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"The Future of Horse Drawn Carriages" By: Emery Benson Collierville, Tennessee __________________ Introduction Horse-drawn carriages have been around since 3000 BCE. They were used as a mode of transportation before technology advanced, allowing for a quicker, less grueling travel experience as opposed to walking. Much like horse-drawn carriages, washboards haven’t been commonly used since the 1800’s; however, unlike carriages, washboards have been eradicated from daily life, replaced with a newer form of technology as have butter churns, typewriters, and even payphones, which were all invented long after the horse carriage. Continuing to have horses pull carriages around a city when so many other old fashion ideals have been superseded over the years is nonsensical, especially considering the severe weather conditions horses must endure, the mental strain that comes with being a wild animal surrounded by high-speed vehicles, and numerous other factors that should prevent horse-drawn carriages entirely. The Dangers Horse-Drawn Carriages Pose For instance, in New York City, Ryder, a 26-year-old carriage horse, who had been working since 9:00 AM, collapsed in 84-degree heat. He had been working for nearly seven hours in Central Park, and despite his exhaustion and old age, was forced to continue laboring until he was physically incapable of doing so. Onlookers were horrified at the horse’s condition, and the video of the event went viral, collecting empathy for the situation from around the globe. The driver, Ian McKeever, was accused of “ignoring the warning signs” and “relentlessly… driving the horse,” exploiting Ryder instead of allowing him to recuperate and regain his energy (Savage 2025). Due to the health issues Ryder faced, the horse had to be euthanized shortly after his collapse. The incident even made it to court, where McKeever escaped persecution, claiming he had “never, ever abused a horse in [his] life” (Savage 2025). Whether the horse had been abused or not, at 26 years old, one year from retirement, and in such hot weather for so long, Ryder’s safety was at risk, and so were the bystanders, cars driving by, driver, and any passengers who might have been in the carriage. Three years later, a young horse named Lady passed away from a similar experience on the streets of Manhattan. After working for only two months, Lady’s fatal aortic rupture caused by a small tumor led to her spontaneous death (Campanile, Propper 2025). Lady’s sudden fall endangered oncoming drivers, traumatized the bystanders nearby, and injured the driver of the carriage, proving the safety risk horse carriages pose. Similarly, another accident occurred in Memphis, only this time, it was the passengers who were injured rather than the horse. The passengers were already in the carriage when, seemingly unprovoked, the horse took off, riders in tow. Through a heavily crowded area and without a driver, the horse could potentially have caused significantly more damage than it did. There could have been fatalities, car wrecks and even damage to public property. Additionally, there was an irreversible trauma endured by passengers, drivers, and bystanders (Giannotto 2018). Conclusion Considering the situation with Ryder, Robert Holden, a member of the New York City council, suggested enforcing Ryder’s Law (a bill to replace horse carriages with electric ones). While the idea was shut down in New York, Illinois saw danger in horse carriages after 334 violations of carriage rules and put a stop to them (Cherone 2020). Biloxi, a city in Mississippi, also banned horse-drawn carriages, as well as Brussels, Montréal, and San Antonio just to name a few. Taking into account all of the risks associated with horse-drawn carriages and the constant debate on the ethicality of it, replacing the practice with more modified and technologically advanced options, such as electric carriages, is a justified and wise decision to make. Bibliography: Evans, M. (2025, December 6). The history of the horse-drawn carriage. Horse Journals. https://www.horsejournals.com/popular/history-heritage/history-horse-drawn-carriage Savage, C. (2025, July 21). Carriage horse driver Ian McKeever acquitted in Ryder Animal Cruelty Case. W42ST. https://w42st.com/post/ian-mckeever-not-guilty-ryder-carriage-horse-trial/ Campanile, C., & Propper, D. (2025, August 8). Cause of death revealed for NYC Carriage horse lady, who died on street this week. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2025/08/08/us-news/cause-of-death-revealed-for-nyc-carriage-horse-lady-who-died-on-street-this-week/ Cherone, H. (2020, April 24). City Council unanimously bans horse-drawn carriages starting Jan. 1 | chicago news | WTTW. WTTW News. https://news.wttw.com/2020/04/24/city-council-unanimously-bans-horse-drawn-carriages-starting-jan-1 Giannotto, D. C. and M. (2018, July 21). Carriage horse runs wild through downtown, injures at least one person. The Commercial Appeal. https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2018/07/20/horse-carriage-runs-wild-downtown-memphis/811153002/ comments debug Commenting Forum Please be respectful and constructive Please be respectful and constructive Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment.

"The Evolution of the Diamond Industry" By: Devin McNeil & Nandini K. Collierville, Tennessee _________________ Introduction        Diamonds, often deemed as the most precious stone on Earth, are formed from solid, crystalline forms of carbon, made deep under the earth’s mantle, before being brought to the surface through volcanic eruptions. Diamonds serve a dual process from its industrial benefits centered on polishing and cutting material due to its durability, and its luxury purposes such as crafting fine jewelry and other ornaments. While widely sought after for its rarity and beauty, the means of cultivating these precious stones is often far less pure than the gem itself. The complex paradox of the Diamond industry is a captivating one, balancing both the economic benefits and cultural aspects with a prolonged history of human rights violation and the contemporary task of challenging synthetic alternatives. Background        Diamonds have had a long history. The world’s love of diamonds started in India, where diamonds were gathered from the rivers and streams. Historians estimate that India was trading diamonds as early as the fourth century BC (Shigley 2019). The country’s resources yielded limited amount for an equally limited market, this did eventually change as the caravans traveled to Venice’s medieval markets. By the 1400’s, diamonds became a fashionable piece for Europe’s most elite and wealthiest. That, however, was not the only use for diamonds; many would cut and engrave on said material and used them as talismans to ward off evil and provide protection. Key Events        The late 1800s South African Diamond Rush led to the discovery of the Kimberley pipe, educing a massive influx of prospectors to the region, and ultimately resulting in the consolidation of diamonds mining by Cecil Rhodes’s De Beers Consolidated Mines in 1888. To control the increasing diamond supply, De Beers formed a cartel with distributors to limit production and artificially inflate prices. “A diamond is forever” behind this phrase stands De Beers, they didn’t just sell gems; it created one of the most important campaigns in history. By the 1930s, diamonds were extremely common; De Beers had access to a vast supply but needed a way to ensure that the stones would fetch high prices. They created a plan that they needed to equate diamonds with love and eternity, coming up with the rule that men should spend at least one month’s salary on an engagement ring to truly show their commitment. This would bring in money without actually specifying a dollar amount, tying it to each person’s individual earnings. The Blood Diamond Conflict        The Diamond Industry is no stranger to the concept of human rights abuse and often loses its sense of ethics and morals. This has led to the development of the term “Blood Diamonds” or “Conflict Diamonds” which bore from the unethical practice of using these stones to finance conflicts against governments. The trade of these diamonds has fueled brutal civil wars and severe human rights abuses in several African nations. Rebel groups have systematically used diamond profits to purchase weapons, continuing cycles of violence and instability within communities. The extraction process itself often involves horrific practices like forced labor and the mutilation of civilians. To combat this issue, what is known as “The Kimberly Process” was implemented in 2003 to prevent the trade of these conflict diamonds. Today, traders must certify that diamond shipments are free from conflict diamonds to before they may practice their trade. Modern Market Trends and Synthetic Diamonds        According to the U.S. Global Diamond Market, lab grown diamonds have gained popularity because it can be sourced ethically, costed less to produce, and exerted less harm towards the environment. The lab grown diamond market was valued at 14.2 billion USD in 2023 and is expected to grow to 29.3 billion USD by 2033 (Pangarkar 2025). While preserving the same quality and durability as an authentic diamond, these synthetic stones avoid the common issues faced with traditional mining: human right’s abuse, unsustainable mining processes, and inaccessibility due to high costs. This practice makes diamonds accessible to wider population by generating significantly lower and more affordability prices in a moral manner. Consumers should be encouraged to check beforehand that they are purchasing diamonds from ethically sourced businesses or even consider acquiring their precious stones from a lab grown diamond market. Conclusion        Diamonds have a complex history, starting in ancient India before medieval European demand and the south African diamond rush in the late 1800s led to cartel systems to manage supply and inflate prices through marketing campaigns like engagement rings. The industry faces many ethical challenges related to the “blood diamond” trade. However, with the recent cultivation of modern lab grown diamonds, which is chemically related but often more affordable, the diamond industry is beginning to flip to a new chapter. Consumers play a crucial role by considering the origins