hazer's may act the way they do, but I do not think that it justifies the way they are coping with it. There are many other possible ways to deal with the pain they may have once received. I do agree that there should be consequences to those who are part of hazing.

    ReplyDelete
  139. To: Ben B.
    From: Jeremy K.
    Re: concussions

    I personally agree with Ben's opinion. The statistics are quite surprising, realistic, and understanding, when there are people who do more than their bodies can handle. That they are willing to do what ever it takes to be victorious, but they still need to have their own protection on their minds always to avoid long lasting injuries. Concussion helmets can be one of the best tools used to reduce the
    number of concussions in sports. Over all this is a job well done and I agree with Ben's opinion.

    ReplyDelete
  140. To: Megan H.
    From: Jeremy K.
    Re: concussions

    The statistics are indeed startling. The amount of concussions in ten years is way to much, and those who have received minor concussions should not be allowed to play the rest of the game. Three concussions in one season is too much for one player and should sit out for the rest of the season. However, the athletes who had received a concussion six years ago shouldn't affect a person's ability to play today. This opinion is well thought out and has good evidence to support it. Over all I agree
    with Megan's opinion to an extent.

    ReplyDelete
  141. To: Leah K.
    From: Peter B.
    Re: Hazing

    I thought that your post got your viewpoints on hazing across concisely, Leah. I agree with your all of your views, especially those of zero tolerance on hazing and that a good starting place from which to stop hazing is the administrators. I liked your thoughts on how a highly publicized incident of hazing, such as the Elf River incident, is bound to
    affect other communities. I think that sometimes an example of the consequences of hazing is the only thing surrounding schools need to be given a “friendly” reminder. (Peter B.)

    ReplyDelete
  142. To: Val L.
    From: Peter B.
    Re: Hazing

    You bring up some good points about how punishment should be dealt with regarding hazing, Val. I also agree that a withholder of information regarding hazing should not necessarily be punished. Often, people will be
    able to find out who came forth with information, no matter how secretive one is about it, and this is perhaps the biggest fear that people have when deciding if they should come forward. For this reason, I think that it is especially important for the adults in charge of activities to be perceptive of the attitudes and personalities of the kids involved so that there is a better chance of detecting hazing. (Peter B.)

    ReplyDelete
  143. To: Alyssa B.
    From: Britney S
    RE: Hazing

    I agree with many of your statements. You had very good points about how we can go about punishing people who have participated in hazing acts. Also I believe you are right about giving support to those who come forward with knowledge about hazing. If they were to be bullied for it no one would stand up against or fight for ending hazing cruelty. The only thing I can say you missed would be a way to enhance the awareness of hazing activities and showing where to draw the line between hazing and
    simple pranks.

    ReplyDelete
  144. To: Meghan G.
    From: Britney S.
    RE: Hazing

    Some things you pointed out I believe are good and are needed for strengthening the battle against hazing. I agree that there should be punishment given to those who have been associated with hazing. Also you made a good point about understanding hazing. More people need to know what is going on and need to know that there will be consequences for such actions. I think you are completely right in saying that someone who witnessed hazing and does not report it should be in jeopardy of losing his or her job.

    ReplyDelete
  145. To: Morgan Z.
    From: Collin G.
    Re: pet neutering

    I agree completely with Morgan that pet overpopulation is a problem and that lack of
    control causes them to roam outside there home territory and they cause problems with other pets. There are also problems with strays because of the massive overpopulation problem. I also agree that you should be able to sign a waver to be able to breed or show pets. I believe the ability to do this should be taxed so the national debt may be decreased.

    ReplyDelete
  146. To: Kristin S.
    From: Collin G.
    Re: pet neutering

    I agree that pets should be neutered but I do not believe that it should be a requirement I believe that it should be a law that people must register pets and pay a special tax to not have to neuter their pets. This would both help lower the number of stray pets and unwanted animals. This would help relieve the increasing
    pressure on animal shelters. On top of all this the tax would help lower the national dept.

