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Show Page 8 Controversy over the voice of one President Barack Obama wants kids to stay in school, and while most parents agree with him, some don’t want a liberal telling their kids to make and achieve educational goals. Some parents across the nation pulled their kids out of school and some schools did not show the speech that Obama directed toward students across the country Tuesday. Several conservative groups across the country have sounded off, calling the president’s speech a political move and some even going as far as to say the speech is an attempt at indoctrination. The head of the Florida Republican Party called the student address an inappropriate indoctrination of the president’s socialist views. Glenn Beck, conservative radio and television talk-show host, aired a one-hour special that countered the president’s speech. In the show, Beck said the problem isn’t the content of the speech, but the things the teachers will say afterword and the way Obama tries to make others idolize him. Schools in Utah took precautions Instead of allowto avoid anger ing their children to from parents. Some districts, have positive valsuch as Granite, ues reinforced by Jordan, Salt Lake and Davis, allowed the leader of the the principals to nation, parents are decide whether to teaching their kids show the speech, but before they to avoid honest disdid, the districts cussion and to only sent a letter to the parents informing trust leaders if they them the speech are conservative. will be shown. Alternative activities were available if the parents decided not to let their children to watch the president’s address. The White House posted the contents of the speech online and Arne Duncan, education secretary, dismissed the arguments against the speech as silly when he appeared on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” Millions of students across the nation watched and listened to the president give a message about personal responsibility and the importance of education. There were a few fringe-conservatives that didn’t allow their children to listen to the speech and they were likely not any better or worse off than the students who did participate. However, the larger lesson that some students may remember is the political partisanship that took precedence over patriotism. Despite agreeing with the actual content of the speech, some parents refused to allow their children to listen to the speech. Instead of allowing their children to have positive values reinforced by the leader of the nation, parents are teaching their kids to avoid honest discussion and to only trust leaders if they are conservative. The president’s speech made no reference to any of the controversial topics of the Obama administration such as health care. The speech encouraged children to stay focused and work hard, even if there are obstacles. After watching the speech, the furor surrounding the controversy beforehand seems petty and misplaced. However, the situation does raise the question as to whether the president has the prerogative to address the nation’s youth. Don’t forget to log onto www.aggietownsquare.com to voice your opinion. Seth Bracken is a senior majoring in print journalism. Look for his column each Wednesday. Questions or comments can be sent to him at seth.bracken@aggiemail.usu.edu. AggieLife Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009 Days of healing in Cache Valley PERUVIAN SHAMAN OSCAR MIRO-QUESADA PERFORMED rituals at the Merlin Olsen Park Sunday. He is spraying water and herbs from the Peruvian Amazon as a blessing to the individual. After he has talked to someone, made an agreement with him or her or the individual has shared a story with the group, Miro-Quesada asks him or her their full name, place of birth and what he or she feels is their gift to to the world. He then sprays the bottle of herb watter once on their front, back and sides. Read more about Miro-Quesada’s visit at www.aggietownsquare.com. PETE P. SMITHSUTH photo College students struggle to gain experience and pay their bills By JESSICA CARBALLO Sun Sentinel When college senior Kristina Webb, 23, decided to take an unpaid internship at a newspaper this summer, she thought she could make it work. She would live at home, get a part-time job, and cut back her spending. Her parents offered to help her pay for food and gas. But then Kristina’s father got laid off from his construction job, the family budget tightened, and Kristina, who attends Palm Beach Atlantic University, did not hear back from any of 35 part- time jobs she applied to. Blame it on the economy. “Everybody’s hurting, employers and students,” said Dawn Howard, Associate Director of the Career Development Center at Florida Atlantic University. As companies cut costs, the number of internship opportunities offered nationwide has dropped 21 percent from last year, according to the Pennsylvania-based National Association of Colleges and Employers. Many that remain are unpaid. “We used to pay, but we’re not doing that anymore,” said Tom Triozzi, senior vice president of BankAtlantic, which stopped paying interns in 2008 when the economy took a downturn. “We ask them to work for free for a great work experience,” Triozzi said. It’s this desire for experience that pushes students like Kristina to intern. “I know that if I don’t, it’s going to be harder for me to get a job in the future,” Webb said. So she got a job pet-sitting and interns several times a week at the Palm Beach’s Town-Crier newspaper, without pay. “It’s really frustrating, especially since I actually produce content for the Town-Crier,” Webb said. “But it’s definitely worth it.” More than ever, internships are viewed as the surest route to a job after graduation. “Having an internship is absolutely essential,” said Christine Childers, director of Career Development at Lynn University, who advises, “Whatever it takes, it’s important that students do it.” But as the recession drags on, it’s taking a lot more than it used to, leaving students in a bind. They are told that internships are essential, no matter the cost, but as opportunities shrink and costs rise, they’re forced to ask: is this worth it? “If a student is in a hardship situation, payment can make a difference between whether they can intern or not,” Childers said. For some, working for free is simply not possible. “It denies low income kids an opportunity,” said Barbara Pippin, special assistant to the president for governmental relations at Broward College. “Internships are similar to what study abroad programs used to be: if you had money, you could go.” For these students, internships become part of a daily balancing act. “They have to juggle work and school and internships, along with their other responsibilities, just to put in two or three hours, just so they can say ‘I did this,’” Pippin said. It’s a familiar situation for Amir Arab, 23. He had an unpaid internship last summer before being hired at a Miami financial company. Despite the positive experience, he said, one summer of unpaid work was enough. “I have a mortgage, and I have a daughter,” he said. Students taking unpaid internships are encouraged to ask for help, Wise said. “Sometimes companies will work with you to ease the financial burden. There are also a number of colleges that offer summer fellowships to cover internship expenses,” she said. |