of diamonds and looking for the lab-grown alternative to address these ethical complexities. Bibliography : A Review of the Political and Economic Forces Shaping Today’s Diamond Industry | Gems & Gemology. Www.gia.edu , www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/fall-2005-political-economic-forces-diamond-shor. Armstrong, Paul. What Are “Conflict Diamonds?" CNN, 5 Dec. 2011, edition.cnn.com/2011/12/05/world/africa/conflict-diamonds-explainer. Uses of Diamonds - Mining for Schools. Miningforschools.co.za, 2022, miningforschools.co.za/lets-explore/diamond/uses-of-diamonds. https://www.capetowndiamondmuseum.org/about-diamonds/south-african-diamond-history/ GIA. Diamond History and Lore. Gia.edu, 2019, www.gia.edu/diamond-history-lore. Shigley, Dr. J. (2019, June 6). Historical reading list: Diamonds in ancient India. Gemological Institute Of America. https://www.gia.edu/diamonds-ancient-india-reading-list Green, Will. The Sparkling Deception: How de Beers Convinced the World to Spend a Fortune on Engagement Rings. Marketing Made Clear, Oct. 2024, marketingmadeclear.com/de-beers/. Pangarkar, T. (2025, May 7). Lab grown diamonds market to hit USD 29.3 bn by 2033. Market.us News. https://www.news.market.us/lab-grown-diamonds-market-news/ Popova, Anastasia. The History of Diamond Traceability. Www.minespider.com , 22 Feb. 2024, https://www.minespider.com/blog/diamonds-supply-chain-from-diamonds-discovery-to-g7-rules Kimberley Process: Ensuring Conflict-free diamonds worldwide. Kimberley Process | Ensuring Conflict-Free Diamonds Worldwide. (n.d.). https://www.kimberleyprocess.com/ comments debug Commenting Forum Please be respectful and inclusive Please be respectful and inclusive Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment.

"The Psychological Effects of Neglect on Development" _______________________________ By: Mary Fielek Collierville, Tennessee _______________________________ Copy link Introduction: Communicating with the people around you both quickly and/or thoroughly is crucial for cognitive and social development throughout your life. However, what if your parents never communicated with you as a baby? What if they never taught you the proper skills to function as a member in society? Well, this is the case for many children that are stuck in abusive households with neglectful, abusive parents. Many of these children, who are psychologically wounded, have trouble developing speech and struggle with being able to fit into the general population as they missed their critical period of learning certain skills. Studies on the brains of children found in abusive environments truly highlight the need for a loving environment and a healthy education in young children’s lives. In this paper, we will deep dive into the psychological effects and consequences of abusive households and what responsible parents must provide for their child. Case Study: 1970 The “Wild Child”: Genie, also known as the “Wild Child,” was a 13-year-old girl who captivated the minds of welfare officers. They first assumed her to have autism until it they discovered that she could not talk along with being incontinent, salivating, and unable to chew or swallow food properly. After being taken into protective custody, researchers uncovered that for most of her life, Genie suffered physical and social restriction, nutritional neglect, and extreme experiential deprivation (The Development of Language in Genie: a Case of Language Acquisition beyond the “Critical Period”). This corresponds to evidence that she was secluded to small, cramped rooms and isolated from human interaction (The Development of Language in Genie: a Case of Language Acquisition beyond the “Critical Period”). Even with all this, there was no reliable evidence on whether she could ever or ever did talk. But one thing was certain; when Genie was found, she did not speak. Researchers saw this as an opportunity to uncover the mysteries behind speech development so they could better help Genie and others like her (The Guardian). Taught to be entirely silent by her father’s partiality to acoustic stimuli and harsh punishments, Genie was never able to truly verbally encode her thoughts even when slightly picking up words and phrases. This goes to say, she was certainly not dumb and unable to learn, she could still think for herself, sketch pictures, and even showcased that lexicon (vocabulary or branch of knowledge) seemed to have no age limit (The Guardian). However, things that most children would learn quickly, like grammar and sentence form, proved to be far above her linguistic capability. As a result of her entirely missing her critical period of proper language development due to the reinforced silence from her father, Genie never was able to clearly communicate with the average person. This goes to show that the effects of households that don’t allow proper communication or learning skills, show up as traits like being mute or being unable to encode true language. Similarities and Differences: We already seem to know that lack of specific skills learned during critical periods can have negative effects on the brain, but are all children that have similar stories to Genie the same? One similar story to Genie’s is the case of Danielle Lierow (2005), sometimes known as “the girl in the window,” who was found in a small, dark room in Florida, lying on a filthy mattress. When she was found, she was malnourished and anemic and similarly to Genie, not able to chew or swallow solid food (St. Petersburg Times). Even more similarly to Genie, Danielle couldn’t talk. Dr. Kathleen Armstrong, pediatric psychologist, University of South Florida medical school, called the girl’s condition “environmental autism” as she had been deprived of interaction so long that she seemed to have withdrawn into herself (Dr. Kathleen Armstrong, St. Petersburg Times). To the researchers, Danielle had the most unusual thing: a lack of engagement. She had no light in her eye with any sign of a response or recognition and didn’t have a response to affection. Dr. Armstrong states that Danielle’s case was “the most outrageous case of neglect [she’d] ever seen” (Dr. Kathleen Armstrong, St. Petersburg Times). This case, along with Genie’s, illustrate the sheer and critical need to have early contact and linguistic development for children. It proves to be crucial in helping hardwire the brain and allow children to develop language and learn to trust and relate to the world around them. When it comes to specific cases like Genie and Danielle, researchers struggled to build the proper communication skills to allow them to live independently. At first glance, things might not be so different in the case of Isabelle (1938). Isabelle had a very similar upbringing to Genie and Danielle; she was an illegitimate child whose family chose to keep her hidden under the social stigma at the time (Isabelle: The Story of a Child Kept in Extreme Isolation). Her mother, who had become deaf and mute after an accident, was given little education and was, along with Isabelle, secluded from the rest of the family, and not allowed to leave. It wasn’t until Isabelle’s mother escaped with her that Isabelle was able to be examined properly and what they found was severe. She was malnourished and in a rachitic condition not unlike rickets after all the years without sunlight and fresh air. At six and a half years old, researchers tested her intelligence, and her mental age appeared to be around nineteen months, and instead of speech, she could only make a croaking sound (Isabelle: The Story of a Child Kept in Extreme Isolation). To the researchers, Isabelle seemed to be almost unteachable, but the remarkable thing is how quickly she improved! Once placed in a stimulating environment supported by teachers and psychologists, Isabelle’s intensive training began to catch her up at a breakneck pace. Soon she was learning words and by the time she was eight years old, she was considered a child of average age; now being able to use between 1,500 and 2,000 words (Isabelle: The Story of a Child Kept in Extreme Isolation). Researchers were pleased to see that by age eight, Isabelle was able to walk, speak, and so much more. This stands in contrast to many others, like Genie, and showcases that if children are found in abusive homes early, then rehabilitation is entirely possible. Controlled Environment: Many neglectful and abusive environments are seen out in everyday life, but few studies have truly explored how different types of abuse and neglect impact children’s development. In one study, the researchers hypothesized that behavior problems would be associated with parental stress, and that a longer time in a non-neglectful environment would account for any differences in externalizing and internalizing symptoms between the two neglect groups (PubMed). To test this, they used a cohort of 60 children divided into three groups: a) U.S. children with a history of physical or emotional neglect as defined by the Barnett Child Maltreatment Classification Scheme (MCS)26 (USN); b) children adopted from international institutions (IA); and, c) U.S. children with no history of neglect, abuse, or adoption (Control)…(PubMed). By comparing these children using the Differential Abilities Scale, Test of Early Language Development, Child Behavior Checklist, and Parenting Stress Index, researchers found that neglect is the type of maltreatment most strongly associated with delays in expressive, receptive, and overall language development (PubMed). They also discovered that children who have a history of neglect have a much higher risk for impaired language develop if not provided with personal interactions and linguistic input. This goes to show that creating a positive and healthy environment for children to build strong linguistic bonds and social skills is incredibly crucial for social functioning. Conclusion: The reason you can read this article is that you were taught how to verbally encode thoughts and read this language; however, there are many children who get no say in how their parents teach them. While there might not be a solution to fix abusive and neglectful parenting, there is still hope that we can save and rehabilitate children psychologically and physically condemned by their abusive environment. Society’s goal should be to rescue, rehabilitate, and revive the minds of these children in hopes that a new, healthy environment can aid them in breaking free of their neglect and lead a role in everyday society. Bibliography : Guardian News and Media. (2016, July 14). Starved, tortured, forgotten: Genie, the feral child who left a mark on researchers. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jul/14/genie-feral-child-los-angeles-researchers Spratt, E. G., Friedenberg, S. L., Swenson, C. C., Larosa, A., De Bellis, M. D., Macias, M. M., Summer, A. P., Hulsey, T. C., Runyan, D. K., & Brady, K. T. (2012, February 1). The effects of early neglect on cognitive, language, and behavioral functioning in childhood. Psychology (Irvine, Calif.). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3652241/ 1974 - the linguistic development of genie.pdf. (n.d.). https://linguistics.ucla.edu/people/curtiss/1974%20-%20The%20linguistic%20development%20of%20Genie.pdf Show contents D I G I T A L N E W S B o o k the girl in the window. (n.d.-b). https://rjionline.org/rji/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/11/tbt_girl_in_the_window.pdf Plessis, S. du. (2025, September 11). Isabelle: The story of a child kept in extreme isolation - edublox online tutor. Edublox Online Tutor | Development, Reading, Writing, and Math Solutions. https://www.edubloxtutor.com/isabelle-isolation/ comments debug Commenting Forum Please keep dialogue respectful & constructive Please keep dialogue respectful & constructive Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment.