    ReplyDelete
  147. To: Tyler Zambino
    From: Dan Simon
    Topic: Concussions

    Overall I liked your post a lot. I didn't however didn't like two things about it.
    The first is the part about the two girls. I thought that was a little confusing it felt like you left a lot of necessary info out, but I understand you were dealing with a word limit. Another thing I didn't like is saying on your second concussion you are automatically out. I think an important thing to factor in is first of all how long between concussions. Was it three weeks, or two years? Another important
    factor could be severity.

    ReplyDelete
  148. To:Erin R.
    From: Dan Simon
    Topic: Concussions

    The thing I liked most about your post was it was very up to easy to read. These new tests that the give to measure players cognitive capabilities are an excellent tool to help fight players returning to action prematurely. One thing I think could have helped is maybe find a more recent article talking about the tests, not that 2004 is that old but it is a very popular topic and a newer one would probably have been possible to find. Try to remember to length restrictions.

    ReplyDelete
  149. To: Andy M.
    From: Tony H.
    Topic: Concussions

    I think you have an excellent point when you say that any head injury should be handled with care. I think it is all too easy to dismiss a minor head injury and keep on playing, when in fact you have a concussion. I also like that you said the severity of the concussion should be determined and then proper action should be
    taken. If a player suffers a severe concussion they should be provided with the proper medical attention. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that all concussion should be treated, because it is scary to see the results of a untreated concussion. (Tony H.)

    ReplyDelete
  150. To: Kristin S.
    From: Morgan Z.
    Topic: Neutering Pets

    Kristin, although I agree that all pets should be neutered or spayed, I have to disagree with some of the information you presented. You
    stated that castration caused a decrease in aggression between dogs. However, according to E. Hardie from the Department of Clinical Sciences at NCSU, "[castration] is only effective in reducing aggression in about one third of dogs." I also have to disagree with "For both cats and dogs neutering them can help make them active and excitable", because in all of the articles I researched they stated that spaying/neutering actually, in most cases, causes obesity in pets. I strongly agree with your research about pets being neutered or spayed at a young age, though. It is proven that
    neutering/spaying at an earlier age reduces urine spraying, fighting, roaming, and fewer abscesses. It also helps prevent many diseases that can occur throughout a pet's life.

    ReplyDelete
  151. To: Collin G.
    From: Morgan Z.
    Topic: Neutering Pets

    Collin, You brought out some great points in your post. Overpopulation of pets is a huge problem in society today. I liked that you stated "there are over 1 million stray dogs in the New York City area alone" because it is hard for people to understand overpopulation of pets in a small town like New Ulm. Of course there are stray dogs and cats around New Ulm, and there are plenty confined to the Brown
    County Humane Society. However, it is hard for people to really understand how many animals are left unwanted until they see a shelter in a place like NYC. In bigger cities the animal shelters don't have nearly enough room to help every animal. This is especially sad because it leaves them on the streets to starve to death, be hit by automobiles or die of disease.

    ReplyDelete
  152. To: Jackie F.
    From: Brianna Z.
    Re: hazing

    Jackie- I definately agree with the part where you stated that adult professors should be punished if they are not able to do what is best for the students. This is important because the adults should be people that students can trust and go to if they need any help. These students should not be scared to go to their elders for help. However, i do not agree where you stated that those with a hazing problem should not get in trouble if they come forward with the issue. I still think that
    they should have somewhat of a punishment.

    ReplyDelete
  153. To: Peter B.
    From: Jaya D.
    Re: Hazing

    Peter I really think your history was very interesting and your information was well
    cited. You really showed the ugly truth about hazing by giving background from the 4th century. You then brought the reader back to the present with the incident in Elk River, which I found very short and to the point. I think your statement about the protection of the people who come forth to give information about hazing is extremely important, especially to make an example to others that it’s okay to stand up against bullying. This will hopefully help stop the “vicious cycle” you talked
    about. I think something to discus about might be on ways to deal with hazing, through the preparation of authority figures to recognize hazing, and to urge participants to speak up when hazing occurs.