"The American Education System" _______________________________ By: Liam Sizemore Collierville, Tennessee _______________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Introduction : Have you ever been in an English class, wondering why you just read a text, write an essay about it, read another text, highlight a little bit of a paragraph, write another essay, and then read another text? It’s torture. But this problem isn’t exclusive to English class. Grades, extracurriculars, national tests, and endless lectures about seeming disconnected events in history. They all feel just like that English class. But alongside those feelings are a bit of corruption, unfair wages, and biased opinions that are added to the equation. Today we're going to analyze exactly what makes the United States of America’s system one of the most problematic education systems in the world. First, we'll open our textbooks to chapter 67 to look at the history of our education system. Second, we'll look at the impact of it on both students and teachers, as written on the whiteboard. Finally, we'll have a class discussion on the implications of school system corruption on youth and educators today. The History of the U.S. Education System: So, let's get started with the first lesson, "The History of the US Education System." The history of learning is as old as time itself, with every culture and country making it unique, through mediums like experience or communication, like today’s world. Sometimes people take it from holy books, like the Bible or Quran. Sometimes, people learn everything through the news. Now, while schools today exist for almost everyone across the world, this wasn’t always the case. For the most part in history, education was something only nobles, royalty, and the rich could afford. The first form of public education created in the US was the Boston Latin School, a school for boys founded in 1635, which is still running today. The institution primarily taught philosophies, humanities, and, oddly enough, Latin was not the primary idea there, however they did emphasize Latin and Greek as priorities among the students. The school’s purpose was to prepare boys for college, which was going to be founded shortly after in 1636: Harvard was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and, according to The Harvard Library, the school taught students Puritan values as well as the fundamentals of geometry, politics, and basic logic. They were expected to arrive with a basic knowledge of Latin and were taught Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, as well as the other characteristics mentioned. Harvard’s founding marked a significant step toward formal higher education in the colonies. Moving forward 185 years to 1821, we encounter the first public school in the United States: the English High School. Here, they taught the usual arts and sciences, as well as things that would ready the graduates for the world of industry and commerce, as credited by englishhighalumni.org. It’s highly important because, as mentioned before, it was the first public school in the US, setting a path for all others after. Now, this statement might seem contradictory to the proposed argument regarding our education system, which it is, as these educational milestones discussed, set the stage for a lot of structural issues we currently face in our society today. Impact of standardized testing: Moving on to one of the most contentious aspects of our current education system. During your 4 year long stay in high school, at some point you must take the ACT, and possibly the SAT. I, personally, got a 30 out of 36 on the Pre-ACT—a score I’m proud of--but unlike me, there are many out there who are unable to or who have trouble taking the test. The mental and physical toll taken on students when it comes to the extreme high-stakes tests is often unnecessary and harmful. Let’s start by enumerating the reasons why we must take this test. It’s essentially a gatekeeper to higher education, otherwise known as college. That is virtually the sole reason many high schoolers across the U.S. are stressing themselves out both mentally and physically over these exams. As you may know, some students might not choose to pursue college: maybe they have a call towards a job that doesn’t require a college degree, or they want to join the military, or maybe they want to become an influencer or other creative careers. Either way, they shouldn’t be forced to take such a stressful test, and yet these tests are one of our school system’s main reasons for existence. The statistics regarding brain function when big tests are constantly looming are well documented. According to Edutopia, cortisol, a chemical produced in the adrenal gland that’s also known as the “stress hormone,” has been known to spike by an average of 15%. This sudden increase can drop SAT scores as much as 80 points, and occasionally, from students who already face problems like poverty or violence in their daily lives, cortisol levels have been known to spike by an astronomical 35%, severely derailing cognitive processes and distort test scores beyond recognition. It’s important to acknowledge the fact that some people just aren’t great test takers. Take me for example. I must confess; I always overthink things, and it just makes my cortisol levels rise which as one can imagine truly shocked me when I received an exceptional score on my practice ACT. I speak from personal experience: these tests often disfavor those who aren’t test-taking extraordinaries. But it’s not just the students suffering, but the teachers as well. Challenges Faced by Teachers: Most teachers I’ve spoken to say that their current job was their dream and that they genuinely care for their students. So, why do they seem so hateful towards their occupation at times? According to a 2024 Pew Research Center report, nearly 50% of teachers think their students and classes are doing fairly or poorly when it comes to academic performance. 50%, half of the nation is either decent or failing? This has a clear correlation with student behavior, with another 49% of teachers reporting that their students act terribly in class. What reason do they have to act so poorly? The system. The system is designed to get them in and out of the schools as soon as possible. And teachers are as much victims of this system as students are. It simply makes their duties even harder than they already are. Grading papers, watching students, keeping them engaged, its overwhelming even for the most strong-willed. The current educational model is emphasizing output—graduation rates, test scores—rather than student engagement and understanding. My mother is a kindergarten teacher, and I’ve seen firsthand the difficulty of her job, whether it’s battling disruptive behavior to dealing with administrative policies and low pay. It must be acknowledged that this issue needs to be addressed and resolved. We could start by making our education more entertaining and engaging, helping children learn at their own pace, and providing teachers with a higher salary. And now that we have some idea of what teachers go through, we can climb up the governmental ladder to decode the origins of this growing issue. Corruption, Bias, and Political Influence: If there’s anything to know about US education, it's to understand the sheer amounts of corruption that seep into the cracks of this broken and dysfunctional system. Whether political or personal, it’s not doubtful that bias is everywhere, not only in education, but also in the world. According to the National Education Association, there are two prominent types of bias: implicit and explicit bias. Implicit bias is what affects our actions and understanding in a manner where we don’t realize it affects us. Explicit bias is the conscious, deliberate aversion or preference to something, usually people. This resembles what I call personal bias, or natural bias. This is what is instilled in children at a young age due to a certain system filled with political bias, or artificial bias. The bias we’re analyzing specifically derives straight from politicians. According to the Transparency International Knowledge Hub, corruption undermines the quality and availability of education and distorts the already accessible parts of it. It also destroys the trust of the public, leading to higher dropout rates and lower enrollment rates than ever before. Let’s take Florida as an example. Florida had a recent purge from their school libraries, taking books, that Gov. Ron DeSantis thought was too “sexually explicit.” According to Central Florida Public Media, the DOE spearheaded the removal of a wide of genre of works ranging from George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” and “The Handmaid’s Tale,” by Margaret Atwood, to more liberal reads like “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” by George M. Johnson and “Gender Queer,” by Maia Kobabe. Now, when looking at it from an age-appropriate perspective, this becomes a real concern. Yes, kindergarteners shouldn’t be reading “Game of Thrones,” but when looking at it from a political perspective, it can be argued that the Florida government is just getting rid of these books to enforce a political agenda. This is unfair for the children in many ways, but the core reasoning is the inability of the children to form their own opinions. These children will potentially grow up being told that their feelings, thoughts, and opinions are wrong in the eyes of the government. Conclusion : Ultimately, the issues we face in American education are complex and deeply rooted. But after reading this, I do encourage you to do your own research on these topics, like funding schools and how it’s linked to test scores. We explored the historical foundations of the system, the mental and emotional toll it takes on both students and teachers, and the ways in which bias and corruption continue to hinder effective and quality progress towards a meaningful education system. Most importantly, I encourage everyone to read this that if there is any doubt, don’t be afraid to google things and conduct your own research, because understanding these issues is the first step toward change. Bibliography : - BLS history. BLS. (n.d.). (https://www.bls.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=206116&type=d) - Terada, Y. (2022, October 14). The psychological toll of high-stakes testing. Edutopia. (https://www.edutopia.org/article/psychological-toll-high-stakes-testing/) - History of the English high school - the English high school association. (n.d.-d). (https://englishhighalumni.org/2021/07/09/history-of-the-english-high-school/) - Central Florida Public Media. Danielle Prieur. (2024, November 14). Florida Department of Education releases list of over 700 banned books in K-12 schools. Central Florida Public Media. (https://www.cfpublic.org/education/2024-11-11/florida-list-banned-books-schools) - Lin, L. (2024, April 4). What’s it like to be a teacher in America today? Pew Research Center. (https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2024/04/04/whats-it-like-to-be-a-teacher-in-america-today/%C2%A0) comments debug Commenting Forum Please keep dialogue respectful & constructive Please keep dialogue respectful & constructive Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment.

"The Legal Consequences of Environmental Negligence: A Corporate Analysis" _______________________________ By: Nandini Kondisetti Collierville, Tennessee _______________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ Introduction: In the rising age of technological advancement, corporate responsibility concerning environmental factors becomes increasingly important, especially considering the rapid rates these innovations are often being generated. Several laws have been placed in effort to combat the rising environmental concerns, some of which include the Clean Water Act (CWA), enacted in 1972, which manages the processes of controlling external waste entering bodies of water. The act also established what is known as the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), ensuring the controlled release of harmful waste satisfying specific states’ water quality requirements as an attempt to regulate the influx of water pollution. Alongside this, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), enforced during 1976, oversees and provides guidelines towards the responsible disposition of waste within industries and communities as the U.S. began to experience increasing levels of pollution and discharge generated by exponential population growth. This act promotes conservation efforts such as reducing the quantities of waste flooding the natural environment and recycling resources (that are permitted) into new material. In this paper, we will analyze and discuss the consequences regarding corporate environmental defiance through specific cases and pinpoint customary trends in modern-day regulative policies. Case Studies: From a local scale to widespread corruption, the occurrences of the Colonial Pipeline oil spill and the current case revolving around perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) demonstrates both company policy violation along with environmental and legal barriers presented before them in a society of high liability towards environmental laws. Beginning with the Colonial Pipeline oil spill, on August 14, 2020, a major gas leak was discovered within the Oehler Nature Preserve located in Huntersville, North Carolina. Colonial Pipeline shut down the pipeline shortly as soon as the leak was detected in adherence with safety protocols. Colonial Pipeline reported the cause of the spill was a result of “equipment failure” and that approximately 354,060 gallons of gasoline leaked (NC Dept. of Environmental Quality). Colonial Pipeline supplies petroleum products across the eastern U.S. and is a important foundation of infrastructure, fueling the majority of the eastern region’s petroleum supply. The environmental damage included the petroleum seeping into nearby soil and spreading into surrounding natural water sources. Likewise, concerns were posed about potential contamination of groundwater, which eventually led the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) to issue multiple violation notices concerning the violation of the Clean Water Act. The notices were issued as listed: September 25, 2020: DEQ issues their first Notice of Violation on any effects regarding the groundwater quality. December 9, 2020: DEQ issues a second notice pressing for further information on the exact cause of the gasoline spill to open an investigation. February 24, 2021: DEQ issues a Notice of Continuing Violation towards Colonial Pipeline to extract more information to order a Comprehensive Site Assessment on the corporation. (Data provided by DEQ.NC.GOV) It is also notable to include that this is not Colonial Pipeline’s first oil spill, having a large history of similar incidents, including the 1996 South Carolina spill killing off an estimated 35,000 fish and various other wildlife, along with spills ranging from Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Alabama. (EPA.gov) The legal consequences issued by the NCDEQ include a lawsuit filed against Colonial Pipeline, which then led to a consent order essentially holding Colonial Pipeline accountable for North Carolina’s by far largest spill, followed by legal proceedings. The requirements along with this order included engaging in reformative actions and paying nearly $5 million in total fines. Although modern technological innovation was present within this corporation, and regulations were in place, incidents were still prone to occur, damaging both water resources and corporate responsibility. While the Colonial Oil Spill embodies a more localized incident, the current PFAS cases represent environmental and corporate consequences throughout the whole nation. PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are popularized manmade lasting chemicals found in various industries since the mid-20th century. PFAS are present in many common materials and places such as drinking water (ex. water fountains), manufacturing facilities, food products and packaging (ex. fish and livestock), household products and dust, and personal care (ex. specific types of shampoo and cosmetics). PFAS also carries multiple health risks, including interference with child development, increased chances of cancer, and reproductive risks such as a decreased fertility rate. American multinational company DuPont is currently under mass scrutiny over environmental and health risks regarding their usage of PFAS. What is quite intriguing about this case especially is how, from 1961 to 1994, Dupont had successfully collected evidence of PFAS toxins present from various business studies yet never published or reported their findings to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.gov), which by law is required under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (NIH.gov). As for the legal concerns and lawsuits, numerous attorneys, such as General Josh Stein, sued DuPont for water contamination violating the CWA in North Carolina in February 2024. (NCDOJ.gov). In 2023, governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine, along with Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, finalized a $110 million settlement with Dupont concerning environmental restoration specifically along the Ohio River, in violation of the RCRA act concerning improper PFAS disposal. These cases are only a few of the many lawsuits filed against DuPont, and the company has suffered tremendous financial loss and is currently battling various legal issues, including an agreement to pay over $1.185 billion as an attempt to settle the ongoing liability allegations in relation to public water systems. The ongoing legal battle addressing DuPont’s use of PFAS has created destruction both environmentally and financially across the nation and internationally as opposed to the more localized damage of the Colonial Pipeline Spill. Regulatory Trends: While the cases discussed previously provide specific and contextualized analysis of the legal repercussions that environmental non-compliance companies face, it is equally crucial to observe from a wider perspective the trends these cases have played an influence in. The first trend observed is an increase in penalties for corporations that choose not to comply with environmental regulations. Taking the Colonial Pipeline Act into consideration, while the incident was relatively contained compared to the PFAS issue, considerable penalties issued by the NCDEQ were still enacted against the corporation, emphasizing the growing repercussions and firmness on compliance. Considering the severity of the financial loss Colonial faced, other pipeline operations may more than likely increase their monitoring to ensure legal standards are met to prevent the occurrence of similar incidents. Additionally, looking into the future, as the EPA’s annual inflation markups in their environmental penalty fines increased (the CWA penalty per day increased from $66,712 to $68,445), the financial consequences for these behaviors will steadily increase, possibly pressuring corporations to further adhere to the laws presented before them. Subsequently, as mentioned in the case studies, the PFAS investigation actively demonstrates the trend of expanding corporate accountability. Corporations, including DuPont, are facing vast financial liabilities encircling chemical PFAS contamination in everyday use items even though the chemicals had been used over two decades ago. This is supported by the various number of lawsuits opened among the many attorney generals ranging across several states and from public water systems all looking for reimbursements and settlements to recover damages and cover repair costs. The EPA has now issued risk assessments for corporations to identify and reduce chemical hazards by conducting the test on their past and present chemical usage. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Conclusion: This analysis has communicated the acceleration of legal consequences presented before corporations that violate environmental policy, as demonstrated through the Colonial Pipeline Oil Spill and ongoing PFAS case. Along with the modern-day regulatory trends of increased penalties and widened business responsibility, these cases ground an argument for a more responsible and proactive approach from corporations and for a stricter adherence to environmental regulations. Furthermore, the increasing exposure of corporate liability now forces companies to reassess and reevaluate their use of certain chemicals as an attempt to prevent the creation and release of harmful toxins in the industry. In essence, the legal aspect of environmental safety revolves around the framework of placing a higher emphasis on environmental safekeeping rather than purely temporary profit. As the corporate world progressively becomes more aware of the negative effects irresponsible industrial pursuit on the environment, it will also become increasingly important for them to grasp the idea that environmental compliance is not simply an obstacle-bearing law but a fundamental skill of sustainable business practice. Bibliography: - Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Our Current Understanding of the Human Health and Environmental Risks of PFAS. EPA. (https://www.epa.gov/pfas/our-current-understanding-human-health-and-environmental-risks-pfas) - Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.-b). PFAS Explained. EPA. (https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained) - Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.-c). Risk Evaluations for Existing Chemicals under TSCA. EPA. (https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/risk-evaluations-existing-chemicals-under-tsca) - Environmental Protection Agency. (2008, May 15). U.S. Reaches Landmark Settlement with Colonial Pipeline for Oil Spills in Five States -- $34 Million Civil Penalty Is the Largest Paid by a Company in EPA History. EPA. (https://www.epa.gov/archive/epapages/newsroom_archive/newsreleases/0559d641098607a885256cfb0062622d.html) -Modernizing H-2 Program Requirements, Oversight, and Worker Protections (2024, December 18) (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/12/18/2024-29353/modernizing-h-2-program-requirements-oversight-and-worker-protections%20%20%E2%80%8B) - Judge approves settlement requiring Dupont, Chemours, and Corteva to pay $1.1 billion in pfas contamination suit - ASDWA. (n.d.). https://www.asdwa.org/2024/02/16/judge-approves-settlement-requiring-dupont-chemours-and-corteva-to-pay-1-1-billion-in-pfas-contamination-suit/ (https://governor.ohio.gov/media/news-and-media/state-secures-111-million-settlement-with-dupont-for-environmental-restoration-along-ohio-river) - Correspondence. NC DEQ. (n.d.). (https://www.deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/waste-management/underground-storage-tanks-section/colonial-pipeline-spill-information-huntersville-nc) - Oweidie. (2024, February 8). Court grants significant win in attorney general Stein’s Pfas case against Chemours and Dupont. NCDOJ. (https://ncdoj.gov/court-grants-significant-win-in-attorney-general-steins-pfas-case-against-chemours-and-dupont/) comments debug Commenting Forum Please keep dialogue respectful & constructive Please keep dialogue respectful & constructive Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment.

"To Steal a Piece of Bread" _______________________________ By: Nandini Kondisetti Collierville, Tennessee _______________________________ Copy link Introduction: If someone were to steal a piece of bread or a gold bracelet from an individual's property, would it be justifiable for the owner to hurt them? Merriam-Webster defines the act of defending as "to drive danger or attack away from," presumably those who bring violence to one's property or themselves (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). But that definition begs the question: at what cost do defending these beliefs come with? It is preached by many societies that one's private property and life shall be treated respectfully and acknowledged, but when these two principles clash, it poses a great conflict of which should be placed first. One might argue that an individual attains the right to exercise every caution in protecting their possessions no matter the outcome, while another may argue that a human's life holds higher value and by no means shall be harmed to any length just to defend one's valuables. This then imposes an additional question of: if plausible, to what degree should the law allow towards the defense of private property? To approach this question, it must be viewed not only from a legal perspective but also equally through an ethical and equal judgment of the situation and how society will be reflected regarding the decision. This paper asserts that defense of property should be strictly regulated by the law and proportionate to the crime, however, if the person's life is actively being threatened, harsh injury can be authorized as an act of defense. This argument is divided into three main contentions, with the first being that a person's life is always of higher importance than possessions, the second being that the intention of the act must be considered, and the third being that implication of extreme violence out of defense can potentially risk a society fueled with violence. A Person's Life vs. Property: One of the most driving factors in considering this argument is that human life should not be compensated for with material objects. Although one might feel that his/her possessions hold esteemed worth and importance in their life, the value of a person's life outweighs the fate of a non-living item regardless. Philosopher Immanuel Kant puts this clearly, stating that respect should be given to all and “never merely as a means” (Kant, 1785/2008, p. 29). This translates to the obligation that one should first treat humankind with sincerity and acknowledgement of their worth, not with the intention of individual benefit from pursuing the person who is committing the wrongdoing. Invoking extreme harm and injury on another for stealing property only gambles the risk of exploiting the person as a tool of self-interest and greed in keeping one's property safe no matter the outcome, rather than treating them as human and approaching the person in a composed manner if the situation allows. Similarly, from a legal perspective, various laws and regulations have been put in place aligning with this idea. For instance, the UK's Crown Prosecution Services has employed the concept of “reasonable force”, advising that "the more extreme the circumstances and the fear felt, the more force [an individual] can lawfully use in self-defense" (CPS, 2018, p.1). Essentially, the amount of force or injury one can inflict on another depends on the severity of the matter, such as stealing a lawnmower, which would not require as much force as an attack directed at the individual itself. The law draws a clear distinction between pure defense and morals, arguing that simply theft of property alone does not uphold injury to the accused. Real scenarios have been presented tying to this concept, such as the case of bread truck driver Jonathan Wayne Scott, who shot and killed unarmed teenager Mustafa Bearfield Jr. for stealing a lunchbox from the vehicle. Although Bearfield Jr. had committed a crime of property theft, the jury convicted Scott of manslaughter, portraying a real-life consequence resulting from the unequal and excessive force used in the crime committed (Remkus, 2018). However, there still stands the popular argument that property holds considerable value and that, if stolen, it could diminish the potential of a person's life. For example, if an individual's vehicle is stolen, this could result in a loss of occupation or source of income due to unreliable transportation methods. While this presents a valid concern, it is in most instances not legally or morally sufficient damage to equate someone's life unless they prove a serious or immediate threat to one's own life. In many cases, it often provokes higher legal consequences, such as jail time, and more harm towards both parties by aggravating the current state of the situation further than the actual damage of the crime that has been committed. Studying the Intention: Another notable consideration in assessing this question is what the intentions behind the crimes committed truly are and how this may change what proper injury to impose out of defense. However, it’s important to first analyze the type of defense that has been exerted, either self-defense or purely property defense, both terms that are legally distinct. Self-defense refers to the protection of an individual from physical harm, while property defense is the protection of an individual’s possessions, not directly pursuing human life. U.S. laws and the UK’s prosecution service policies limit application force to situations where the person’s life is being threatened rather than just in the instance of trespassing or stealing. Intention, legally defined as mens rea, is an important consideration when deciding the outcome of the case and the fate of the prosecuted. Not every crime is equal in their severity, such as stealing a piece of bread out of survival or a gold bracelet out of greed. In the aspect of the legal system and a philosophical sense, intentions are often the turning point or point of reference on how people judge a person's actions or decisions. Drawing upon John Locke himself as a key example, he writes in the Second