    ReplyDelete
  154. To: Alex T
    From: Brianna Z
    Topic: Hazing

    Alex- I strongly agree with the statement in your article where you stated that one should not be punished for an entire season if he/she is hazing. But i do think that one should still be punished if caught in this act. It is harmful to many and causes many problems, as it is a growing rate in the United States!

    ReplyDelete
  155. To: Dan S. or Erin R.
    (who?) (It previously said To: AM)
    From: Evan W.
    RE: Concussions

    I agree with your view that a concussion is not a reason to require a athlete to sit out an entire season. I also agree with you when you said that it does depend of the situation, and the severity of the concussion. I liked how you used the statistic of, “In a recent study done with high school football players it was discovered that athletes who had sustained multiple concussions were 7.7 times more likely to show a drop in memory skills than athletes who did not have a past history of multiple
    concussions” I felt that this was important to state, because concussions are serious and must be addressed as that. So you did a good job to acknowledge this fact, but also stating how it is not necessary to end an athletes entire season.

    ReplyDelete
  156. To: Lauren F
    From: Molly M
    Subject: Neutering Pets

    Lauren, I enjoyed reading your article. You gave a lot of history on neutering pets that I never knew. Your post taught me many things about neutering pets. The statistics were very interesting to look at and I defiantly agree with your post. I believe that neutering is good for your pets, but it is such a personal choice. Your paragraph gave me some insight on how much neutering pets was controversial. You had great information and it sounded well.
    Molly M.

    ReplyDelete
  157. To: Lauren F.
    From: Megan H.
    Re: Pet Neutering

    Lauren, I thought your article flowed well. Recent statistics are especially helpful in trying to prove a point. It was good to include a quote from the National Veterinary Medical Association as well. It was smart to begin the
    article with a definition of the word neutering. It may have helped to have a list of when neutering should and could possibly be done. Are there any other advantages other than not having stray animals, or are there other
    disadvantages besides not having animals at all? I agree with your article though; spaying and neutering is a safe and effective way of decreasing the population of stray animals. This is definitely a better option, as opposed
    to putting the animals down in shelters.

    ReplyDelete
  158. To: Anne G.
    From: Aaron P.
    Topic: Concussions

    I agree completely with what you had to say in your post. I liked the simple saying you brought up, "You're better safe than sorry." This saying applies to concussions 100 percent. It is amazing the stories you can find about athletes and concussions, whether it be sever or minor, a concussion can be very serious. Take Justin Morneau for the Minnesota Twins right now, he has not played in about 2 months since suffering a concussion and then later being diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome.

    ReplyDelete
  159. To: Ben B.
    From: Anne G.
    Topic: Concussions

    Ben, I really liked the statement you wrote, "When in doubt, sit it out." This ties in well with something I wrote in my post, "You're better safe than sorry." These both have similar meanings, which I believe are good mottos when dealing with concussions. An athlete is best waiting until their symptoms are gone and a doctor has cleared him/ her before begin practicing again. Also, I was shocked to read that 400,000 high school athletes in the United States suffered from a concussion in the last three years. This leads me to believe that a good percentage of athletes from Cathedral High School have probably suffered from concussions! That is scary to think about!

    ReplyDelete
  160. To: Jeremy K.
    From: Anne G.
    Topic: Concussions

    Jeremy, I agree with your thinking that an athlete should be taken out of a game immediately following a concussion, but will be able to play later in the season, once he/ she gets cleared by a doctor. Your reference to the article from the Associated Press about Ted Johnson was very interesting to me. Just from
    experiencing a few concussions, he has permanent brain damage, and his life will
    forever be changed. Is it really worth it to finish a football game, when you can't remember people's names later in your life?? I would never want that to happen to me!

    ReplyDelete
  161. RESPONSE to Erin R.?

    To: AM
    From: Evan W.
    RE: Concussions

    I agree with your stance, that a “one-size-fits-all” is not a good way to approach
    concussions in high school athletes. I also liked how you pointed out that many athletes with a concussion could be asymptomatic, and believe to be ready to return back to game level play. I think that the idea of a simple test that you described is the most effective way to deal with the time an athlete is able to return back to game play.

    ReplyDelete