Treatise of Governance that a penalty must be decided "proportionate to the transgression" (Locke, 1690, Section 8). For a fair ruling in the decision, the defendant may state their intentions behind the crime, or the jury may infer that the defendant should receive the most just and least harmful decision reflected off their crime, especially if the convicted is of high vulnerability. While stealing a piece of bread still stands as a crime, the intentions behind this are more than likely to be out of an act of desperation rather than pure cruelty and do not necessarily pose a threat; therefore, the individual should not be adhered to as one. In the current legal system, this notion, which is legally defined as a "necessity defense," is widely accepted by many courts, particularly in the 2011 case with the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation and homeless Ukrainian man Roman Ostriakov, who was charged and jailed for stealing food items from a grocery store. The court repealed his case, claiming that Ostriakov was in the "face of an immediate and essential need for nourishment," resulting in his desperation, and argued that the illegal activity conducted should successfully demonstrate the principle of creating judgment based on intention and circumstances (BBC News, 2016). While it can still be debated that no matter what the intention, a person's property is still someone's property and should be prosecuted as such, if one were to go about this route, it would eventually lead to wrongful or unbalanced penalties for crimes of different degrees of violence. Acknowledging the intention and purpose behind the crime is influential in developing a reasonable, suitable, and humane judgment for the individual facing conviction. Development of a Violent Society: Hypothetically, if the law permitted any degree of injury to another in the act of defense regardless of the circumstances, how exactly would this right most likely influence or develop society? "During the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called war; and such a war is of every man against every man," states Thomas Hobbes in “Leviathan” (Hobbes, 1651, Ch. 13). Hobbes cautions society about what could potentially stir a war between humans over the security and protection of one's private property due to the elusive laws and guidelines on the limits of self-defense. This scenario could evolve into a disruptive and uncontrolled society where people are emotionally driven in their actions due to the unrestrained measures of injury permitted and the rise of retaliation against others rather than relying on a structured legal system. Referring to the Treaties of Governance once more, Locke emphasizes his agreement on the right to defend oneself yet also warns to do so in a way of “reparation and restraint" (Locke 1689, section 8). An injury that is deemed disproportionate and excessive goes against Locke's philosophy of controlled and proper defense, and if not regulated and enforced strictly, could create a fearful imprint on society. From a legal standpoint, laws have been enacted across state courts to combat this possibility, such as Tennessee's Moral Penal Code stating that a person is subject to prosecution for inflicting dangerous force on another in the case of defense of an individual's property and can only invoke this power under certain requirements (Protection of Property Act, 2024). By implementing legal authority and punishment towards the state's citizens, this directly targets and acknowledges the core of the argument regarding unrestrained violence, ensuring justice and diluting tension within the residing communities, preserving civil stability. These implemented laws illustrate this common theme of “controlled injury” and specify what is considered unjustifiable defense and when to apply dangerous force in terms of preventing excessive harm and cultivating a ruthless and fear-driven society. Nevertheless, some may still argue that the purpose of injury is to provide a lesson or reminder for the prosecuted and/or rather to induce fear within them to greatly discourage them from enacting such crimes. However, this not only places property or persons in terms of value but also creates the assumption that every person can analyze the situation clearly, leaving no room for misjudgment or impulsive actions. This is proven psychologically impossible by human nature due to subjectivity in perception of events, which can be influenced through "personal experiences, fears, and mental state" rather than an objective analysis (Weinstein Legal Team, 2025). Before deciding the outcome of the individual committing such a crime, one should know that it is legally and morally accepted by the courts,Locke, and Hobbes, that the intentions behind a person’s actions must be considered before inflicting injuries or penalties. From a societal view, defending beyond rationality risks contributing to a society of growing fear and brutality as violence becomes widely accepted and legal scrutiny deteriorates. And conclusively, in the event of inflicting injury in the name of defense, one shall do so in a reasonable and humane manner, acting under restraint rather than merely revengeful or harmful intention. Bibliography : BBC. (2016, May 3). Italian court rules food theft "not a crime" if hungry. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36190557 Hobbes, T. (1651/n.d.). Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (edited). University of Washington. https://courses.washington.edu/hsteu302/Hobbes%20selections%20(edited).htm Householders and the use of force against intruders. cps.gov.uk. (2018). https://www.cps.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/publications/Householders-2018.pdf Kant, L. (1775/2008, July). (J. Bennet, Trans.) Groundwork for the metaphysic of morals. Early Modern Texts. https://www.earlymoderntexts.com/assets/pdfs/kant1785.pdf Locke, J. (1690/1988). John Locke, The Second Treatise on Government. Hanover Historical Texts Project. https://history.hanover.edu/courses/excerpts/163locke.html Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Defend. Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defend Remkus, A. (2018, May 16). Bread truck driver found guilty of chasing and killing unarmed teen over stolen lunchbox. al. https://www.al.com/news/huntsville/2018/05/mustafa_bearfield_jonathan_sco.html Tennessee General Assembly. (2024). Section 39-11-614—Protection of property. In Tennessee Code Annotated. https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-39/chapter-11/part-6/section-39-11-614/ Weinstein Legal Team Staff. (2025, January 22). Psychological factors in self-defense claims. Weinstein Legal Team. https://www.thelawofwe.com/psychological-factors-self-defense/ comments debug Commenting Forum Please keep dialogue respectful & constructive Please keep dialogue respectful & constructive Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment.

"Lowering the Current Voting Age" _______________________________ By: Stephanie Springer Collierville, Tennessee _______________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Introduction: How many teenagers in America have a job? How much of their money earned from that job is eaten by a tax that they don’t have the right to oppose against? Lowering the voting age would make our society more inclusive to different opinions, especially considering the decisions made during an election, and how those decisions affect teenagers. Prohibiting people below the age of 18 from voting is a huge portion of people whose voices and opinions that just aren’t being heard. Analysis: Teenagers have a better understanding nowadays on what is going on in the world around them whether that knowledge comes from school, news channels, social media, parents, or their jobs; they’re involved in some aspect. In fact, one could argue that teenagers are more involved online than any other age group. Teenagers are kept up to date on everything that spreads on social media which makes them more informed than ever on current issues globally. According to results of a voting election located at Takoma Park, Maryland in 2013, when the voting age was lowered to 16, four times as many people under 18 participated in the election than voters over the age of 18. Inevitably, lowering the voting age does contain its flaws. The younger population of the U.S. may not be exposed to politics as often as the average adult. In the article, “Voting at 16: Turnout and the quality of vote choice,” it details the many criticisms that the idea of lowering the voting age frequently receives. Some would argue that teenagers lack the motivation to partake in elections, or that they lack the political knowledge to do so efficiently and with “good judgement”. However, the article also mentions a particular data result collected from Austria, stating that its citizens under the age of 16 made choices and judgement similar to the level of expertise as older voters. The youth of the United States of America truly care about the state of the country, regardless of how old they are. Despite being deemed mature enough to be sent to juvenile detention centers and be testified in criminal court, the younger age cohort of our country has no vote or decision-making capabilities in the creation of laws they are obligated to follow. Conclusion: If a 16-year-old can legally work eight hour shifts consistently to support their family, why aren’t they granted access to voting? Even though some laws are put in place to prevent crime, and should remain that way, everyone deserves a voice regardless of their age. With that being stated, teenagers deserve the chance to speak up about what they want for their country. Bibliography: - Home. Youth Engagement. (2025, April 9). (https://www.commoncause.org/emerging-power/) - Wagner, M., Johann, D., & Kritzinger, S. (2012, June). Voting at 16: Turnout and the quality of vote choice. Electoral studies. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4020373/) - Historic expansion of suffrage: 16- and 17-year-olds vote in city election - fairvote. (n.d.-a). (https://fairvote.org/historic-expansion-of-suffrage-16-and-17-year-olds-vote-in-city-election/) comments debug Commenting Forum Please keep dialogue respectful & constructive Please keep dialogue respectful & constructive Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment.

"Privacy in Education: Understanding FERPA’s Framework and Future" _______________________________ By: Srishti Mulgund Collierville, Tennessee _______________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ Copy link Introduction: School records contain critical personal information, such as addresses, health records, academic transcripts, and other data. School records contain critical personal information: addresses, health records, academic transcripts, and other data. etc. When shared, it is important that students and their families are notified to maintain privacy, ensure security, and protect themselves from misuse of their information. safeguard their data and maintain their security. This led to the passing of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was passed in 1974. FERPA is a federal law passed in 1974 It that safeguards the privacy of children’s education records and clearly gives parents the rights to “have access to their children’s education records, the right to seek the records amended, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the education records” (U.S Department of Education, n.d). Once a student becomes 18 years old or moves on to onto a postsecondary institution at any age, FERPA rights transfer from the parents to the students. This law values privacy, consent, and the transfer rights of a student’s personal data. which are crucial to remain private for the student and their families. In this piece, we will explore what FERPA is and its core rights, the pros and cons of this law, and future directions. Through analyzing FERPA, the core rights it protects, and its advantages and disadvantages, we can understand its future implications and directions. FERPA’s Framework and Core Rights: FERPA’s primary purpose is to protect the privacy of student education records and ensure their accuracy. To first understand how FERPA works, one must first define what a “student” is under the law. It is critical to understand what a “student” is in these terms. A student is someone “who has reached 18 years of age or is attending a postsecondary institution” (U.S Department of Education, 2024). In secondary levels of education, parents or legal guardians’ parents/guardians hold the rights of control. FERPA requires that “federally funded institutions, under programs administered by the U.S Department of Education comply with certain procedures” in terms of disclosing student information and educational records (George C. Hlavac, Esq., and Jared J. Hanna, Esq., 2024, para.1). The key ideas of this act are consent for information disclosure, transfer of rights, amending, and inspection. When sharing information, schools must obtain written consent before sharing distributing any personally identifiable information. Personally identifiable information is “any information connects [connected] to a specific individual that can be used to uncover or steal that individual’s identity” (IBM, 2022). Examples include Social Security numbers, full names, email addresses, phone numbers, health records, and more. etc. Exceptions exist, such as school officials with legitimate interest or school transfers exist. In that case, schools must comply with FERPA’s requirements. When a student turns 18 or enrolls in begins to attend a postsecondary institution, the rights of FERPA then transfers to the student. Until that point, the rights belong to the parents. Rights belong to the parents until that time. Additionally, parents and/or students can also request to amend records that they believe contain errors, are misleading, or are in violation. They can also inspect and review the student’s education records “within a reasonable period of time, but not more than 45 days after receipt of a request.” (U.S Department of Education, 2025). Schools and institutions that fail to comply with FERPA may risk losing federal funding. Advantages of FERPA: FERPA brings various advantages to the table, both for families, teachers, and schools. These benefits Some of these include privacy protection, increased credibility in admissions, information control and feelings of stability and security. FERPA ensures that student education records are only accessible to authorized individuals, which protects sensitive data. Personally identifiable information, such as academic transcripts, grades, attendance grades attendance records, health data, and disciplinary actions are all available on school records. Thus, keeping these details private safeguards children from data leaks and potential malicious activity in their name or account. Information control is one of the biggest aspects of FERPA since it allows parents and later, the students, when old enough, to control what academic data is shared and increasing feelings of security and stability among learners because they know their information is protected. FERPA “keeps students safe. FERPA protects student information” (Gorham, T., n.d, para.2) allowing full autonomy for the learner. Additionally, as an additional benefit, with FERPA heightens credibility, credibility is heightened in college admissions because colleges often view recommendations with a signed FERPA waiver as more trustworthy. Limitations of FERPA: While FERPA brings a multitude of positive contributors to the table, there are some limitations that are important to recognize and discuss. When students turn 18 years old and/or move on to higher level education, the rights of FERPA get transferred to them, causing parents to lose access to student records. This prevents preventing them form from monitoring their child’s progress, changes to the record, and what data is shared. For example, students can restrict parents from accessing academic records, and disciplinary records, health records, schedules, and financial aid documents without written consent. Additionally, many administrators misinterpret FERPA or use it as an excuse or justification for not to avoid sharing embarrassing or defaming information. In 2016, a school in Georgia claimed that “FERPA forbade them from releasing a surveillance video of the incident” (Lomonte, F. D., 2018, para.6). In such these types of situations, schools use “student privacy” as a way of covering up their unpreparedness and giving them more authority. Furthermore, there are various financial and administrative burdens accompanied with this law. If a FERPA violation occurs, there is a violation of FERPA, the school is investigated and risks losing federal funding. This can also lead to over-compliance to avoid accountability or prevent disclosing information, making it challenging during emergencies as well. Future Directions and Conclusion: With these limitations and advantages being examined closely by legislators and lawmakers, updates to FERPA are“primarily focused on modernizing the regulations to address current technological advancements and the evolving educational environment,.” (Holloway, J., 2024, para.10). Some of these modernizations include virtual learning – extending rights to online and remote education spaces.which now extends rights to virtual environments. More cybersecurity protocols, and an emphasis on encryption, and multifactor authentication are also being added. Advocates are pushing for stricter and more distinct regulations to maintain and track vendor sharing data. There have also been various recommendations that require requiring transparency and maintain clear communication. Essentially, FERPA opens doors for a more credible and secure academic environment. However, it also comes with burdens of administrative work and control. It establishes clear guidelines for a student’s privacy and empowers families to value their access and consent. As educational environments change, the evolution of this law is essential to ensure the security of students and their rights. Bibliography : FERPA Primer: The Basics and Beyond. (2024). Default. https://www.naceweb.org/public- policy-and-legal/legal-issues/882d753f-169b-4a91-a1b7-4c9b4d43a55a Gorham, T. (n.d.). Five Reasons Why FERPA is Important | Equity | ConexED Blog. Www.conexed.com . https://www.conexed.com/post/five-reasons-why-ferpa-is-important Holloway, J. (2024, February 15). Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act: Complying with FERPA and Protecting Higher Education Students in Today’s Technology-Driven World. Phoenixinnovate.com. https://www.phoenixinnovate.com/blog/ferpa-school-data-security How long does an educational agency or institution have to comply with a request to view records? | Protecting Student Privacy. (2025). Ed.gov. https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/faq/how-long-does-educational-agency-or-institution-have- comply-request-view-records IBM. (2022, December 6). PII. Ibm.com. https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/pii Lomonte, F. D. (2018, March 17). Student Privacy Laws Have Been Distorted. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-student-privacy-laws-have-been-distorted- and-thats-a-problem/2018/03 U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). What is FERPA? | Protecting Student Privacy. Ed.gov. https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/faq/what-ferpa comments debug Commenting Forum Please keep dialogue respectful & constructive Please keep dialogue respectful & constructive Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment.

"An Analysis of Media Literacy" By: Thy Nguyen Collierville, Tennessee _________________ Intro Did you know that eating carrots can cure your blindness and that all your back pain is caused by you not drinking enough water? I’m serious. I’m seriously writing this and lying to you. What? You didn’t believe that did you? Well, my mom did. In fact, she once sent 3 Facebook posts to me, stressing me to eat more carrots and drink more water. But when one analyses all those videos she sent, it was obvious that many were spouting complete nonsense! However, the fact that someone actually believed that nonsense is where the problem lies. In the modern age, people are just one swipe away from reaching an endless amount of information, and for us to evaluate all this information, we need media literacy. According to UNESCO, media literacy refers to the ability to “access, analyze, [and] evaluate” online information, but of course, there’s bound to be a minority who blindly believe whatever they see. Over time, however, we’ve begun to see this percentage of minority steadily rise at an alarming rate. Therefore, it remains ever the more crucial that today’s society learns of the causes and effects of media illiteracy, the importance of having digital skills, and the possible solutions to this dilemma. Social Media The first cause of society’s media illiteracy crisis might be slightly cliché as it’s been the talk of the past century: social media. Its capabilities are obvious, but as for why it’s so detrimental for us in this case is due to its grasp on our attention spans. Unlike traditional news outlets, these platforms’ individual creators understand their audience’s main desire: deliver information as quick as possible. This understanding is what have led apps like TikTok to become so successful. In fact, a report by the BBC highlights that “TikTok users…in a study said they get more of their news from ‘other people they follow’ than from [official accounts of news anchors] (Anonymous, Teens shun traditional news channels for TikTok and Instagram)” This lack of care from people for the source of their news causes false information to run rampart, because at the end of the day, those independently owned accounts have no incentive to inform. For many, their main purpose is to entertain, and yet, we as a collective have seemingly ignored that. Collectivism What makes social media so addictive despite the clear consensus that they can be quite problematic? Simply put, it’s the sense of community it provides. When online, people begin to relate to strangers they’ve never met, learn information they wouldn’t have known otherwise: it’s a hub meant to connect people. However, many have decided to abuse this open space to begin encouraging the concept of “anti-intellectualism.” According to Hiebert, a sociology professor at University of Manitoba, in his 2023 article, “The Rise of Anti-intellectualism,” he explains these anti-intellectualists’ main arguments, with the most famous being: “Pursuing knowledge is unnecessary unless wielded for practical means (Hiebert, The Rise of Anti-intellectualism)” To put in other words, or by the more popular phrase: “just let people enjoy things, sometimes the curtains are just blue.” Honestly, that mentality is fine. Not everything has or needs meaning behind it. However, at the same time, that does not entail that nothing has meaning, and unfortunately, society has started to confuse this. This mindset that not everything has meaning has given the people an excuse to not try to know any more than what they are given. And frankly, one cannot have media literacy if people are choosing to give up analyzing in general. Lack of proper education Despite the previous issues, one stands above them both: society’s clear lack of an education for digital literacy. Education is what drives knowledge and people’s understanding of the world. Yet, it was discovered that, in a survey conducted by Media Literacy Now and The Reboot Foundation in 2022, only “4 out of 10…participants were taught to analyze…news stories for bias and credibility in high school (Media Literacy Now, National Survey Finds Most U.S. Adults Have Not Had Media Literacy Education in High School)” Whether from a lack of funding or care, these schools are essentially depriving a majority of the population the ability to protect themselves from the internet. If people are not even taught the bare basics, it’s no wonder so many fall victim to online manipulation. Vulnerability to Scams Media of the present is evolving beyond our expectations. With a little help from our AI buddies, mundane research that would’ve taken an hour, shrinks to a 5-minute read summary. It’s incredible what it can do to help, but due to its versatility, it’s equally frightening what it can do to harm. With Ai’s ability to quickly produce AI-generated misinformation, threats of deepfakes and disinformation continue to only grow. Unfortunately, the biggest victim caught up in of all this is none other than the media illiterate population. A 2024 article by Sainsbury, a multi-disciplinary IT journalist, explains that these individuals are “more likely to fall prey to [cyber security threats]” than anyone else (Sainsbury, Low Media Literacy: A Risk to Australia’s Cybersecurity Landscape). And it’s not just a few security threats. A CNN article last year found that “a…worker at a multinational firm was tricked into paying out $25 million to [cybercriminals who were] using deepfake technology (Chen & Magramo, Finance worker pays out $25 million after video call with deepfake ‘chief financial officer).” Digital illiteracy is no longer just a matter of security but can also impact one’s finances. Susceptible to poor decision making Let’s take a break from the present and step back to the past for a bit, most notably, Covid six years ago. Ingrained in all our memories, it was a time where we were all stuck indoors and hung out with our best friends, our phones and beds, on the daily. However, every day, as the hours seem longer from our constant boredom, there was seemingly more restrictions and more casualties by the day. While there was not much to physically do, it was mental gymnastics people had to go through. Many face a behemoth of questions ringing in their minds daily, ranging from whether their family was safe to when a vaccine will be produced. The anxiety these questions sparked quickly took people to the internet in desperation for answers, but the internet is not always honest According to a 2021 article by the Iran University of Medical Sciences, there was no end to “false, complex, and contradictory information” regarding vaccines or safety precautions (Iran University of Medical Sciences, The Relation between Media Literacy and COVID-19 Vaccination). For people who lack the ability to discern misleading from accurate news, it was a constant struggle of being perpetually scared while also being unable to make decisive choices. Ultimately, this led to vaccine hesitancy, prolonged the pandemic, and caused regrettably preventable deaths and illnesses. Solution How do we fix a problem as large of media illiteracy? We don’t have to start big. Instead, we can just start within ourselves and target our capacity to learn. Increase Media Literacy Education With how crucial schools are in our constant journey of learning, society must come together and provide a push for these institutions to educate students about the needed skills to staying safe online. We need to speak to school boards, explain the consequences, and push them to provide classes with trained educators for students to learn from. Although many have shown their lack of knowledge regarding the media literacy, there are those who are willing to learn. When Media Literacy Now asked participants in 2023 if students should learn digital skills in, “84%...agreed” (National Survey Finds Most U.S. Adults Have Not Had Media Literacy Education in High School).” The consensus is clear: only a generation that has been properly educated can hope to create a future where everyone can feel safe online. Spread Public Awareness for Critical Thinking Equal to education is our need to question what we see and do the appropriate research on said topic. Essentially, users need to apply critical thinking, something we are, ironically, critically missing. In a world where information can be published by practically anyone online, the ability to assess a work’s credibility is a need. A 2024 article on the European School Education Platform explains that one of the most crucial skills to staying safe online is one that exercises “judgement, reasoning and analysis skills” (European School Education Platform, Critical Thinking: A Life Skill in the Internet Era). Critical thinking is a strong contender for a habit that encompasses all those qualities. Conclusion Should one leave with anything from this article, it should be this one message: not blindly trusting everything online is healthy. In the end, this healthy relationship one has with online information is what will propel one’s own success in life. Bibliography Maxine Bisera. (2024, February 6). Maxine Bisera /. The Bull & Bear - McGill’s student-run news magazine. https://bullandbearmcgill.com/beyond-the-blue-curtains-the-decline-of-media-literacy/ Arellano, D. (2024, May 13). The death of Media Literacy, rise of anti-intellectualism. The Torch. https://thetorchjfk.com/6269/op-ed/the-death-of-media-literacy-and-rise-of-anti-intellectualism/ Hiebert, D. (2023, May 8). May 2023: Opinion: The rise of the anti-intellectual . Winnipeg Free Press. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2023/05/06/the-rise-of-the-anti-intellectual Spilsbury, L. (2024, February 28). Studies show lack of media literacy in students has negative impact. 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The relation between Media Literacy and covid-19 vaccination. Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9419621/ The importance of media literacy in countering disinformation. EDMO. (n.d.). https://edmo.eu/areas-of-activities/media-literacy/the-importance-of-media-literacy-in-countering-disinformation/ Hobbs, R. (n.d.). Digital and media literacy: A plan of action. Media Education Lab. https://mediaeducationlab.com/index.php/pub/digital-and-media-literacy-plan-action The Importance of Critical Thinking for News Media Literacy. Thinking Pro. (2023, May 19). https://www.thinkinghabitats.com/blog/the-importance-of-critical-thinking-for-news-media-literacy comments debug Commenting Forum Please be respectful and constructive Please be respectful and constructive Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment.